English

L^2-Betti numbers of one-relator groups

Group Theory 2007-06-13 v3 Geometric Topology

Abstract

We determine the L^2-Betti numbers of all one-relator groups and all surface-plus-one-relation groups (surface-plus-one-relation groups were introduced by Hempel who called them one-relator surface groups). In particular we show that for all such groups G, the L^2-Betti numbers b_n^{(2)}(G) are 0 for all n>1. We also obtain some information about the L^2-cohomology of left-orderable groups, and deduce the non-L^2 result that, in any left-orderable group of homological dimension one, all two-generator subgroups are free.

Cite

@article{arxiv.math/0508370,
  title  = {L^2-Betti numbers of one-relator groups},
  author = {Warren Dicks and Peter A. Linnell},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/0508370},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

18 pages, version 3, minor changes. To appear in Math. Ann

R2 v1 2026-07-22T17:23:19.120Z