English

Leighton's Theorem: extensions, limitations, and quasitrees

Group Theory 2022-08-10 v3

Abstract

Leighton's Theorem states that if there is a tree TT that covers two finite graphs G1G_1 and G2G_2, then there is a finite graph G^\hat G that is covered by TT and covers both G1G_1 and G2G_2. We prove that this result does not extend to regular covers by graphs other than trees. Nor does it extend to non-regular covers by a quasitree, even if the automorphism group of the quasitree contains a uniform lattice. But it does extend to regular coverings by quasitrees.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2009.04305,
  title  = {Leighton's Theorem: extensions, limitations, and quasitrees},
  author = {Martin R. Bridson and Sam Shepherd},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2009.04305},
  year   = {2022}
}

Comments

29 pages, 10 figures; v2: minor changes made following referee's comments; v3: minor edits to proof of Theorem 1.1 and correction of Example 2.2; to appear in Algebraic & Geometric Topology

R2 v1 2026-06-23T18:25:03.216Z