Related papers: Surface subgroups from linear programming

Let F be a non-abelian finite rank free group, and let H_g be the fundamental group of a surface of genus g with one boundary component represented by D_g in H_g. So, H_g is the free group <a_1,b_1,...,a_g,b_g> and D_g is the product of…

Let $S$ be a nonorientable surface of genus $g\ge 5$ with $n\ge 0$ punctures, and $\Mcg(S)$ its mapping class group. We define the complexity of $S$ to be the maximum rank of a free abelian subgroup of $\Mcg(S)$. Suppose that $S_1$ and…

A graph product kernel means the kernel of the natural surjection from a graph product to the corresponding direct product. We prove that a graph product kernel of countable groups is special, and a graph product of finite or cyclic groups…

We consider finite-sheeted, regular, possibly branched covering spaces of compact surfaces with boundary and the associated liftable and symmetric mapping class groups. In particular, we classify when either of these subgroups coincides…

We introduce the co-surface graph $\mathcal{CS}$ of a finitely generated free group $\mathbb{F}$ and use it to study the geometry of hyperbolic group extensions of $\mathbb{F}$. Among other things, we show that the Gromov boundary of the…

For a finitely generated free group F_n, of rank at least 2, any finite subgroup of Out(F_n) can be realized as a group of automorphisms of a graph with fundamental group F_n. This result, known as Out(F_n) realization, was proved by…

Let B be a finite collection of geometric (not necessarily convex) bodies in the plane. Clearly, this class of geometric objects naturally generalizes the class of disks, lines, ellipsoids, and even convex polygons. We consider geometric…

Let X be a finite 2-complex with unfree fundamental group. We prove lower bounds for the area of a metric on X, in terms of the square of the least length of a noncontractible loop in X. We thus establish a uniform systolic inequality for…

We prove sharp limit theorems on random walks on graphs with values in finite groups. We then apply these results (together with some elementary algebraic geometry, number theory, and representation theory) to finite quotients of lattices…

In this paper we study random representations of fundamental groups of surfaces into special unitary groups. The random model we use is based on a symplectic form on moduli space due to Atiyah, Bott, and Goldman. Let $\Sigma_{g}$ denote a…

Let F be the free group over a set of two or more generators. R. Brooks constructed an infinite family of quasi-morphisms on F such that an infinite subfamily gives rise to independent classes in the second bounded cohomology of F, which…

We construct k-parameter families of rational surface automorphisms for any k. These are automorphisms of surfaces X, which are constructed from iterated blowups over the projective plane. In certain cases: we are able to determine the…

Given integers $d\ge 3$ and $N\ge 3$. Let $G$ be a finite abelian group acting faithfully and linearly on a smooth hypersurface of degree $d$ in the complex projective space $\mathbb{P}^{N-1}$. Suppose $G\subset PGL(N, \mathbb{C})$ can be…

We give an example of a subgroup of SL(2,C) which is a strictly ascending HNN extension of a non-abelian finitely generated free group F. In particular, we exhibit a free group F in SL(2,C) of rank 6 which is conjugate to a proper subgroup…

We show that every word hyperbolic, surface-by-(noncyclic) free group Gamma is as rigid as possible: the quasi-isometry group of Gamma equals the abstract commensurator group Comm(Gamma), which in turn contains Gamma as a finite index…

We use language theory to study the rational subset problem for groups and monoids. We show that the decidability of this problem is preserved under graph of groups constructions with finite edge groups. In particular, it passes through…

Let $G$ be a hyperbolic group that splits as a graph of free groups with cyclic edge groups. We prove that, unless $G$ is isomorphic to a free product of free and surface groups, every finite abelian group $M$ appears as a direct summand in…

For every $n\ge 2$, the {\em surface Houghton group} $\mathcal B_n$ is defined as the asymptotically rigid mapping class group of a surface with exactly $n$ ends, all of them non-planar. The groups $\mathcal B_n$ are analogous to, and in…

A beautifully simple free generating set for the commutator subgroup of a free group was constructed by Tomaszewski. We give a new geometric proof of his theorem, and show how to give a similar free generating set for the commutator…

We study the real dynamics of a family of rational surface automorphisms obtained from quadratic birational maps of $\pcc$ that preserve a cuspidal cubic and whose critical orbits have lengths $(1,m,n)$ with $1+m+n\ge 10$. Passing to the…