Computability of finite quotients of finitely generated groups

We systematically study groups whose marked finite quotients form a recursive set. We give several definitions, and prove basic properties of this class of groups, and in particular emphasize the link between the growth of the depth function and solvability of the word problem. We give examples of infinitely presented groups whose finite quotients can be effectively enumerated. Finally, our main result is that a residually finite group can fail to be recursively presented and still have computable finite quotients, and that, on the other hand, it can have solvable word problem but not have computable finite quotients.

An uncountable family of finitely generated residually finite groups

We study a family of finitely generated residually finite groups. These groups are doubles F 2 * H F 2 F_{2}*_{H}F_{2} of a rank-2 free group F 2 F_{2} along an infinitely generated subgroup 𝐻. Varying 𝐻 yields uncountably many groups up to isomorphism.

Generating infinite monoids of cellular automata

For a group [Formula: see text] and a set [Formula: see text], let [Formula: see text] be the monoid of all cellular automata over [Formula: see text], and let [Formula: see text] be its group of units. By establishing a characterization of surjunctive groups in terms of the monoid [Formula: see text], we prove that the rank of [Formula: see text] (i.e. the smallest cardinality of a generating set) is equal to the rank of [Formula: see text] plus the relative rank of [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text], and that the latter is infinite when [Formula: see text] has an infinite decreasing chain of normal subgroups of finite index, condition which is satisfied, for example, for any infinite residually finite group. Moreover, when [Formula: see text] is a vector space over a field [Formula: see text], we study the monoid [Formula: see text] of all linear cellular automata over [Formula: see text] and its group of units [Formula: see text]. We show that if [Formula: see text] is an indicable group and [Formula: see text] is finite-dimensional, then [Formula: see text] is not finitely generated; however, for any finitely generated indicable group [Formula: see text], the group [Formula: see text] is finitely generated if and only if [Formula: see text] is finite.

Semigroup quasivarieties: Two lattices and a reopened problem

We determine all quasivarieties of aperiodic semigroups that are contained in some residually finite variety. This endeavor was initially motivated by a problem in natural dualities, but our work here also serves as a partial correction to an error found in a result of Sapir from the 1980s.

Residually finite dimensional algebras and polynomial almost identities

Let [Formula: see text] be a residually finite dimensional algebra (not necessarily associative) over a field [Formula: see text]. Suppose first that [Formula: see text] is algebraically closed. We show that if [Formula: see text] satisfies a homogeneous almost identity [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] has an ideal of finite codimension satisfying the identity [Formula: see text]. Using well known results of Zelmanov, we conclude that, if a residually finite dimensional Lie algebra [Formula: see text] over [Formula: see text] is almost [Formula: see text]-Engel, then [Formula: see text] has a nilpotent (respectively, locally nilpotent) ideal of finite codimension if char [Formula: see text] (respectively, char [Formula: see text]). Next, suppose that [Formula: see text] is finite (so [Formula: see text] is residually finite). We prove that, if [Formula: see text] satisfies a homogeneous probabilistic identity [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] is a coset identity of [Formula: see text]. Moreover, if [Formula: see text] is multilinear, then [Formula: see text] is an identity of some finite index ideal of [Formula: see text]. Along the way we show that if [Formula: see text] has degree [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] is a finite [Formula: see text]-algebra such that the probability that [Formula: see text] (where [Formula: see text] are randomly chosen) is at least [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] is an identity of [Formula: see text]. This solves a ring-theoretic analogue of a (still open) group-theoretic problem posed by Dixon,

On macroscopic dimension of non-spin 4-manifolds

We prove that for 4-manifolds [Formula: see text] with residually finite fundamental group and non-spin universal covering [Formula: see text], the inequality [Formula: see text] implies the inequality [Formula: see text]. This allows us to complete the proof of Gromov’s Conjecture for 4-manifolds with abelian fundamental group.