Weak amenability of free products of hyperbolic and amenable groups

We show that if G is an amenable group and H is a hyperbolic group, then the free product $G\ast H$ is weakly amenable. A key ingredient in the proof is the fact that $G\ast H$ is orbit equivalent to $\mathbb{Z}\ast H$ .

Characterisations of Pseudo-Amenability

<p>We start this thesis by introducing the theory of locally compact groups and their associated Haar measures. We provide examples and prove important results about locally compact and more specifically amenable groups. One such result is known as the Følner condition, which characterises the class amenable groups. We then use this characterisation to define the notion of a pseudo-amenable group. Our central theorem that we present provides new characterisations of pseudo-amenable groups. These characterisations allows us to prove several new results about these groups, which closely mimic well known results about amenable groups. For instance, we show that pseudo-amenability is preserved under closed subgroups and homomorphisms.</p>

Characterisations of Pseudo-Amenability

<p>We start this thesis by introducing the theory of locally compact groups and their associated Haar measures. We provide examples and prove important results about locally compact and more specifically amenable groups. One such result is known as the Følner condition, which characterises the class amenable groups. We then use this characterisation to define the notion of a pseudo-amenable group. Our central theorem that we present provides new characterisations of pseudo-amenable groups. These characterisations allows us to prove several new results about these groups, which closely mimic well known results about amenable groups. For instance, we show that pseudo-amenability is preserved under closed subgroups and homomorphisms.</p>

The Koopman Representation and Positive Rokhlin Entropy

In this paper, we study connections between positive entropy phenomena and the Koopman representation for actions of general countable groups. Following the line of work initiated by Hayes for sofic entropy, we show in a certain precise manner that all positive entropy must come from portions of the Koopman representation that embed into the left-regular representation. We conclude that for actions having completely positive outer entropy, the Koopman representation must be isomorphic to the countable direct sum of the left-regular representation. This generalizes a theorem of Dooley–Golodets for countable amenable groups. As a final consequence, we observe that actions with completely positive outer entropy must be mixing, and when the group is non-amenable they must be strongly ergodic and have spectral gap.

Fixed point property of amenable planar vortexes

This article introduces free group representations of planar vortexes in a CW space that are a natural outcome of results for amenable groups and fixed points found by M.M. Day during the 1960s and a fundamental result for fixed points given by L.E.J. Brouwer.

Good Groups

Good groups are defined in terms of whether capped gropes of height 1.5 contain certain types of immersed discs. The disc embedding theorem holds for 4-manifolds with good fundamental group. It is proven that the infinite cyclic group and finite groups are good, and that extensions and colimits of good groups are good. This shows that all elementary amenable groups are good. The proofs use grope height raising and contraction, together with an analysis of how fundamental group elements behave under these operations. A central open problem in the study of topological 4-manifolds is to determine precisely which groups are good.