Relative cubulations and groups with a 2-sphere boundary

We introduce a new kind of action of a relatively hyperbolic group on a $\text{CAT}(0)$ cube complex, called a relatively geometric action. We provide an application to characterize finite-volume Kleinian groups in terms of actions on cube complexes, analogous to the results of Markovic and Haïssinsky in the closed case.

DISMANTLABLE CLASSIFYING SPACE FOR THE FAMILY OF PARABOLIC SUBGROUPS OF A RELATIVELY HYPERBOLIC GROUP

Let $G$ be a group hyperbolic relative to a finite collection of subgroups ${\mathcal{P}}$. Let ${\mathcal{F}}$ be the family of subgroups consisting of all the conjugates of subgroups in ${\mathcal{P}}$, all their subgroups, and all finite subgroups. Then there is a cocompact model for $E_{{\mathcal{F}}}G$. This result was known in the torsion-free case. In the presence of torsion, a new approach was necessary. Our method is to exploit the notion of dismantlability. A number of sample applications are discussed.

Time complexity of the conjugacy problem in relatively hyperbolic groups

If u and v are two conjugate elements of a hyperbolic group then the length of a shortest conjugating element for u and v can be bounded by a linear function of the sum of their lengths, as was proved by Lysenok in [Some algorithmic properties of hyperbolic groups, Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR Ser. Mat. 53(4) (1989) 814–832, 912]. Bridson and Haefliger showed in [Metrics Spaces of Non-Positive Curvature (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1999)] that in a hyperbolic group the conjugacy problem can be solved in polynomial time. We extend these results to relatively hyperbolic groups. In particular, we show that both the conjugacy problem and the conjugacy search problem can be solved in polynomial time in a relatively hyperbolic group, whenever the corresponding problem can be solved in polynomial time in each parabolic subgroup. We also prove that if u and v are two conjugate hyperbolic elements of a relatively hyperbolic group then the length of a shortest conjugating element for u and v is linear in terms of their lengths.

Asymptotically isometric metrics on relatively hyperbolic groups and marked length spectrum

We prove asymptotically isometric, coarsely geodesic metrics on a toral relatively hyperbolic group are coarsely equal. The theorem applies to all lattices in SO (n, 1). This partly verifies a conjecture by Margulis. In the case of hyperbolic groups/spaces, our result generalizes a theorem by Furman and a theorem by Krat. We discuss an application to the isospectral problem for the length spectrum of Riemannian manifolds. The positive answer to this problem has been known for several cases. Most of them have hyperbolic fundamental groups. We do not solve the isospectral problem in the original sense, but prove the universal covers are (1, C)-quasi-isometric if the fundamental group is a toral relatively hyperbolic group.

SLP compression for solutions of equations with constraints in free and hyperbolic groups

The paper is a part of an ongoing program which aims to show that the problem of satisfiability of a system of equations in a free group (hyperbolic or even toral relatively hyperbolic group) is NP-complete. For that, we study compression of solutions with straight-line programs (SLPs) as suggested originally by Plandowski and Rytter in the context of a single word equation. We review some basic results on SLPs and give full proofs in order to keep this fundamental part of the program self-contained. Next we study systems of equations with constraints in free groups and more generally in free products of abelian groups. We show how to compress minimal solutions with extended Parikh-constraints. This type of constraints allows to express semi-linear conditions as e.g. alphabetic information. The result relies on some combinatorial analysis and has not been shown elsewhere. We show similar compression results for Boolean formula of equations over a torsion-free δ-hyperbolic group. The situation is much more delicate than in free groups. As byproduct we improve the estimation of the "capacity" constant used by Rips and Sela in their paper "Canonical representatives and equations in hyperbolic groups" from a double-exponential bound in δ to some single-exponential bound. The final section shows compression results for toral relatively hyperbolic groups using the work of Dahmani: We show that given a system of equations over a fixed toral relatively hyperbolic group, for every solution of length N there is an SLP for another solution such that the size of the SLP is bounded by some polynomial p(s + log N) where s is the size of the system.

Growth tightness for groups with contracting elements

We establish growth tightness for a class of groups acting geometrically on a geodesic metric space and containing a contracting element. As a consequence, any group with non-trivial Floyd boundary are proven to be growth tight with respect to word metrics. In particular, all non-elementary relatively hyperbolic group are growth tight. This generalizes previous works of Arzhantseva-Lysenok and Sambusetti. Another interesting consequence is that CAT(0) groups with rank-1 elements are growth tight with respect to CAT(0)-metric.

On Cannon–Thurston maps for relatively hyperbolic groups

Baker and Riley gave an inclusion of a free group of rank 3 in a hyperbolic group for which the Cannon–Thurston map is not well-defined. By using their result, we show that every non-elementary hyperbolic group can be included in some hyperbolic group in such a way that the Cannon–Thurston map is not well-defined. In fact we generalize their result to every non-elementary relatively hyperbolic group.

RELATIVELY HYPERBOLIC GROUPS

In this paper we develop some of the foundations of the theory of relatively hyperbolic groups as originally formulated by Gromov. We prove the equivalence of two definitions of this notion. One is essentially that of a group admitting a properly discontinuous geometrically finite action on a proper hyperbolic space, that is, such that every limit point is either a conical limit point or a bounded parabolic point. The other is that of a group which admits a cofinite action on a connected fine hyperbolic graph. We define a graph to be "fine" if there are only finitely many circuits a given length containing any given edge, and we develop some of the properties of this notion. We show how a relatively hyperbolic group can be assumed to act on a proper hyperbolic space of a particular geometric form. We define the boundary of a relatively hyperbolic group, and show that the limit set of any geometrically finite action of the group is equivariantly homeomorphic to this boundary. This generalizes a result of Tukia for geometrically finite kleinian groups. We also describe when the boundary is connected.

ENDOMORPHISMS OF RELATIVELY HYPERBOLIC GROUPS

We generalize some results of Paulin and Rips-Sela on endomorphisms of hyperbolic groups to relatively hyperbolic groups, and in particular prove the following. • If G is a nonelementary relatively hyperbolic group with slender parabolic subgroups, and either G is not co-Hopfian or Out (G) is infinite, then G splits over a slender group. • If H is a nonparabolic subgroup of a relatively hyperbolic group, and if any isometric H-action on an ℝ-tree is trivial, then H is Hopfian. • If G is a nonelementary relatively hyperbolic group whose peripheral subgroups are finitely generated, then G has a nonelementary relatively hyperbolic quotient that is Hopfian. • Any finitely presented group is isomorphic to a finite index subgroup of Out (H) for some group H with Kazhdan property (T). (This sharpens a result of Ollivier–Wise).