Max Forester

On uniqueness of JSJ decompositions of finitely generated groups

AbstractWe give an example of two JSJ decompositions of a group that are not related by conjugation, conjugation of edge-inclusions, and slide moves. This answers the question of Rips and Sela stated in [RS].On the other hand we observe that any two JSJ decompositions of a group are related by an elementary deformation, and that strongly slide-free JSJ decompositions are genuinely unique. These results hold for the decompositions of Rips and Sela, Dunwoody and Sageev, and Fujiwara and Papasoglu, and also for accessible decompositions.

Snowflake groups, Perron–Frobenius eigenvalues and isoperimetric spectra

The k-dimensional Dehn (or isoperimetric) function of a group bounds the volume of efficient ball-fillings of k-spheres mapped into k-connected spaces on which the group acts properly and cocompactly; the bound is given as a function of the volume of the sphere. We advance significantly the observed range of behavior for such functions. First, to each non-negative integer matrix P and positive rational number r, we associate a finite, aspherical 2-complex X_{r,P} and calculate the Dehn function of its fundamental group G_{r,P} in terms of r and the Perron-Frobenius eigenvalue of P. The range of functions obtained includes x^s, where s is an arbitrary rational number greater than or equal to 2. By repeatedly forming multiple HNN extensions of the groups G_{r,P} we exhibit a similar range of behavior among higher-dimensional Dehn functions, proving in particular that for each positive integer k and rational s greater than or equal to (k+1)/k there exists a group with k-dimensional Dehn function x^s. Similar isoperimetric inequalities are obtained for arbitrary manifold pairs (M,\partial M) in addition to (B^{k+1},S^k).

Splittings of generalized Baumslag–Solitar groups

We study the structure of generalized Baumslag–Solitar groups from the point of view of their (usually non-unique) splittings as fundamental groups of graphs of infinite cyclic groups. We find and characterize certain decompositions of smallest complexity (fully reduced decompositions) and give a simplified proof of the existence of deformations. We also prove a finiteness theorem and solve the isomorphism problem for generalized Baumslag–Solitar groups with no non-trivial integral moduli.

On the isomorphism problem for generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups

Generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups (GBS groups) are groups that act on trees with infinite cyclic edge and vertex stabilizers. Such an action is described by a labeled graph (essentially, the quotient graph of groups). This paper addresses the problem of determining whether two given labeled graphs define isomorphic groups; this is the isomorphism problem for GBS groups. There are two main results and some applications. First, we find necessary and sufficient conditions for a GBS group to be represented by only finitely many reduced labeled graphs. These conditions can be checked effectively from any labeled graph. Then we show that the isomorphism problem is solvable for GBS groups whose labeled graphs have first Betti number at most one.

Whitehead moves for G-trees

We generalize the familiar notion of a Whitehead move from Culler and Vogtmanns Outer space to the setting of deformation spaces of G-trees. Specifically, we show that there are two moves, each of which transforms a reduced G-tree into another reduced G-tree, that suffice to relate any two reduced trees in the same deformation space. These two moves further factor into three moves between reduced trees that have simple descriptions in terms of graphs of groups. This result has several applications.

Density of isoperimetric spectra

We show that the set of k-dimensional isoperimetric exponents of finitely presented groups is dense in the interval [1, \infty) for k > 1. Hence there is no higher-dimensional analogue of Gromovs gap (1,2) in the isoperimetric spectrum.

Stable commutator length in Baumslag–Solitar groups and quasimorphisms for tree actions

This paper has two parts, on Baumslag-Solitar groups and on general G-trees. In the first part we establish bounds for stable commutator length (scl) in Baumslag-Solitar groups. For a certain class of elements, we further show that scl is computable and takes rational values. We also determine exactly which of these elements admit extremal surfaces. In the second part we establish a universal lower bound of 1/12 for scl of suitable elements of any group acting on a tree. This is achieved by constructing efficient quasimorphisms. Calculations in the group BS(2,3) show that this is the best possible universal bound, thus answering a question of Calegari and Fujiwara. We also establish scl bounds for acylindrical tree actions. Returning to Baumslag-Solitar groups, we show that their scl spectra have a uniform gap: no element has scl in the interval (0, 1/12).

Veech surfaces and simple closed curves

We study the SL(2, ℝ)-infimal lengths of simple closed curves on halftranslation surfaces. Our main result is a characterization of Veech surfaces in terms of these lengths.We also revisit the “no small virtual triangles” theorem of Smillie and Weiss and establish the following dichotomy: the virtual triangle area spectrum of a half-translation surface either has a gap above zero or is dense in a neighborhood of zero.These results make use of the auxiliary polygon associated to a curve on a half-translation surface, as introduced by Tang and Webb.

The Dehn functions of Stallings–Bieri groups

We show that the Stallings–Bieri groups, along with certain other Bestvina–Brady groups, have quadratic Dehn function.

Snowflake geometry in CAT (0) groups: SNOWFLAKE GEOMETRY IN CAT (0) GROUPS

We construct CAT(0) groups containing subgroups whose Dehn functions are given by