The Homology of Partial Monoid Actions and Petri Nets

The aim of this paper is to study the homology theory of partial monoid actions and apply it to computing the homology groups of mathematical models for concurrency. We study the Baues–Wirsching homology groups of a small category associated with a partial monoid action on a set. We prove that these groups can be reduced to the Leech homology groups of the monoid. For a trace monoid with a partial action on a set, we build a complex of free Abelian groups for computing the homology groups of this small category. It allows us to solve the problem posed by the author on the construction of an algorithm to computing the homology groups of elementary Petri nets. We describe the algorithm and give examples of computing the homology groups.     

Finite dimensional groups of local diffeomorphisms

We are interested in classifying groups of local biholomorphisms (or even formal diffeomorphisms) that can be endowed with a canonical structure of algebraic groups and their subgroups. Such groups are called finitedimensional. We obtain that cyclic groups, virtually polycyclic groups, finitely generated virtually nilpotent groups and connected Lie groups of local biholomorphisms are finite-dimensional. We provide several methods to identify finite-dimensional groups and build examples.As a consequence we generalize results of Arnold, Seigal–Yakovenko and Binyamini on uniform estimates of local intersection multiplicities to bigger classes of groups, including for example virtually polycyclic groups and in particular finitely generated virtually nilpotent groups.     

Some inequalities for the Baer-invariant of a pair of finite groups

In this paper we introduce the concept of Baer-invariant of a pair of groups with respect to a variety of groups v. Some inequalities for the Baer-invariant of a pair of finite groups are obtained, when v is considered to be the Schur-Baer variety. We also present a condition for which the order of the Baerinvariant of a pair of finite groups divides the order of the Baer-invariant of their factor groups. Finally, some inequalities for the Schur-multiplier of a pair of finite nilpotent groups and their factor groups are given.     

Gauss laws in the sense of Bernstein and uniqueness of embedding into convolution semigroups on quantum groups and braided groups

Summary. The goal of this paper is to characterise certain probability laws on a class of quantum groups or braided groups that we will call nilpotent. First we introduce a braided analogue of the Heisenberg–Weyl group, which shall serve as standard example. We introduce Gaussian functionals on quantum groups or braided groups as functionals that satisfy an analogue of the Bernstein property, i.e. that the sum and difference of independent random variables are also independent. The corresponding functionals on the braided line, braided plane and a braided q-Heisenberg–Weyl group are determined. Section 5 deals with continuous convolution semigroups on nilpotent quantum groups and braided groups. We extend recent results proving the uniqueness of the embedding of an infinitely divisible probability law into a continuous convolution semigroup for simply connected nilpotent Lie groups to nilpotent quantum groups and braided groups. Finally, in Section 6 we give some indications how the semigroup approach of Heyer and Hazod to the Bernstein theorem on groups can be extended to quantum groups and braided groups. Received: 30 October 1996 / In revised form: 1 April 1997     

Diagram groups and directed 2-complexes: Homotopy and homology

We show that diagram groups can be viewed as fundamental groups of spaces of positive paths on directed 2-complexes (these spaces of paths turn out to be classifying spaces). Thus diagram groups are analogs of second homotopy groups, although diagram groups are as a rule non-Abelian. Part of the paper is a review of the previous results from this point of view. In particular, we show that the so-called rigidity of the R. Thompson's group F and some other groups is similar to the flat torus theorem. We find several finitely presented diagram groups (even of type F_∞) each of which contains all countable diagram groups. We show how to compute minimal presentations and homology groups of a large class of diagram groups. We show that the Poincaré series of these groups are rational functions. We prove that all integer homology groups of all diagram groups are free Abelian.     

Limit groups as limits of free groups

We give a topological framework for the study of Sela'slimit groups: limit groups are limits of free groups in a compact space of marked groups. Many results get a natural interpretation in this setting. The class of limit groups is known to coincide with the class of finitely generated fully residually free groups. The topological approach gives some new insight on the relation between fully residually free groups, the universal theory of free groups, ultraproducts and non-standard free groups.     

The Groups LS and Morphisms of Quadratic Extensions

For a morphism of quadratic extensions of antistructures, groups similar to the groups of obstructions to splitting along one-sided submanifolds are defined. These groups are a natural generalization of the splitting obstruction groups. The results obtained open additional possibilities for constructing groups and natural maps in L-theory.     

Thick metric spaces,relative hyperbolicity,and quasi-isometric rigidity

We study the geometry of non-relatively hyperbolic groups. Generalizing a result of Schwartz, any quasi-isometric image of a non-relatively hyperbolic space in a relatively hyperbolic space is contained in a bounded neighborhood of a single peripheral subgroup. This implies that a group being relatively hyperbolic with non-relatively hyperbolic peripheral subgroups is a quasi-isometry invariant. As an application, Artin groups are relatively hyperbolic if and only if freely decomposable. We also introduce a new quasi-isometry invariant of metric spaces called metrically thick, which is sufficient for a metric space to be non-hyperbolic relative to any non-trivial collection of subsets. Thick finitely generated groups include: mapping class groups of most surfaces; outer automorphism groups of most free groups; certain Artin groups; and others. Non-uniform lattices in higher rank semisimple Lie groups are thick and hence non-relatively hyperbolic, in contrast with rank one which provided the motivating examples of relatively hyperbolic groups. Mapping class groups are the first examples of non-relatively hyperbolic groups having cut points in any asymptotic cone, resolving several questions of Drutu and Sapir about the structure of relatively hyperbolic groups. Outside of group theory, Teichmüller spaces for surfaces of sufficiently large complexity are thick with respect to the Weil–Peterson metric, in contrast with Brock–Farb’s hyperbolicity result in low complexity.     

On Weyl groups in minimal simple groups of finite Morley rank

We prove that generous non-nilpotent Borel subgroups of connected minimal simple groups of finite Morley rank are self-normalizing. We use this to introduce a uniform approach to the analysis of connected minimal simple groups of finite Morley rank through a case division incorporating four mutually exclusive classes of groups. We use these to analyze Carter subgroups and Weyl groups in connected minimal simple groups of finite Morley rank. Finally, the self-normalization theorem is applied to give a new proof of an important step in the classification of simple groups of finite Morley rank of odd type.     

Macpherson's chern classes of singular algebraic varieties

Sacerdote [Sa] has shown that the non-Abelian free groups satisfy precisely the same universal-existential sentences Th(F₂)??? in a first-order language Lo appropriate for group theory. It is shown that in every model of Th(F₂)??? the maximal Abelian subgroups are elementarily equivalent to locally cyclic groups (necessarily nontrivial and torsion free). Two classes of groups are interpolated between the non-Abelian locally free groups and Remeslennikov’s ?-free groups. These classes are the almost locally free groups and the quasi-locally free groups. In particular, the almost locally free groups are the models of Th(F₂)??? while the quasi-locally free groups are the ?-free groups with maximal Abelian subgroups elementarily equivalent to locally cyclic groups (necessarily nontrivial and torsion free). Two principal open questions at opposite ends of a spectrum are: (1.) Is every finitely generated almost locally free group free? (2.) Is every quasi-locally free group almost locally free? Examples abound of finitely generated quasi-locally free groups containing nontrivial torsion in their Abelianizations. The question of whether or not almost locally free groups have torsion free Abelianization is related to a bound in a free group on the number of factors needed to express certain elements of the derived group as a product of commutators     

Covering theory for complexes of groups

We develop an explicit covering theory for complexes of groups, parallel to that developed for graphs of groups by Bass. Given a covering of developable complexes of groups, we construct the induced monomorphism of fundamental groups and isometry of universal covers. We characterize faithful complexes of groups and prove a conjugacy theorem for groups acting freely on polyhedral complexes. We also define an equivalence relation on coverings of complexes of groups, which allows us to construct a bijection between such equivalence classes, and subgroups or overgroups of a fixed lattice Γ in the automorphism group of a locally finite polyhedral complex X.     

On the isolated points in the space of groups

We investigate the isolated points in the space of finitely generated groups. We give a workable characterization of isolated groups and study their hereditary properties. Various examples of groups are shown to yield isolated groups. We also discuss a connection between isolated groups and solvability of the word problem.     

Evolving groups

The class of evolving groups is defined and investigated, as well as their connections to examples in the field of Galois cohomology. Evolving groups are proved to be Sylow Tower groups in a rather strong sense. In addition, evolving groups are characterized as semidirect products of two nilpotent groups of coprime orders where the action of one on the other is via automorphisms that map each subgroup to a conjugate.     

Efficient finite groups arising in the study of relative asphericity

We study a class of two-generator two-relator groups, denoted \(J_n(m,k)\), that arise in the study of relative asphericity as groups satisfying a transitional curvature condition. Particular instances of these groups occur in the literature as finite groups of intriguing orders. Here we find infinite families of non-elementary virtually free groups and of finite metabelian non-nilpotent groups, for which we determine the orders. All Mersenne primes arise as factors of the orders of the non-metacyclic groups in the class, as do all primes from other conjecturally infinite families of primes. We classify the finite groups up to isomorphism and show that our class overlaps and extends a class of groups \(F^{a,b,c}\) with trivalent Cayley graphs that was introduced by C. M. Campbell, H. S. M. Coxeter, and E. F. Robertson. The theory of cyclically presented groups informs our methods and we extend part of this theory (namely, on connections with polynomial resultants) to “bicyclically presented groups” that arise naturally in our analysis. As a corollary to our main results we obtain new infinite families of finite metacyclic generalized Fibonacci groups.     

Groups acting on tree-graded spaces and splittings of relatively hyperbolic groups

Tree-graded spaces are generalizations of R-trees. They appear as asymptotic cones of groups (when the cones have cut-points). Since many questions about endomorphisms and automorphisms of groups, solving equations over groups, studying embeddings of a group into another group, etc. lead to actions of groups on the asymptotic cones, it is natural to consider actions of groups on tree-graded spaces. We develop a theory of such actions which generalizes the well-known theory of groups acting on R-trees. As applications of our theory, we describe, in particular, relatively hyperbolic groups with infinite groups of outer automorphisms, and co-Hopfian relatively hyperbolic groups.     

Postnikov factorizations at infinity

We have developed Postnikov sections for Brown–Grossman homotopy groups and for Steenrod homotopy groups in the category of exterior spaces, which is an extension of the proper category. The homotopy fibre of a fibration in the factorization associated with Brown–Grossman groups is an Eilenberg–Mac Lane exterior space for this type of groups and it has two non-trivial consecutive Steenrod homotopy groups. For a space which is first countable at infinity, one of these groups is given by the inverse limit of the homotopy groups of the neighbourhoods at infinity, the other group is isomorphic to the first derived of the inverse limit of this system of groups. In the factorization associated with Steenrod groups the homotopy fibre is an Eilenberg–Mac Lane exterior space for this type of groups and it has two non-trivial consecutive Brown–Grossman homotopy groups. We also obtain a mix factorization containing both kinds of previous factorizations and having homotopy fibres which are Eilenberg–Mac Lane exterior spaces for both kinds of groups.Given a compact metric space embedded in the Hilbert cube, its open neighbourhoods provide the Hilbert cube the structure of an exterior space and the homotopy fibres of the factorizations above are Eilenberg–Mac Lane exterior spaces with respect to inward (or approaching) Quigley groups.     

Structure and Rigidity in (Gromov) Hyperbolic Groups and Discrete Groups in Rank 1 Lie Groups II

We borrow the Jaco-Shalen-Johannson notion of characteristic sub-manifold from 3-dimensional topology to study cyclic splittings of torsion-free (Gromov) hyperbolic groups and finitely generated discrete groups in rank 1 Lie groups. Our JSJ canonical decomposition is a fundamental object for studying the dynamics of individual automorphisms and the automorphism group of a torsion-free hyperbolic group and a key tool in our approach to the isomorphism problem for these groups [S3]. For discrete groups in rank 1 Lie groups, the JSJ canonical decomposition serves as a basic object for understanding the geometry of the space of discrete faithful representations and allows a natural generalization of the Teichmüller modular group and the Riemann moduli space for these discrete groups. Submitted: September 1996, revised version: April 1997     

Determinants and Algebraic Identities Associated with the Root Systems of Classical Lie Algebras

Burnside asked questions about periodic groups in his influential paper of 1902. The study of groups with exponent six is a special case of the study of the Burnside questions on which there has been significant progress. It has contributed a number of worthwhile aspects to the theory of groups and in particular to computation related to groups. Finitely generated groups with exponent six are finite. We investigate the nature of relations required to provide proofs of finiteness for some groups with exponent six. We give upper and lower bounds for the number of sixth powers needed to define the largest 2-generator group with exponent six. We solve related questions about other groups with exponent six using substantial computations which we explain.