Relative free splitting and free factor complexes: An overview

Abstract

For any group $\Gamma$ and any free factor system $\mathscr A$ of $\Gamma$, the relative outer automorphism group $\text{Out}(\Gamma;\mathscr A)$ acts naturally on the relative free splitting complex $\mathcal{F\!S}(\Gamma;\mathscr A)$ and on the complex of relative free factor systems $\mathcal{F\!F}(\Gamma;\mathscr A)$, generalizing the well known actions of $\text{Out}(F_n)$ on the absolute free splitting complex $\mathcal{F\!S}(F_n)$ and the absolute free factor complex ${\mathcal{F}}(F_n)$ of the rank $n$ free group $F_n$. This overview summarizes a three part work regarding the large scale geometry of $\mathcal{F\!S}(\Gamma;\mathscr A)$ and $\mathcal{F\!F}(\Gamma;\mathscr A)$ and the geometric dynamics of the actions on these complexes by elements of $\text{Out}(\Gamma;\mathscr A)$. In Part I arXiv:1407.3508 we prove hyperbolicity of $\mathcal{F\!S}(\Gamma;\mathscr A)$ and of $\mathcal{F\!F}(\Gamma;\mathscr A)$. In Parts II and III arXiv:2212.09907, arXiv:2503.07532 we study the relation between the geometric dynamics of an element of $\text{Out}(\Gamma;\mathscr A)$ and the dynamics of its relative train track representatives. The main tool in Part II is the Two Over All Theorem, expressing an exponential flaring property of Stallings fold paths in $\mathcal{F\!S}(\Gamma;\mathscr A)$. The main tools in Part III are "filling paths", used to formulate and prove a strong version of the Two Over All Theorem.