The Diophantine problem in the Baumslag-Gersten group

Abstract

We show that, for every positive prime number $p$, the Baumslag-Gersten group $G_p = \langle a, t \mid (tat^{-1}) a(tat^{-1})^{-1} = a^p \rangle$ has an undecidable Diophantine problem. This gives the first known examples of one-relator groups with undecidable Diophantine problems. Furthermore we apply this to show that the one-relator group $G_p \ast \mathbb{Z}$ has an undecidable single equation problem.