arXiv subjects

Bruce Hughes

Publications and source records attributed to Bruce Hughes.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2020

Finiteness Properties of Locally Defined Groups

Let $X$ be a set and let $S$ be an inverse semigroup of partial bijections of $X$. Thus, an element of $S$ is a bijection between two subsets of $X$, and the set $S$ is required to be closed under the operations of taking inverses and compositions of functions. We define $Γ_{S}$ to be the set of self-bijections of $X$ in which each $γ\in Γ_{S}$ is expressible as a union of finitely many members of $S$. This set is a group with respect to composition. The groups $Γ_{S}$ form a class containing numerous widely studied groups, such as Thompson's group $V$, the Nekrashevych-Röver groups, Houghton's groups, and the Brin-Thompson groups $nV$, among many others. We offer a unified construction of geometric models for $Γ_{S}$ and a general framework for studying the finiteness properties of these groups.

math.GR↗

arXiv2014

Braided Diagram Groups and Local Similarity Groups

Hughes defined a class of groups that act as local similarities on compact ultrametric spaces. Guba and Sapir had previously defined braided diagram groups over semigroup presentations. The two classes of groups share some common characteristics: both act properly by isometries on CAT(0) cubical complexes, and certain groups in both classes have type F-infinity, for instance. Here we clarify the relationship between these families of groups: the braided diagram groups over tree-like semigroup presentations are precisely the groups that act on compact ultrametric spaces via small similarity structures. The proof can be considered a generalization of the proof that Thompson's group V is a braided diagram group over a tree-like semigroup presentation. We also prove that certain additional groups, such as the Houghton groups, and a certain group of quasi-automorphisms lie in both classes.

math.GR↗

arXiv2012

Finiteness properties of some groups of local similarities

Hughes has defined a class of groups, which we call FSS (finite similarity structure) groups. Each FSS group acts on a compact ultrametric space by local similarities. The best-known example is Thompson's group V. Guided by previous work on Thompson's group V, we establish a number of new results about FSS groups. Our main result is that a class of FSS groups are of type F-infinity. This generalizes work of Ken Brown from the 1980s. Next, we develop methods for distinguishing between isomorphism types of some of the Nekrashevych-Röver groups V_{d}(H), where H is a finite group, and show that all such groups V_{d}(H) have simple subgroups of finite index. Lastly, we show that FSS groups defined by small Sim-structures are braided diagram groups over tree-like semigroup presentations. This generalizes a result of Guba and Sapir, who first showed that Thompson's group V is a braided diagram group.

math.GR↗

arXiv2010

Bounded distortion homeomorphisms on ultrametric spaces

It is well-known that quasi-isometries between R-trees induce power quasi-symmetric homeomorphisms between their ultrametric end spaces. This paper investigates power quasi-symmetric homeomorphisms between bounded, complete, uniformly perfect, ultrametric spaces (i.e., those ultrametric spaces arising up to similarity as the end spaces of bushy trees). A bounded distortion property is found that characterizes power quasi-symmetric homeomorphisms between such ultrametric spaces that are also pseudo-doubling. Moreover, examples are given showing the extent to which the power quasi-symmetry of homeomorphisms is not captured by the quasiconformal and bi-Hölder conditions for this class of ultrametric spaces.

math.MG↗

arXiv2009

Dihedral manifold approximate fibrations over the circle

Consider the cyclic group C_2 of order two acting by complex-conjugation on the unit circle S^1. The main result is that a finitely dominated manifold W of dimension > 4 admits a cocompact, free, discontinuous action by the infinite dihedral group D_\infty if and only if W is the infinite cyclic cover of a free C_2-manifold M such that M admits a C_2-equivariant manifold approximate fibration to S^1. The novelty in this setting is the existence of codimension-one, invariant submanifolds of M and W. Along the way, we develop an equivariant sucking principle for certain orthogonal actions of finite groups on Euclidean space.

math.GT↗

arXiv2008

Local similarities and the Haagerup property

A new class of groups, the locally finitely determined groups of local similarities on compact ultrametric spaces, is introduced and it is proved that groups in this class have the Haagerup property (that is, they are a-T-menable in the sense of Gromov). The class includes Thompson's groups, which have already been shown to have the Haagerup property by D. S. Farley, as well as many other groups acting on boundaries of trees. A sufficient condition, used in this paper, for the Haagerup property is shown in the appendix by D. S. Farley to be equivalent to the well-known property of having a proper action on a space with walls.

math.GR↗

arXiv2007

Trees, ultrametrics, and noncommutative geometry

Noncommutative geometry is used to study the local geometry of ultrametric spaces and the geometry of trees at infinity. Connes's example of the noncommutative space of Penrose tilings is interpreted as a non-Hausdorff orbit space of a compact, ultrametric space under the action of its local isometry group. This is generalized to compact, locally rigid, ultrametric spaces. The local isometry types and the local similarity types in those spaces can be analyzed using groupoid C^*-algebras. The concept of a locally rigid action of a countable group Γon a compact, ultrametric space by local similarities is introduced. It is proved that there is a faithful unitary representation of Γinto the germ groupoid C^*-algebra of the action. The prototypical example is the standard action of Thompson's group V on the ultrametric Cantor set. In this case, the C^*-algebra is the Cuntz algebra O_2 and representations originally due to Birget and Nekrashevych are recovered. End spaces of trees are sources of ultrametric spaces. Some connections are made between locally rigid, ultrametric spaces and a concept in the theory of tree lattices of Bass and Lubotzky.

math.OA↗

arXiv2005

The approximate tubular neighborhood theorem

Skeleta and other pure subsets of manifold stratified spaces are shown to have neighborhoods which are teardrops of stratified approximate fibrations (under dimension and compactness assumptions). In general, the stratified approximate fibrations cannot be replaced by bundles, and the teardrops cannot be replaced by mapping cylinder neighborhoods. Thus, this is the best possible topological tubular neighborhood theorem in the stratified setting.

math.GT↗

arXiv1998

Neighborhoods in Stratified Spaces with Two Strata

We develop a theory of tubular neighborhoods for the lower strata in manifold stratified spaces with two strata. In these topologically stratified spaces, manifold approximate fibrations and teardrops play the role that fibre bundles and mapping cylinders play in smoothly stratified spaces. Applications include the classification of neighborhood germs, the construction of exotic stratifications, a multiparameter isotopy extension theorem and an h-coborsism extension theorem.

math.GT↗

arXiv1998

Surgery and Stratified Spaces

This paper surveys the significant progress over the past couple of decades in the theory of stratified spaces through the application of controlled methods as well as through the application of intersection homology.

math.GT↗