arXiv subjects

Elia Fioravanti

Publications and source records attributed to Elia Fioravanti.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The Twist Conjecture and the Isomorphism Problem for Coxeter groups

We prove Mühlherr's Twist Conjecture: any two angle-compatible Coxeter generating sets of a Coxeter group differ by a finite sequence of elementary twists and a conjugation. Combined with earlier work of Howlett-Mühlherr and Marquis-Mühlherr, this completes the resolution of the Isomorphism Problem for Coxeter groups. A further consequence is that ${\rm Aut}(W)$ is finitely generated for every Coxeter group $W$, and there is an algorithm producing a finite set of generators for ${\rm Aut}(W)$ starting from any Coxeter matrix. Of the vast literature on the Twist Conjecture, we utilise only two results in an essential way: strong rigidity of $2$--spherical Coxeter systems, due to Caprace and Mühlherr, and the framework of markings and hierarchies developed by Caprace and Przytycki for the twist-rigid case. We also exploit in a fundamental way some soft ideas from JSJ theory and an observation of Mihalik-Tschantz on splittings of Coxeter groups. No form of AI was used in the writing of this manuscript, nor in the research that it presents.

math.GR↗

arXiv2026

$\mathbb{R}$--trees and accessibility over arc-stabilisers

Let $G\curvearrowright T$ be a minimal action on an $\mathbb{R}$--tree with $G$ finitely presented. Assuming that $G$ is accessible over the family of arc-stabilisers of $T$, we give a description of the point-stabilisers of $T$ in terms of simplicial trees. In particular, these point-stabilisers are finitely generated. This has applications to the study of automorphisms of right-angled Artin groups and special groups.

math.GR↗

arXiv2026

Short positive loxodromics in graph products

We give a method for effectively generating generalised loxodromics in subgroups of graph products, using positive words. This has several consequences for the growth of subsets of these groups. In particular, we show that graph products of groups with strong product set growth properties also share those properties. We additionally show that the set of growth rates of a class of subgroups of any graph product of equationally noetherian groups is well-ordered.

math.GR↗

arXiv2026

Growth of automorphisms of virtually special groups

We study the speed of growth of iterates of outer automorphisms of virtually special groups, in the Haglund-Wise sense. We show that each automorphism grows either polynomially or exponentially, and that its stretch factor is an algebraic integer. For coarse-median preserving automorphisms, we show that there are only finitely many growth rates and we construct an analogue of the Nielsen-Thurston decomposition of surface homeomorphisms. These results are new already for right-angled Artin groups. However, even in this particular case, the proof requires studying automorphisms of arbitrary special groups in an essential way. As results of independent interest, we show that special groups are accessible over centralisers, and we construct a canonical JSJ decomposition over centralisers. We also prove that, for any virtually special group $G$, the outer automorphism group ${\rm Out}(G)$ is boundary amenable, satisfies the Tits alternative, and has finite virtual cohomological dimension.

math.GR↗

arXiv2026

Automorphism growth and group decompositions

Let $G$ be a finitely generated group with an automorphism $φ\in{\rm Aut}(G)$, or an outer automorphism $ϕ\in{\rm Out}(G)$. Suppose that $G$ decomposes into simpler pieces on which the growth behaviour of $φ$ and $ϕ$ is known, particularly as a direct product, free product, or graph of groups. This article is devoted to the (often not entirely straightforward) problem of deducing information about the growth rates of $φ$ and $ϕ$ on the whole $G$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2026

Generators for automorphisms of special groups

Let $G$ be a (compact) special group in the sense of Haglund and Wise. We show that ${\rm Out}(G)$ is finitely generated, and provide a virtual generating set consisting of Dehn twists and ``pseudo-twists''. We exhibit instances where Dehn twists alone do not suffice and completely characterise this phenomenon: it is caused by certain abelian subgroups of $G$, called ``poison subgroups'', which can be removed by replacing $G$ with a finite-index subgroup. Similar results hold for coarse-median preserving automorphisms, without the pathologies: For every special group $G$, the coarse-median preserving subgroups ${\rm Out}(G,[μ])\leq{\rm Out}(G)$ are virtually generated by finitely many Dehn twists with respect to splittings of $G$ over centralisers. Proofs are based on a novel, hierarchical version of Rips and Sela's shortening argument.

math.GR↗

arXiv2025

On uniqueness of coarse median structures

We show that any product of bushy hyperbolic spaces has a unique coarse median structure, and that having a unique coarse median structure is a property closed under relative hyperbolicity. As a consequence, in contrast with the case of mapping class groups, there are non-hyperbolic pants graphs that have unique coarse median structures.

math.GR↗

arXiv2024

Coarse cubical rigidity

We show that for many right-angled Artin and Coxeter groups, all cocompact cubulations coarsely look the same: they induce the same coarse median structure on the group. These are the first examples of non-hyperbolic groups with this property. For all graph products of finite groups and for Coxeter groups with no irreducible affine parabolic subgroups of rank $\geq 3$, we show that all automorphism preserve the coarse median structure induced, respectively, by the Davis complex and the Niblo-Reeves cubulation. As a consequence, automorphisms of these groups have nice fixed subgroups and satisfy Nielsen realisation.

math.GR↗

arXiv2024

Divisible cube complexes and finite-order automorphisms of RAAGs

We give a geometric characterisation of those groups that arise as fixed subgroups of finite-order untwisted automorphisms of right-angled Artin groups (RAAGs). They are precisely the fundamental groups of a class of compact special cube complexes that we term "divisible". The main corollary is that surface groups arise as fixed subgroups of finite-order automorphisms of RAAGs, as do all commutator subgroups of right-angled Coxeter groups. These appear to be the first examples of such fixed subgroups that are not themselves isomorphic to RAAGs. Using a variation of canonical completions, we also observe that every special group arises as the fixed subgroup of an automorphism of a finite-index subgroup of a RAAG.

math.GR↗

arXiv2024

On the Čech cohomology of Morse boundaries

We consider cusped hyperbolic $n-$manifolds, and compute Čech cohomology groups of the Morse boundaries of their fundamental groups. In particular, we show that the reduced Čech cohomology with real coefficients vanishes in dimension at most $n-3$ and does not vanish in dimension $n-2$. A similar result holds for relatively hyperbolic groups with virtually nilpotent peripherals and Bowditch boundary homeomorphic to a sphere; these include all non-uniform lattices in rank$-1$ simple Lie groups.

math.GR↗

arXiv2023

Convex cores for actions on finite-rank median algebras

We show that every action of a finitely generated group on a finite-rank median algebra admits a nonempty "convex core", even when no metric or topology is given. We then use this to deduce an analogue of the flat torus theorem for actions on connected finite-rank median spaces. We also prove that isometries of connected finite-rank median spaces are either elliptic or loxodromic.

math.GT↗

arXiv2023

On automorphisms and splittings of special groups

We initiate the study of outer automorphism groups of special groups $G$, in the Haglund-Wise sense. We show that ${\rm Out}(G)$ is infinite if and only if $G$ splits over a co-abelian subgroup of a centraliser and there exists an infinite-order "generalised Dehn twist". Similarly, the coarse-median preserving subgroup ${\rm Out}_{\rm cmp}(G)$ is infinite if and only if $G$ splits over an actual centraliser and there exists an infinite-order coarse-median-preserving generalised Dehn twist. The proof is based on constructing and analysing non-small, stable $G$-actions on $\mathbb{R}$-trees whose arc-stabilisers are centralisers or closely related subgroups. Interestingly, tripod-stabilisers can be arbitrary centralisers, and thus are large subgroups of $G$. As a result of independent interest, we determine when generalised Dehn twists associated to splittings of $G$ preserve the coarse median structure.

math.GT↗

arXiv2023

Coarse-median preserving automorphisms

This paper has three main goals. First, we study fixed subgroups of automorphisms of right-angled Artin and Coxeter groups. If $φ$ is an untwisted automorphism of a RAAG, or an arbitrary automorphism of a RACG, we prove that ${\rm Fix}~φ$ is finitely generated and undistorted. Up to replacing $φ$ with a power, we show that ${\rm Fix}~φ$ is quasi-convex with respect to the standard word metric. This implies that ${\rm Fix}~φ$ is separable and a special group in the sense of Haglund-Wise. By contrast, there exist "twisted" automorphisms of RAAGs for which ${\rm Fix}~φ$ is undistorted but not of type $F$ (hence not special), of type $F$ but distorted, or even infinitely generated. Secondly, we introduce the notion of "coarse-median preserving" automorphism of a coarse median group, which plays a key role in the above results. We show that automorphisms of RAAGs are coarse-median preserving if and only if they are untwisted. On the other hand, all automorphisms of Gromov-hyperbolic groups and right-angled Coxeter groups are coarse-median preserving. These facts also yield new or more elementary proofs of Nielsen realisation for RAAGs and RACGs. Finally, we show that, for every special group $G$ (in the sense of Haglund-Wise), every infinite-order, coarse-median preserving outer automorphism of $G$ can be realised as a homothety of a finite-rank median space $X$ equipped with a "moderate" isometric $G$-action. This generalises the classical result, due to Paulin, that every infinite-order outer automorphism of a hyperbolic group $H$ projectively stabilises a small $H$-tree.

math.GT↗

arXiv2022

Connected components of Morse boundaries of graphs of groups

Let a finitely generated group $G$ split as a graph of groups. If edge groups are undistorted and do not contribute to the Morse boundary $\partial_MG$, we show that every connected component of $\partial_MG$ with at least two points originates from the Morse boundary of a vertex group. Under stronger assumptions on the edge groups (such as wideness in the sense of Druţu-Sapir), we show that Morse boundaries of vertex groups are topologically embedded in $\partial_MG$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2021

Roller boundaries for median spaces and algebras

We construct compactifications for median spaces with compact intervals, generalising Roller boundaries of ${\rm CAT}(0)$ cube complexes. Examples of median spaces with compact intervals include all finite rank median spaces and all proper median spaces of infinite rank. Our methods also work for general median algebras, where we recover the zero-completions of Bandelt and Meletiou. Along the way, we prove various properties of halfspaces in finite rank median spaces and a duality result for locally convex median spaces.

math.MG↗

arXiv2021

Deforming cubulations of hyperbolic groups

We describe a procedure to deform cubulations of hyperbolic groups by "bending hyperplanes". Our construction is inspired by related constructions like Thurston's Mickey Mouse example, walls in fibred hyperbolic $3$-manifolds and free-by-$\mathbb Z$ groups, and Hsu-Wise turns. As an application, we show that every cocompactly cubulated Gromov-hyperbolic group admits a proper, cocompact, essential action on a ${\rm CAT}(0)$ cube complex with a single orbit of hyperplanes. This answers (in the negative) a question of Wise, who proved the result in the case of free groups. We also study those cubulations of a general group $G$ that are not susceptible to trivial deformations. We name these "bald cubulations" and observe that every cocompactly cubulated group admits at least one bald cubulation. We then apply the hyperplane-bending construction to prove that every cocompactly cubulated hyperbolic group $G$ admits infinitely many bald cubulations, provided $G$ is not a virtually free group with ${\rm Out}(G)$ finite. By contrast, we show that the Burger-Mozes examples each admit a unique bald cubulation.

math.GT↗

arXiv2021

Cross ratios on ${\rm CAT(0)}$ cube complexes and marked length-spectrum rigidity

We show that group actions on irreducible ${\rm CAT(0)}$ cube complexes with no free faces are uniquely determined by their $\ell^1$ length function. Actions are allowed to be non-proper and non-cocompact, as long as they are minimal and have no finite orbit in the visual boundary. This is, to our knowledge, the first length-spectrum rigidity result in a setting of non-positive curvature (with the exception of some particular cases in dimension 2 and symmetric spaces). As our main tool, we develop a notion of cross ratio on Roller boundaries of ${\rm CAT(0)}$ cube complexes. Inspired by results in negative curvature, we give a general framework reducing length-spectrum rigidity questions to the problem of extending cross-ratio preserving maps between (subsets of) Roller boundaries. The core of our work is then to show that, when there are no free faces, these cross-ratio preserving maps always extend to cubical isomorphisms. All our results equally apply to cube complexes with variable edge lengths. As a special case of our work, we construct a compactification of the Charney-Stambaugh-Vogtmann Outer Space for the group of untwisted outer automorphisms of an (irreducible) right-angled Artin group. This generalises the length function compactification of the classical Culler-Vogtmann Outer Space.

math.GT↗

arXiv2021

Automorphisms of contact graphs of ${\rm CAT(0)}$ cube complexes

We show that, under weak assumptions, the automorphism group of a ${\rm CAT(0)}$ cube complex $X$ coincides with the automorphism group of Hagen's contact graph $\mathcal{C}(X)$. The result holds, in particular, for universal covers of Salvetti complexes, where it provides an analogue of Ivanov's theorem on curve graphs of non-sporadic surfaces. This highlights a contrast between contact graphs and Kim-Koberda extension graphs, which have much larger automorphism group. We also study contact graphs associated to Davis complexes of right-angled Coxeter groups. We show that these contact graphs are less well-behaved and describe exactly when they have more automorphisms than the universal cover of the Davis complex.

math.GT↗