arXiv subjects

Kevin Whyte

Publications and source records attributed to Kevin Whyte.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2001

Maximally symmetric trees

We characterize the ``best'' model geometries for the class of virtually free groups, and we show that there is a countable infinity of distinct ``best'' model geometries in an appropriate sense--these are the maximally symmetric trees. The first theorem gives several equivalent conditions on a bounded valence, cocompact tree T without valence 1 vertices saying that T is maximally symmetric. The second theorem gives general constructions for maximally symmetric trees, showing for instance that every virtually free group has a maximally symmetric tree for a model geometry.

math.GR↗

arXiv2000

Quasi-actions on trees: research announcement

We develop a battery of tools for studying quasi-isometric rigidity and classification problems for splittings of groups. The techniques work best for finite graphs of groups where all edge and vertex groups are coarse PD groups. For example, if Gamma is a graph of coarse PD(n) groups for a fixed n, if the Bass-Serre tree of Gamma has infinitely many ends, and if H is a finitely generated group quasi-isometric to pi_1(Gamma), then we prove that H is the fundamental group of a graph of coarse PD(n) groups, with vertex and edge groups quasi-isometric to those of Gamma. We also have quasi-isometric rigidity theorems for graphs of coarse PD groups of nonconstant dimension, under various assumptions on the edge-to-vertex group inclusions.

math.GR↗

arXiv1997

Amenability, Bilipschitz Maps, and the Von Neumann conjecture

We determine when a quasi-isometry between discrete spaces is at bounded distance from a bilipschitz map. From this we prove a geometric version of the Von Neumann conjecture on amenability. We also get some examples in geometric groups theory which show that the sign of the Euler characteristic is not a coarse invariant. Finally we get some general results on uniformly finite homology which we will apply to manifolds in a later paper.

math.GR↗