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Mark Sapir

Publications and source records attributed to Mark Sapir.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Residual properties of 1-relator groups

This is a survey of two papers joint with A. Borisov and a paper joint with I. Spakulova. It is based on my lectures at the conference "Groups St. Andrews 2009", Bath (August 2009). We prove that almost all 1-related groups with at least 3 generators are virtually residually (finite p-)groups for almost all primes p, and coherent. The proof involves methods from combinatorial group theory (the congruence extension property of certain subgroups of free groups) algebraic geometry (dynamics of polynomial maps over finite and p-adic fields) and probability theory (convex hulls of Brownian bridges).

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Almost all one-relator groups with at least three generators are residually finite

We prove that with probability tending to 1, a 1-relator group with at least 3 generators and relator of length n is residually finite, virtually residually (finite p)-group for all sufficiently large p, and coherent. The proof uses both combinatorial group theory and non-trivial results about Brownian motions, bridges and excursions in R^k.

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Nonlinearity of matrix groups

The aim of this note is to answer a question by Guoliang Yu of whether the group $EL_3(Z )$, where $Z $ is the free (non-commutative) ring, has any faithful linear representations over a field. We prove, in particular, that for every (unitary associative) ring $R$, the group $EL_3(R)$ has a faithful finite dimensional complex representation if and only if $R$ has a finite index ideal that has a faithful finite dimensional complex representation.

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Compression functions of uniform embeddings of groups into Hilbert and Banach spaces

We construct finitely generated groups with arbitrary prescribed Hilbert space compression αfrom the interval [0,1]. For a large class of Banach spaces E (including all uniformly convex Banach spaces), the E-compression of these groups coincides with their Hilbert space compression. Moreover, the groups that we construct have asymptotic dimension at most 3, hence they are exact. In particular, the first examples of groups that are uniformly embeddable into a Hilbert space (respectively, exact, of finite asymptotic dimension) with Hilbert space compression 0 are given. These groups are also the first examples of groups with uniformly convex Banach space compression 0.

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Surface subgroups of right-angled Artin groups

We consider the question of which right-angled Artin groups contain closed hyperbolic surface subgroups. It is known that a right-angled Artin group $A(K)$ has such a subgroup if its defining graph $K$ contains an $n$-hole (i.e. an induced cycle of length $n$) with $n\geq 5$. We construct another eight "forbidden" graphs and show that every graph $K$ on $\le 8$ vertices either contains one of our examples, or contains a hole of length $\ge 5$, or has the property that $A(K)$ does not contain hyperbolic closed surface subgroups. We also provide several sufficient conditions for a \RAAG to contain no hyperbolic surface subgroups. We prove that for one of these "forbidden" subgraphs $P_2(6)$, the right angled Artin group $A(P_2(6))$ is a subgroup of a (right angled Artin) diagram group. Thus we show that a diagram group can contain a non-free hyperbolic subgroup answering a question of Guba and Sapir. We also show that fundamental groups of non-orientable surfaces can be subgroups of diagram groups. Thus the first integral homology of a subgroup of a diagram group can have torsion (all homology groups of all diagram groups are free Abelian by a result of Guba and Sapir).

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Tree-graded spaces and asymptotic cones of groups

We introduce a concept of tree-graded metric space and we use it to show quasi-isometry invariance of certain classes of relatively hyperbolic groups, to obtain a characterization of relatively hyperbolic groups in terms of their asymptotic cones, to find geometric properties of Cayley graphs of relatively hyperbolic groups, and to construct the first example of finitely generated group with a continuum of non-$π_1$-equivalent asymptotic cones. Note that by a result of Kramer, Shelah, Tent and Thomas, continuum is the maximal possible number of different asymptotic cones of a finitely generated group, provided that the Continuum Hypothesis is true.

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Algorithmic and asymptotic properties of groups

This is a survey of the recent work in algorithmic and asymptotic properties of groups. I discuss Dehn functions of groups, complexity of the word problem, Higman embeddings, and constructions of finitely presented groups with extreme properties (monsters).

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Groups acting on tree-graded spaces and splittings of relatively hyperbolic group

Tree-graded spaces are generalizations of R-trees. They appear as asymptotic cones of groups (when the cones have cut points). Since many questions about endomorphisms and automorphisms of groups, solving equations over groups, studying embeddings of a group into another group, etc. lead to actions of groups on the asymptotic cones, it is natural to consider actions of groups on tree-graded spaces. We develop a theory of such actions which generalizes the well known theory of groups acting on R-trees. As applications of our theory, we describe, in particular, relatively hyperbolic groups with infinite groups of outer automorphisms, and co-Hopfian relatively hyperbolic groups.

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Metrics on diagram groups and uniform embeddings in a Hilbert space

We give first examples of finitely generated groups having an intermediate, with values in (0,1), Hilbert space compression (which is a numerical parameter measuring the distortion required to embed a metric space into Hilbert space). These groups include certain diagram groups. In particular, we show that the Hilbert space compression of Richard Thompson's group $F$ is equal to 1/2, the Hilbert space compression of the restricted wreath product $Z\wr Z$ is between 1/2 and 3/4, and the Hilbert space compression of $Z\wr (Z\wr Z)$ is between 0 and 1/2. In general, we find a relationship between the growth of $H$ and the Hilbert space compression of $Z\wr H$.

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Relatively Hyperbolic Groups with Rapid Decay Property

We prove that a finitely generated group $G$ hyperbolic relative to the collection of finitely generated subgroups H_1,..., H_m has the Rapid Decay property if and only if each H_i, i=1,2,..., m, has the Rapid Decay property.

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Polynomial maps over finite fields and residual finiteness of mapping tori of group endomorphisms

We prove that every mapping torus of any free group endomorphism is residually finite. We show how to use a not yet published result of E. Hrushovski to extend our result to arbitrary linear groups. The proof uses algebraic self-maps of affine spaces over finite fields. In particular, we prove that when such a map is dominant, the set of its fixed closed scheme points is Zariski dense in the affine space.

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Diagram groups are totally orderable

In this paper, we introduce the concept of the independence graph of a directed 2-complex. We show that the class of diagram groups is closed under graph products over independence graphs of rooted 2-trees. This allows us to show that a diagram group containing all countable diagram groups is a semi-direct product of a partially commutative group and R. Thompson's group $F$. As a result, we prove that all diagram groups are totally orderable.

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Rigidity property of diagram groups

We show a rigid connection between two classical objects: the R.Thompson group F and the Dunce hat. A diagram group of a directed 2-complex contains a copy of F if and only if the complex contains a copy of the Dunce hat.

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