arXiv subjects

Yael Algom-Kfir

Publications and source records attributed to Yael Algom-Kfir.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Groups of proper homotopy equivalences of graphs and Nielsen Realization

For a locally finite connected graph $X$ we consider the group $Maps(X)$ of proper homotopy equivalences of $X$. We show that it has a natural Polish group topology, and we propose these groups as an analog of big mapping class groups. We prove the Nielsen Realization theorem: if $H$ is a compact subgroup of $Maps(X)$ then $X$ is proper homotopy equivalent to a graph $Y$ so that $H$ is realized by simplicial isomorphisms of $Y$.

math.GT↗

arXiv2018

The Metric Completion of Outer Space

We develop the theory of a metric completion of an asymmetric metric space. We characterize the points on the boundary of Outer Space that are in the metric completion of Outer Space with the Lipschitz metric. We prove that the simplicial completion, the subset of the completion consisting of simplicial tree actions, is homeomorphic to the free splitting complex. We use this to give a new proof of a theorem by Francaviglia and Martino that the isometry group of Outer Space is homeomorphic to $\text{Out}(F_n)$ for $n \geq 3$ and equal to $\text{PSL}(2,\mathbb{Z})$ for $n=2$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2018

The visual boundary of hyperbolic free-by-cyclic groups

Let $ϕ$ be an atoroidal outer automorphism of the free group $F_n$. We study the Gromov boundary of the hyperbolic group $G_ϕ = F_n \rtimes_ϕ \mathbb{Z}$. We explicitly describe a family of embeddings of the complete bipartite graph $K_{3,3}$ into $\partial G_ϕ$. To do so, we define the directional Whitehead graph and prove that an indecomposable $F_n$-tree is Levitt type if and only if one of its directional Whitehead graphs contains more than one edge. As an application, we obtain a direct proof of Kapovich-Kleiner's theorem that $\partial G_ϕ$ is homeomorphic to the Menger curve if the automorphism is atoroidal and fully irreducible.

math.GT↗

arXiv2017

Stable Strata of Geodesics in Outer Space

In this paper we propose an Outer space analogue for the principal stratum of the unit tangent bundle to the Teichmüller space $\mathcal{T}(S)$ of a closed hyperbolic surface $S$. More specifically, we focus on properties of the geodesics in Teichmüller space determined by the principal stratum. We show that the analogous Outer space "principal" periodic geodesics share certain stability properties with the principal stratum geodesics of Teichmüller space. We also show that the stratification of periodic geodesics in Outer space exhibits some new pathological phenomena not present in the Teichmüller space context.

math.GR↗

arXiv2016

Normalizers and centralizers of cyclic subgroups generated by lone axis fully irreducible outer automorphisms

We let $φ$ be an ageometric fully irreducible outer automorphism so that its Handel-Mosher axis bundle consists of a single unique axis. We show that the centralizer $Cen(\langleφ\rangle)$ of the cyclic subgroup generated by $φ$ equals the stabilizer $\text{Stab}(Λ^+_φ)$ of the attracting lamination $Λ^+_φ$ and is isomorphic to $\mathbb Z$. We further show, via an analogous result about the commensurator, that the normalizer $N(\langleφ\rangle)$ of $\langle φ\rangle$ is isomorphic to either $\mathbb Z$ or $\mathbb Z_2 * \mathbb Z_2$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2016

A dense geodesic ray in the $Out(F_r)$-quotient of reduced Outer Space

In 1981 Masur proved the existence of a dense geodesic in the moduli space for a Teichmüller space. We prove an analogue theorem for reduced Outer Space endowed with the Lipschitz metric. We also prove two results possibly of independent interest: we show Brun's unordered algorithm weakly converges and from this prove that the set of Perron-Frobenius eigenvectors of positive integer $m \times m$ matrices is dense in the positive cone $\mathbb{R}^m_+$ (these matrices will in fact be the transition matrices of positive automorphisms). We give a proof in the appendix that not every point in the boundary of Outer Space is the limit of a flow line.

math.GR↗

arXiv2014

Digraphs and cycle polynomials for free-by-cyclic groups

Let $ϕ\in \mbox{Out}(F_n)$ be a free group outer automorphism that can be represented by an expanding, irreducible train-track map. The automorphism $ϕ$ determines a free-by-cyclic group $Γ=F_n \rtimes_ϕ\mathbb Z,$ and a homomorphism $α\in H^1(Γ; \mathbb Z)$. By work of Neumann, Bieri-Neumann-Strebel and Dowdall-Kapovich-Leininger, $α$ has an open cone neighborhood $\mathcal A$ in $H^1(Γ;\mathbb R)$ whose integral points correspond to other fibrations of $Γ$ whose associated outer automorphisms are themselves representable by expanding irreducible train-track maps. In this paper, we define an analog of McMullen's Teichmüller polynomial that computes the dilatations of all outer automorphism in $\mathcal A$.

math.GT↗

arXiv2012

Mapping tori of small dilatation irreducible train-track maps

We prove that for every P there is a bound B depending only on P so that the mapping torus of every P--small irreducible train-track map can be obtained by surgery from one of B mapping tori. We show that given an integer P>0 there is a bound $M$ depending only on P, so that there exists a presentation of the fundamental group of the mapping torus of a P--small irreducible train-track map with less than M generators and M relations.

math.GT↗

arXiv2012

Linear representations of Aut(F_r) on the homology of representation varieties

Let G be a compact semisimple linear Lie group. We study the action of Aut(F_r) on the space H_*(G^r;\QQ). We compute the image of this representation and prove that it only depends on the rank of the Lie algebra of G. We show that the kernel of this representation is always the Torrelli subgroup IA_r of Aut(F_r).

math.GR↗

arXiv2012

A parabolic action on a proper, CAT(0) cube complex

We consider diagram groups as defined by V. Guba and M. Sapir. A diagram group G acts on the associated cube complex K by isometries. It is known that if a cube complex L is of a finite dimension then every isometry g of L is semi-simple, i.e. its translation length is realized. It was conjectured by D. S. Farley that in the case of a diagram group G the action of G on the associated cube complex K is by semisimple isometries even when K has an infinite dimension. In this paper we give a counterexample to Farley Conjecture and we show that R. Thompson's group F, considered as a diagram group, has some elements which act as parabolic (not semi-simple) isometries on the associated cube complex.

math.GR↗

arXiv2011

Asymmetry of Outer Space

We study the asymmetry of the Lipschitz metric d on Outer space. We introduce an (asymmetric) Finsler norm that induces d. There is an Out(F_n)-invariant potential Ψon Outer space such that when the Lipschitz norm is corrected by the derivative of Ψ, the resulting norm is quasisymmetric. As an application, we give new proofs of two theorems of Handel-Mosher, that the Lipschitz metric is quasi-symmetric when restricted to a thick part of Outer space, and that there is a uniform bound, depending only on the rank, on the ratio of logs of growth rates of any irreducible outer automorphism f in Out(F_n) and its inverse.

math.GR↗

arXiv2010

Strongly Contracting Geodesics in Outer Space

We study the Lipschitz metric on Outer Space and prove that fully irreducible elements of Out(F_n) act by hyperbolic isometries with axes which are strongly contracting. As a corollary, we prove that the axes of fully irreducible automorphisms in the Cayley graph of Out(F_n) are stable, meaning that a quasi-geodesic with endpoints on the axis stays within a bounded distance from the axis.

math.GR↗