On the fundamental groups of trees of manifolds (Q2496563)

The inverse limit of an inverse sequence \[ M_1 \overset{f_1}{\longleftarrow} M_2 \overset{f_2}{\longleftarrow}M_3 \overset{f_3}{\longleftarrow}\cdots \] of manifolds, satisfying several additional conditions is called a tree of manifolds. Under some additional condition such an inverse system is called well-balanced. Let \((Z, z_0)\) be an inverse limit of an inverse system of pointed compact polyhedra \(\{Z_i, z_{i0} \}\). Define \[ \check{\pi}_1(Z,z_0)=\varprojlim \pi_1(Z_i,z_{i0}) \] as the first shape homotopy group of \((Z,z_0)\). The main theorem of the authors deals with the natural transformation \[ \varphi: \pi_1(Z,z_0)\longrightarrow \check{\pi}_1(Z,z_0). \] There are some examples, showing that \(\varphi\) is in general neither injective nor surjective. The main result asserts: Suppose \((Z,z_0)\) is a tree of manifolds, well-balanced if \(Z\) is 2-dimensional. Then \(\varphi\) is injective. This theorem is applied to special manifolds, in particular to trees of homology spheres as boundaries of negatively curved geodesic spaces.