Commensurations of \(\text{Out}(F_n)\). (Q2465549)

Let \(F_n\) be the free group of rank \(n\) and \(\text{Out}(F_n)\) its group of outer automorphisms. For a basis \(\{x_1,\dots,x_n\}\) of \(F_n\) and \(j\neq k\) the maps \(x_j\to x_jx_k\), \(x_i\to x_i\) for \(i\neq j\) and \(x_j\to x_k^{-1}x_j\), \(x_i\to x_i\) for \(i\neq j\) define automorphisms of \(F_n\); let \(E_{jk}\), \(_{kj}E\) denote, respectively, the induced outer automorphisms. A non trivial element \(\varphi\in\text{Out}(F_n)\) is called `elementary' if there exist a basis of \(F_n\) so that \(\varphi\) is an iterate either of \(E_{jk}\) or \(_{kj}E\) for some \(j\neq k\). Let \(\Gamma\) be a finite index subgroup of \(\text{Out}(F_n)\) and \(f\colon\Gamma\to\text{Out}(F_n)\) be an (arbitrary) injective homomorphism, an element \(\varphi\) of \(\text{Out}(F_n)\) is `almost fixed' by \(f\) if there exist \(s,t\geq 0\) such that \(f(\varphi^s)=\varphi^t\). If there exist \(s,t\geq 0\) such that \(f(\varphi^s)=\varphi^t\) for every \(\varphi\) in a subgroup of \(\text{Out}(F_n)\), then this subgroup is `almost fixed' by \(f\). A basis \(B\) of \(F_n\) is almost fixed by \(f\) if each \(\langle E_{jk},{_{kj}E}\rangle\), defined with respect to that basis, is almost fixed by \(f\). Let \(\psi\in\text{Out}(F_n)\) and \(i_\psi\) the corresponding inner automorphism, the composition \(i_\psi\circ f\colon\Gamma\to\text{Out}(F_n)\) is a `normalization' of \(f\). Lemma (Lemma 3.2. in the paper): Let \(\Gamma\leq F_n\), \(n\geq 4\) be a finite index subgroup and let \(f\colon\Gamma\to\text{Out}(F_n)\) be any injective homomorphism. If \(f\) has a normalization that almost fixes every elementary element of \(\text{Out}(F_n)\), then there exists \(g\in\text{Out}(F_n)\) such that \(f(\gamma)=g\gamma g^{-1}\) for all \(\gamma\in\Gamma\). Proposition (Proposition 8.1. in the paper): Under the assumptions of the previous Lemma. There is a normalization of \(f\) that almost fixes every basis of \(F_n\). A combination of the previous Lemma and Proposition gives the main theorem of this paper. Theorem: Let \(n\geq 4\), let \(\Gamma\leq\text{Out}(F_n)\) be any finite index subgroup and let \(f\colon\Gamma\to\text{Out}(F_n)\) be any injective homomorphism. Then there exists \(g\in\text{Out}(F_n)\) such that \(f(\gamma)=g\gamma g^{-1}\) for all \(\gamma\in\Gamma\). The proofs are inspired by the ``trilogy'' of \textit{M. Bestvina, M. Feighn} and \textit{M. Handel}, a work on \(\text{Out}(F_n)\) [in Ann. Math. (2) 151, No. 2, 517-623 (2000; Zbl 0984.20025), ibid. 161, No. 1, 1-59 (2005; Zbl 1139.20026) and Geom. Dedicata 104, 71-96 (2004; Zbl 1052.20027)]. This result generalize Khramtsov's and Bridson-Vogtmann's result [in \textit{D. G. Khramtsov}, Collection of scientific works. Sverdlovsk: Ural'skoe Otdelenie AN SSSR, 128-143 (1990; Zbl 0808.20036) and in \textit{M. R. Bridson} and \textit{K. Vogtmann}, J. Algebra 229, No. 2, 785-792 (2000; Zbl 0959.20027)] that the group of the outer automorphisms of a free group of rank \(n\geq 3\) is complete (\(\text{Out(Out}(F_n))=1\)). There are some interesting corollaries: 1. Let \(n\geq 4\), \(\Gamma\leq\text{Out}(F_n)\) be any finite index subgroup and let \(N(\Gamma)\) denote the normalizer of \(\Gamma\) in \(\text{Out}(F_n)\). Then the natural map \(N(\Gamma)\to\Aut(\Gamma)\) is an isomorphism. 2. For \(n\geq 4\), every finite index subgroup \(\Gamma\) of \(\text{Out}(F_n)\) is co-Hopfian. 3. For \(n\geq 4\) the natural injection \(\text{Out}(F_n)\to\text{Comm(Out}(F_n))\) is an isomorphism, where \(\text{Comm(Out}(F_n))\) denotes the abstract commensurator group of \(\text{Out}(F_n)\).