Projections and relative hyperbolicity. (Q386104)

The author introduces a new characterization of relatively hyperbolic groups in terms of almost-projections on left cosets of peripheral subgroups. This characterization is similar to the characterization of tree-graded spaces given in another paper [\textit{A. Sisto}, Groups Geom. Dyn. 7, No. 3, 697-735 (2013; Zbl 1327.20048)], with the link between the two provided by asymptotic cones in view of results of \textit{C. Druţu} and \textit{M. Sapir} [Topology 44, No. 5, 959-1058 (2005; Zbl 1101.20025)]. The author also uses projections to provide an analogue for relatively hyperbolic groups of the distance formula for mapping class groups and discusses some of its applications.