Acylindrical hyperbolicity, non-simplicity and SQ-universality of groups splitting over \(\mathbb{Z}\) (Q516389)

It is known that an infinite word hyperbolic group is not simple. Moreover, in [\textit{A. Yu. Ol'shanskij}, Sb. Math. 186, No. 8, 1199--1211 (1995; Zbl 0864.20023); translation from Mat. Sb. 186, No. 8, 119--132 (1995)] and in [\textit{T. Delzant}, Duke Math. J. 83, No. 3, 661--682 (1996; Zbl 0852.20032)], it is proved that a non-elementary word hyperbolic group \(G\) is \(\mathrm{SQ}\)-universal, that is, every countable group embeds in a quotient of \(G\). A generalization of word hyperbolicity is that of being hyperbolic relative to a collection of proper subgroups. In this case (see in [\textit{G. Arzhantseva} et al., J. Algebra 315, No. 1, 165--177 (2007; Zbl 1132.20022)]), it is also proved that these groups are \(\mathrm{SQ}\)-universal. A further generalization of being hyperbolic relative to proper subgroups is that of a group being acylindrically hyperbolic. In [\textit{F. Dahmani} et al., Mem. Am. Math. Soc. 1156, iii--vi, 149 p. (2016; Zbl 1396.20041)], it is shown that acylindrical hyperbolicity also implies \(\mathrm{SQ}\)-universality. On the other hand in [\textit{A. Minasyan} and \textit{D. Osin}, Math. Ann. 362, No. 3--4, 1055--1105 (2015; Zbl 1360.20038)] a fairly general condition for a finite graph of groups to be acylindrically hyperbolic is given. In the paper under consideration, the author, using acylindrical hyperbolicity, shows that a finitely generated group splitting over \(\mathbb{Z}\) cannot be simple. Moreover, he obtains the \(\mathrm{SQ}\)-universality in most cases. Let \(G(\Gamma )\) be a graph of groups over the connected graph \(\Gamma\). If there is an edge \(e\) which is not a loop and at least one of the edge inclusions into the corresponding vertex groups is an isomorphism, it is called reducible and it is possible to contract this edge without any affect on the fundamental group of \(G(\Gamma )\). So if \(\Gamma \) is finite it is possible to contract the reducible edges one by one until it is obtained a reduced graph of groups. A balanced element in a group \(G\) is an element \(x\) of infinite order such that the relation \(g^{-1}x^{m}g\,=\,x^{n}\) implies \(\mid m\mid\,=\,\mid n\mid\). Theorem 2.4. Suppose that \(G(\Gamma )\) is a reduced non-trivial graph of groups with finitely generated fundamental group \(G\) and where one edge group is virtually infinite cyclic. Then one of the following holds: {\parindent=0.8cm \begin{itemize} \item[(i)] \(G\) is acylindrically hyperbolic, \item [(ii)] \(G\) has a homomorphism onto \(\mathbb{Z}\), \item [(iii)] \(G\) has an infinite cyclic normal subgroup. \end{itemize}} Since a \(\mathrm{SQ}\)-universal group must contain a free non-abelian group. For the stronger property, whether a finitely generated group, which splits over a virtually infinite cyclic group, is \(\mathrm{SQ}\)-universal, the author examines which of these groups do not contain a free non-abelian group (Proposition 3.2). Theorem 3.3. Suppose that \(G\) is finitely generated and is equal to a non-trivial amalgamated free product \(A\ast _{C}B\) for \(C\,=\,\langle\,c\,\rangle\,\simeq\,\mathbb{Z}\). If \(\langle\,c\,\rangle\) is not \(s\)-normal in \(G\), or \(\langle\,c\,\rangle\) is \(s\)-normal in \(G\) and \(c\) is balanced in \(G\) but \(G\) is not one of the six groups listed in Proposition 3.2, or if \(\langle\,c\,\rangle\) is \(s\)-normal in \(G\) but \(c\) is not balanced in \(A\) and not balanced in \(B\), then \(G\) is \(\mathrm{SQ}\)-universal. In the case where the element \(c\) is balanced in \(A\) but not in \(B\) (or vice versa), the group \(A\ast _{C}B\) is not always \(\mathrm{SQ}\)-universal. But in some subcases, the \(\mathrm{SQ}\)-universality of these groups is obtained (Proposition 3.4 ). Similar results are obtained in the case of HNN-extensions (Theorem 3.5 and Proposition 3.6). The paper concludes with the following: Corollary 3.7. Suppose that \(G\) is a finitely generated group which equals the fundamental group of a reduced non-trivial graph of groups where one edge group is infinite cyclic with a generator that is balanced in \(G\). Then, one of the following mutually exclusive cases occurs: {\parindent=0.8cm \begin{itemize}\item[(i)] \(G\) is acylindrically hyperbolic, \item[(ii)] \(G\) has an infinite normal subgroup \(Z\) such that \(G/Z\) is relatively hyperbolic but not virtually cyclic and so is acylindrically hyperbolic, \item[(iii)] \(G\) is isomorphic to \(\mathbb{Z}^{2}\) or one of the six groups listed in Proposition 3.2. \end{itemize}} In particular, \(G\) is \(\mathrm{SQ}\)-universal or virtually abelian.