The Bass-Jiang group for automorphism-induced HNN-extensions (Q1630092)

In [Hiroshima Math. J. 19, No. 1, 209--219 (1989; Zbl 0727.20029)], \textit{T. Matumoto} proved that every group \(Q\) can be realized as the outer automorphism group of some group \(G_Q\). Since then, many variations of this result has been proved by placing restrictions on \(Q\) and \(G_Q\). In this line, one of the main open questions is due to \textit{I. Bumagin} and \textit{D. T. Wise} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 200, No. 1--2, 137--147 (2005; Zbl 1082.20021)]: can every countable group \(Q\) be realized as the outer automorphism group of a finitely generated, residually finite group \(G_Q\)? The paper under review offers a new partial answer to Bumagin-Wise question [loc. cit.]: if \(Q\) is finitely presented and satisfies Serre's property \(FA\) (every action of \(Q\) on any tree has a global fixed point) then there exists a finitely presented group \(G_Q\) such that \(\mathrm{Out}(G_Q)\) contains \(Q\) as a finite index subgroup; moreover, if \(Q\) is residually finite then \(G_Q\) can be chosen to be residually finite as well. The main tool for the proof consists of an in-depth analysis of the Bass-Jiang group for automorphism induced HNN-extensions (i.e., HNN-extensions where the defining isomorphism between subgroups extends to a global automorphism of the base group).