Identifications in a free group

Group rings (16S34) Group rings of infinite groups and their modules (group-theoretic aspects) (20C07) Free nonabelian groups (20E05) Commutator calculus (20F12) Derived series, central series, and generalizations for groups (20F14)

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Let R be a normal subgroup of the free group F. This paper develops a theory of basic commutators relative to R and uses it to prove: Theorem A. For all s,n\(\geq 1\), \[ \gamma_ s(R)\cap \gamma_ n(F)=I_ R\prod [R\cap \gamma_{i_ 1}(F),R\cap \gamma_{i_ 2}(F),...,R\cap \gamma_{i_ s}(F)] \] where the product is over all s-tuples \((i_ 1,i_ 2,...,i_ s)\) such that \(i_ 1+i_ 2+...+i_ s=n\). Here \(\gamma_ n(G)\) denotes the n-th term of the lower central series of G and \(I_ R\) is the isolator of R in F. As a consequence, it is also shown that: Theorem B. For all \(n\geq 1\), \[ (1+{\mathfrak f}^ n{\mathfrak r})\cap F=I_ R\prod [R\cap \gamma_{i_ 1}(F),R\cap \gamma_{i_ 2}(F),...,R\cap \gamma_{i_ t}(F)] \] where the product is over all tuples \((i_ 1,i_ 2,...,i_ t)\) with \(t\geq 2\) and \(i_ 1+i_ 2+...+\hat i_ j+...+i_ t\geq n\) for all \(1\leq j\leq t\). Here \({\mathfrak f}\) is the augmentation ideal of \({\mathbb{Z}}F\) and \({\mathfrak r}\) is the augmentation ideal of \({\mathbb{Z}}R\). This answers a question of \textit{R. H. Fox} [in Ann. Math., II. Ser. 57, 547-560 (1953; Zbl 0050.256)]. The author has kindly pointed out two types in the paper. The first is in the statement of Theorem B where the condition on the t-tuple is incorrectly stated as \(being=n\) rather than \(\geq n\). The second is on page 250, line -6 where the formula should state \(H_{2n}(G,{\mathbb{Z}})\cong (r^ n+fr^{n-1}{\mathfrak f})/({\mathfrak fr}^ n+{\mathfrak r}^ n{\mathfrak f})\).

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