On quasiconvex subgroups of negatively curved groups (Q1361206)

Recall that if \(G\) is a group with a finite generating set \(X\), then a subgroup \(G_0\) of \(G\) is said to be \(K\)-quasiconvex if any geodesic in the Cayley graph associated to the pair \((G,X)\) with endpoints in \(G_0\) belongs to the \(K\)-neighborhood of \(G_0\). The group \(G\) is said to be locally quasiconvex if all its finitely generated subgroups are quasiconvex with respect to some finite generating set of \(G\). If \(G\) is hyperbolic in the sense of Gromov, then quasiconvexity of a subgroup \(G_0\) and local convexity of \(G\) are notions that are independent of the choice of a generating set. The author proves some technical results on quasiconvexity, from which he deduces the following. Theorem: Let \(L\) be a finitely generated subgroup of a hyperbolic group \(A=G*_{G_0=H_0}H\) such that the subgroups \(L\cap G\) and \(L\cap H\) are finitely generated. If \(G\) and \(H\) are locally quasiconvex, and if \(G_0\) is malnormal in \(G\) and quasiconvex in \(A\), then \(L\) is quasiconvex in \(A\). (Recall that a subgroup \(G_0\) is malnormal in \(G\) if for any \(g\in G\setminus G_0\), the intersection \(gG_0g^{-1}\cap G_0\) is trivial.) -- Corollary: A free product of locally quasiconvex hyperbolic groups is locally quasiconvex. -- Theorem: A free product of two hyperbolic locally quasiconvex groups amalgamated over a virtually cyclic subgroup which is malnormal in one of the factors is locally quasiconvex. -- Corollary: A free product of a negatively curved locally quasiconvex group with a free group amalgamated over a cyclic subgroup maximal in the free factor is locally quasiconvex. In particular, surface groups are locally quasiconvex. The author also gives a new proof of the fact that locally quasiconvex groups have the finitely generated intersection property.