The normalized cyclomatic quotient associated with presentations of finitely generated groups (Q1366867)

Let \(G\) be a finitely presented group, with a presentation \(G^\alpha\) having \(n\) generators. The author defines the normalized cyclomatic quotient (in brief, NCQ), denoted by \(\widehat\Xi(G^\alpha)\), by considering the asymptotic behaviour of the quotient of the rank of the fundamental group of subgraphs of the associated Cayley graph by the cardinality of the set of vertices of these subgraphs. In some ways, the NCQ behaves similarly to the behaviour of the spectral radius of a symmetric random walk on the Cayley graph. The value of \(\widehat\Xi(G^\alpha)\) depends on the presentation of the group, unless the group is amenable. Using Følner's criterion for amenability, the author shows that the NCQ vanishes for an infinite group if and only if the group is amenable. When \(G\) is finite, then \(\widehat\Xi(G^\alpha)=1/|G|\) and when \(G\) is non-amenable, then \(1-n\leq\widehat\Xi(G^\alpha)<0\), with \(\widehat\Xi(G^\alpha)=1-n\) if and only if \(G\) is of free rank \(n\). For some special cases, \(\widehat\Xi(G^\alpha)\) is equal to the Euler characteristic of \(G\) (but this is not the case for example when \(X\) is a free group or a free product with amalgamation of two free groups). Most of the paper is concerned with bounds for the value of the NCQ on factor groups and subgroups, and formulas with respect of the decomposition of \(G\) into direct and free products. Some other related asymptotic invariants are also discussed in this paper.