\(\mathcal V\)-perfect groups (Q1384936)

Let \(F\) be the free group on countably many generators \(\{x_1,x_2,\dots\}\), let \(V\subseteq F\) and let \(\mathcal V\) be the variety defined by the set of laws \(V\). Then, for any group \(G\), the corresponding marginal subgroup, \(V^*(G)\), is defined by: \[ V^*(G)=\{z\mid(\forall w(x_1,\dots,x_n)\in V) (\forall a_1,\dots,a_n\in G)\;(w(a_1,\dots,a_iz,\dots,a_n)=w(a_1,\dots,a_n))\}. \] The Baer-invariant of \(G\) with respect to \(\mathcal V\) is \({\mathcal V}M(G)=(R\cap V(F))/[RV^*F]\), where \([RV^*F]\) is the least normal subgroup of \(F\) contained in \(R\) such that \(R\) is mapped into the marginal subgroup of the corresponding quotient group. A \(\mathcal V\)-covering group of \(G\) is a group \(G^*\) with an exact sequence \(1\to A\to G^*\to G\to 1\) where \({\mathcal V}M(G)\cong A\subseteq(V(G^*)\cap V^*(G^*))\). If we have only that \(A\subseteq V^*(G^*)\), then the exact sequence is called a \(\mathcal V\)-central extension. This paper is interested in the case where each law is an outer commutator (o.c.), which is defined recursively as follows: \(x\) is an o.c., and if, \(u(x_1,\dots,x_s)\) and \(v(x_{s+1},\dots x_{s+t})\) are o.c.s of lengths \(s\) and \(t\), respectively, then \([u,v]\) is an o.c. of length \(s+t\). The main result is Theorem: Let \(\mathcal V\) be a variety of groups defined by the set of outer commutators \(V\), and let \(G\) be a \(\mathcal V\)-perfect group (i.e. \(G=V(G)\)) with a free presentation \(G\cong F/R\). Then \(V(F)/[RV^*F]\) is a \(\mathcal V\)-perfect \(V\)-covering group of \(G\) and the universal \(V\)-central extension is \[ 1\to(R\cap V(F))/[RV^*F]\to V(F)/[RV^*F]\to G\to 1. \]