Conjugacy classes and growth conditions. (Q1400173)

Let \(G\) be a finitely generated group and \(E\) a finite generating system. If \(g\in G\) let \(l_E(g)\) be the minimal length of an expression of \(g\) as a product of elements of \(E\), and let \(f_E(n)\) be the number of elements \(g\) of \(G\) for which \(l_E(G)\leq n\). Then the group \(G\) has polynomial growth if there exist positive real numbers \(a,s\) such that \(f_E(n)\leq an^s\), and it is well known that this concept is independent of the generating system. \textit{M. Gromov} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 53, 53--78 (1981; Zbl 0474.20018)] has shown that a group of polynomial growth is nilpotent-by-finite. The current paper studies the relation between growth and conjugacy. One consequence of the main result is that if \(G\) is a finitely generated group and \(E\) is a finite generating subset such that \(f_E(n)\leq an^r\) with \(r<3/2\) then \(G\) contains an element with finitely many conjugates. A key concept is that of the degree of growth of \(G\) relative to \(E\).