Nonnegative Ricci curvature, small linear diameter growth and finite generation of fundamental groups. (Q1609777)

This paper deals with the conjecture, formulated by \textit{J. Milnor} in 1968 [J. Differ. Geom. 2, 1--7 (1968; Zbl 0162.25401)], stating that the fundamental group of a complete, noncompact manifold with nonnegative Ricci curvature is finitely generated. The conjecture is not yet completely solved and the investigation of manifolds with finitely generated fundamental group is still interesting. In fact, any finitely generated torsion-free nilpotent group can be realized as the fundamental group of a manifold with positive Ricci curvature. In this paper the author proves the following results. Theorem 1. For any integer \(n\), \(n\geq 2\), there exists a positive number \(S_n\) such that, if \(M^n\) is complete, noncompact with nonnegative Ricci curvature and \[ \limsup_{r\to\infty}\, {\text{diam}(\partial B_p(r))\over r}< 4S_n \] then \(M^n\) has a finitely generated fundamental group. Theorem 2. Let \(M^n\) be a complete, noncompact manifold with nonnegative Ricci curvature. If its fundamental group is not finitely generated, then \(M^n\) has a tangent cone at infinity which does not have a pole at its base point. In particular, assuming that \(M^n\) is complete, noncompact, with nonnegative Ricci tensor and has linear volume growth, then its tangent cone at infinity is \(\mathbb{R}_+\) or \(\mathbb{R}\) and its diameter growth is sublinear. Therefore \(M^n\) has a finitely generated fundamental group.