The surjectivity problem for one-generator, one-relator extensions of torsion-free groups (Q1865100)

If a group \(\widehat G\) is obtained from a group \(G\) by adding \(n\) generators and \(n\) relators then the surjectivity problem is whether the natural homomorphism \(G\to\widehat G\) is surjective. This was raised by \textit{M. M. Cohen} [Topology 16, 79-88 (1977; Zbl 0351.57002)] and independently by \textit{W. Metzler} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 285, 7-23 (1976; Zbl 0325.57003)]. Here it is proved that the natural map \(G\to\widehat G\), where \(G\) is a torsion-free group and \(\widehat G\) is obtained by adding a new generator \(t\) and a new relator \(w\), is surjective only if \(w\) is conjugate to \(gt\) or \(gt^{-1}\) where \(g\in G\). One of the corollaries is that for a CW-complex \(\widehat L\), that is obtained from a CW-complex \(L\) by attaching first a \(1\)-cell and then a \(2\)-cell, the inclusion map \(j\colon L\to\widehat L\) is a simple homotopy equivalence if \(j\) induces a surjection \(j_*\colon\pi_1L\to\pi_1\widehat L\). The proof uses methods and results of \textit{A. A. Klyachko} [Commun. Algebra 21, No. 7, 2555-2575 (1993; Zbl 0788.20017)].