The \(\mathrm{R}_\infty\)-property for nilpotent quotients of Baumslag-Solitar groups (Q2182116)

Let \(G\) be a group and \(\varphi\) an endomorphism, an equivalence relation on \(G\) is determined by \(x \sim y \Longleftrightarrow\) there exists \(z\in G\), such that \(x = zy(\varphi (z))^{-1}\). The induced equivalence classes are called Reidemeister classes and the number of these classes is denoted \(R(\varphi)\). A group \(G\) is said to have the \(R_{\infty}\)-property if, for every automorphism \(\varphi : G \rightarrow G\) the number \(R(\varphi)\) is infinite. The problem to decide which groups have the \(R_{\infty}\)-property is studied by many authors. In [\textit{A. Fel'shtyn} and \textit{D. L. Gonçalves}, Prog. Math. 265, 399--414 (2008; Zbl 1138.20033)] it is proved that the Baumslag-Solitar groups \(BS_{(m, n)} = \langle t, a\mid t^{-1}a^{m}t = a^{n} \rangle\) have the \(R_{\infty}\)-property except for \(m = n = 1\) (or \(m = n = -1\)). If a group \(G\) has the \(R_{\infty}\)-property, it is natural to ask if some of its quotients has this property, especially quotient by terms of the lower central series or the derived central series. Let \(G\) be a group. The \(R_{\infty}\)-nilpotency degree of \(G\) is defined to be the last integer \(c\) such that \(G/\gamma _{c+1}(G)\) has the \(R_{\infty}\)-property. If no such integer exists, it is said that \(G\) has infinite \(R_{\infty}\)-nilpotency degree. In the present paper, the \(R_{\infty}\)-nilpotency degree is determined for all Baumslag-Solitar groups \(BS_{(m, n)}\). More precisely, the theorems are proved: Theorem 4.5. Let \(m, n\) be integers with \(0 < m \leq \mid n\mid\) and gcd\((m, n) = 1\). Let \(p\) denote the largest integer such that \(2^{p}\) divides \(2m+2\). Then the \(R_{\infty}\)-nilpotency degree \(r\) of \(BS_{(m, n)}\) is given by the following conditions. \begin{itemize} \item If \(n < 0\) and \(n \not = -1\), then \(r = 2\). \item If \(n = -1\) (so \(m = 1\)), then \(r = \infty\). \item If \(n = m\) (so \(n = m = 1\)), then \(r = \infty\). \item If \(n-m = 1\), then \(r = \infty\). \item If \(n-m = 2\), then \(r = p+2\). \item If \(n-m \geq 3\), then \(r = 2\). \end{itemize} Theorem 5.4. Let \(0 < m \leq \mid n\mid\) with \(m \not = n\) and take \(d = \gcd(m, n) = 1\). Let \(p\) denote the largest integer such that \(2^{p}\) divides \(2(m/d)+2\). Then the \(R_{\infty}\)-nilpotency degree \(r\) of \(BS_{(m, n)}\) is given by the following conditions. \begin{itemize} \item If \(n < 0\) and \(n \not = -m\), then \(r = 2\). \item If \(n = -m\), then \(r = \infty\). \item If \(n = m\), then \(r = \infty\). \item If \(n-m = d\), then \(r = \infty\). \item If \(n-m = 2d\), then \(2\leq r\leq p+2\). \item If \(n-m \geq 3d\), then \(r = 2\). \end{itemize} A class of groups, which extends the Baumslag-Solitar groups, is the class of generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups (GBS). These groups are fundamental groups of graphs all of vertex and edge groups are infinite cyclic groups, and more general the vertex and edge groups are virtually infinite cyclic. In [\textit{J. Taback} and \textit{P. Wong}, ``A note on twisted conjugacy and generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:math/0606284}], it is proved that quasi-isometric groups to these groups have the \(R_{\infty}\)-property. Therefore, the authors asked whether analogous results can be extracted for the \(R_{\infty}\)-nilpotency degree of these groups.