On algebraic extensions and decomposition of homomorphisms of free groups (Q2216560)

Let \(F_{X}\) be a free group on the set \(X\). For a pointed \(X\)-labeled graph \(\Gamma\) let \(\pi _{1}(\Gamma )=\{ \ell (P)\in F_{X}\mid P \text{ is a closed path beginning at the base point}\}\). \(\mathrm{Sub}(F_{X})\) is defined to be a category whose objects are subgroups \(H\leq F_{X}\) and there is a unique morphism in \(\mathrm{Hom} (H,\,K)\) if and only if \(H\leq K\). It is easy to verify that \(\pi _{1}\) is a functor from the category \(X\text{-CGrph}\) of the pointed labeled graphs to \(\mathrm{Sub}(F_{X})\). Let \(X\)-CGrph be the category of connected, pointed, folded, \(X\)-labeled core graphs (for the definitions on the graphs we refer to paragraph 2 of the paper). A functor \(\Gamma _{X} : \mathrm{Sub}(F_{X})\longrightarrow X\text{-CGrph}\) that associates to the subgroup \(H\leq F_{x}\) a graph \(\Gamma _{X}(H)\) (which is unique up to a unique isomorphism) such that \(\pi _{1}(\Gamma _{X}(H) )=H\) is defined. It is proved that the functors \(\pi _{1}\) and \(\Gamma _{X}\) define an equivalence between the categories \(X\text{-CGrph}\) and \(\mathrm{Sub}(F_{X})\). Let \(H\leq K\leq F_{X}\). The subgroup \(K\) is said to be an algebraic extension of \(H\) if there exists no proper free factor \(J\) of \(K\) with \(H\leq J<K\). In [\textit{A. Miasnikov} et al., in: Geometric group theory. Geneva and Barcelona conferences. Selected papers of the conference on asymptotic and probabilistic methods in geometric group theory, Geneva, Switzerland, June 20--25, 2005 and the Barcelona conference in group theory, Barcelona, Spain, June 28 -- July 3, 2005. Basel: Birkhäuser. 225--253 (2007; Zbl 1160.20022)] it is proved that if \(H\leq K\leq F_{X}\) and \(H\leq K\) is an algebraic extension, then \(\Gamma _{Y}(H)\,\longrightarrow\,\Gamma _{Y}(K)\) is onto for every basis \(Y\) of \(F_{X}\). As a conjecture, the converse of the result above is formulated. Namely: Let \(F_{Y}\) be a free group on the set \(Y\), and let \(H\leq K\leq F_{Y}\) be subgroups. If the morphism between the associated core-graphs \(\Gamma _{Y}(H)\,\longrightarrow\,\Gamma _{Y}(K)\) is surjective for every basis \(X\) of \(F_{Y}\), then \(K\) is an algebraic extension of \(H\). In [\textit{O. Parzanchevski} and \textit{D. Puder}, Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 157, No. 1, 1--11 (2014; Zbl 1322.20016)], a counterexample is constructed in the case where the rank of the free group is 2 and the conjecture above is reformulated. In the present paper, the author disproves the reformulated conjecture by proving a stronger statement. Theorem. The extension \(\langle bbaba^{-1} \rangle < \langle b, aba^{-1} \rangle\) is not algebraic, but for every morphism \(\varphi :F_{a,\,b} \longrightarrow F_{X}\) with \(X\) arbitrary and \(\varphi (a), \varphi (b) \not = 1\), the graph morphism \(\Gamma _{X}(\varphi (\langle bbaba^{-1} \rangle )) \longrightarrow \Gamma _{X}(\varphi (\langle b, aba^{-1} \rangle ))\) is surjective.