Quasiconvexity in 3-manifold groups (Q2235219)

It is well-known that quasiconvex subgroups of hyperbolic groups are finitely generated and have finite height; Swarup asked whether the converse is true (if so then quasiconvex subgroups of hyperbolic groups could be characterized in terms of purely group theoretic notions). In a non-hyperbolic setting, quasiconvexity is not preserved under quasi-isometry, and hence quasiconvex subgroups of non-hyperbolic groups cannot be defined independently of the choice of finite generating sets. Hence in a previous paper [Geom. Topol. 23, No. 3, 1173--1235 (2019; Zbl 07079057)], the second author develops a theory of \textit{strongly quasiconvex subgroups} of an arbitrary finitely generated group (which agrees with quasiconvexity for hyperbolic groups), proves that strongly quasiconvex subgroups of an arbitrary finitely generated group are finitely generated and have finite height, and asks whether again the converse is true. In the present paper, the author considers the case of a finitely generated 3-manifold group \(\pi_1(M)\). He first proves that, if \(M\) has the SOL geometry then \(\pi_1(M)\) has a finitely generated, finite height subgroup which is not strongly quasiconvex. His main result then states that, if \(M\) is a compact, orientable 3-manifold that does not have a SOL summand in its sphere-disk decomposition, then a finitely generated subgroup of \(\pi_1(M)\) has finite height if and only if it is strongly quasiconvex in \(\pi_1(M)\). ``We also characterize strongly quasiconvex subgroups of graph manifold groups by using their finite height, their Morse elements, and their actions on the Bass-Serre tree of \(\pi_1(M)\). This result strengthens analogous results in right-angled Artin groups and mapping class groups. Finally, we characterize hyperbolic strongly quasiconvex subgroups of a finitely generated 3-manifold group \(\pi_1(M)\) by using their undistortedness property and their Morse elements.''