Virtually geometric words and Whitehead's algorithm. (Q2275744)

Let \(F_n\) be the free group of rank \(n\), \(\underline w=\{[w_1],\dots,[w_r]\}\) a collection of conjugacy classes in \(F_n\). If \(H\) is a 3-dimensional handlebody of genus \(n\), any homomorphism \(\varphi\colon F_n\to\pi_1(X)\) induces a map \(\varphi_{\underline w}\colon\coprod_{i=1}^rS_i^1\to H\), which sends the circle \(S^1_i\) to a loop in \(H\) freely homotopic to the element \(\varphi(w_i)\). The collection \(\underline w\) of conjugacy classes is called `geometric' if for any isomorphism \(\varphi\colon F_n\to\pi_1(X)\) the induced map \(\varphi_{\underline w}\) is homotopic in \(H\) to an embedding \(\varphi_{\underline w}'\colon\coprod_{i=1}^rS_i^1\to\partial H\). For the collection \(\underline w=\{[w_1],\dots,[w_r]\}\) of conjugacy classes in the free group \(F_n\) and for a finite index subgroup \(K\leq F_n\) are defined the `lifts' of \(\underline w\) to be the following set of \(K\)-conjugacy classes: \(\underline w_K=\{[gw^{n(g)}g^{-1}]\mid g\in F,\;w\in \underline w\), and \(n(g)\in\mathbb Z_{>0}\) minimal so that \(gw^{n(g)}g^{-1}\in K\}\). The collection \(\underline w\) is `virtually geometric' if \(\underline w_K\) is geometric for the finite index subgroup \(K\leq F_n\). In [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 82, No. 1, 17-31 (2010; Zbl 1205.20049)], \textit{C. Gordon} and \textit{H. Wilton} asked the following: Question. Let \(F\) be a free group of rank \(n\geq 2\). Is \(\{[w]\}\) virtually geometric for every \(w\in F\)? In the paper under consideration the author gives conditions under which a collection \(\underline w\) of conjugacy classes in the free group \(F_n\) is not virtually geometric (Theorem 4.1 in the paper). As a corollary it is proved that the word \(w=bbaaccabc\in F_3=\langle a,b,c\rangle\) is not virtually geometric.