The metric completion of outer space (Q2290852)

This paper studies a metric completion of outer space. First of all, a theory on metric completions of asymmetric metric spaces is developed. Then outer space \(\chi_n\) is introduced. It is an asymmetric metric space with an action of \(\operatorname{Out}(F_n)\) by isometries. Then, the metric completion of outer space is studied. A point on the boundary of \(\hat \chi_n\) is a homothety class of a very small \(F_n\) tree that is not free and simplicial. The set of simplicial trees in the metric completion of outer space is called the simplicial metric completion. There is a homeomorphism between the simplicial metric completion of outer space with the Lipschitz topology and the free splitting complex with the Euclidean topology. This gives rise to a new proof of the following fact: the isometry group of \(\chi_n\) equals \(\operatorname{Out}(F_n)\) for \(n\ge 3\) and \(\operatorname{PSL}(2,\mathbb Z)\) for \(n=2\).