The metric completion of outer space (Q2290852)

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The metric completion of outer space
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    The metric completion of outer space (English)
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    29 January 2020
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    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 \(n=2\).
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    outer space
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    asymmetric metric space
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    metric completion
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    free splitting complex
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