Structural aspects of twin and pure twin groups (Q2334096)

Let \(n\) be an integer \(\geq 2\). The \textit{twin group} \(T_n\) is the Coxeter group generated by the elements \(s_1, \dotsc, s_{n-1}\) with relations \(s_i^2 = 1\) for \(i = 1, \dotsc, n-1\), and \((s_i s_j)^2 = 1\) for \(|i-j| \geq 2\), and the \textit{pure twin group} \(PT_n\) is the kernel of the homomorphism from \(T_n\) to the symmetric group \(S_n\), which maps \(s_i\) to \((i,i+1)\) for \(i = 1, \dotsc, n-1\). In this paper, the authors investigate algebraic aspects of twin groups and pure twin groups. More precisely, they prove that \((i)\) the twin group \(T_n\) is a free product for \(n =3, 4\): \(T_3 \cong \mathbb{Z}_2 * \mathbb{Z}_2\) and \(T_4 \cong (\mathbb{Z}_2 \times \mathbb{Z}_2) * \mathbb{Z}_2\), and it is a free product with amalgamation for \(n > 4\): \( T_n \cong (\mathbb{Z}_2 \times T_{n-2}) *_{T_{n-3}} (\mathbb{Z}_2 \times T_{n-3})\), and \((ii)\) the pure twin group \(PT_n\) is free for \(n=3,4\): \(PT_3 \cong \mathbb{Z}\) and \(PT_4 \cong F_7\), and it is not free for \(n \geq 6\). They also find a set of generators for \(PT_n\) and give an upper bound on the rank of \(PT_n\).