On the genus of infinite groups (Q2391628)

The authors associate to each finite presentation of a group \(G\) a compact CW-complex which has fundamental group \(G\) and is a 3-manifold in the complement of a point. Then they use this construction to define the notion of genus for a finitely presented group \(G\), with the property that the genus is zero if and only if \(G\) is the fundamental group of a compact orientable 3-manifold (a group of genus \(g\) can be realized as the fundamental group of a compact orientable 3-manifold with a connected boundary surface of genus \(g\) coned to a point). Using Baumslag-Solitar groups, they show the existence of groups of genus 1, and close by presenting various examples and some questions on the complexity of the calculation of the genus.