Finiteness properties of arithmetic groups acting on twin buildings. (Q2449338)

The author considers topological finiteness properties \(F_n\) (which are slightly stronger than the analogous homological finiteness properties \(FP_n\)) for groups like \(\text{SL}_n(\mathbb F_q[t])\) and \(\text{SL}_n(\mathbb F_q[t,t^{-1}])\). For example, \(F_1\) says that the group is finitely generated, and \(F_2\) means that it has a finite presentation. The main result is the following: Let \(G\) be a connected, non-commutative, absolutely almost simple \(\mathbb F_q\)-group of rank \(n\geq 1\). Then \(G(\mathbb F_q[t])\) satisfies \(F_{n-1}\) but not \(F_n\), and \(G(\mathbb F_q[t,t^{-1}])\) satisfies \(F_{2n-1}\) but not \(F_{2n}\). In the case of polynomial rings \(\mathbb F_q[t]\), this is proved by applying the combinatorial Morse theory of \textit{M. Bestvina} and \textit{N. Brady} [Invent. Math. 129, No. 3, 445-470 (1997; Zbl 0888.20021)]. The groups \(G(\mathbb F_q[t,t^{-1}])\) over Laurent polynomials are Kac-Moody groups, which allows to apply the theory of twin buildings; see \textit{P. Abramenko} [Twin buildings and applications to \(S\)-arithmetic groups. Lect. Notes Math. 1641. Berlin: Springer (1996; Zbl 0908.20003)].