On hyperbolicity of free splitting and free factor complexes. (Q399417)

In the paper under consideration the authors derive hyperbolicity of the free factor complex of the free group \(F_N\) obtaining an alternative proof of a Theorem of \textit{M. Bestvina} and \textit{M. Feighn} [in Adv. Math. 256, 104-155 (2014; Zbl 1348.20028); corrigendum ibid. 259, 843 (2014)]. Before quoting the main result it is necessary to state some definitions. Let \(F_N\) be the free group of finite rank \(N\geq 3\). The free factor complex \(FF_N\) of \(F_N\) is a simplicial complex defined as follows. The set of vertices \(V(FF_N)\) of \(FF_N\) is defined as the set of all \(F_N\)-conjugacy classes \([A]\) of proper free factors \(A\) of \(F_N\). Two disctinct vertices \([A]\) and \([B]\) of \(FF_N\) are joined by an edge whenever there exist free factors \(A,B\) of \(F_N\) representing \([A]\) and \([B]\), respectively, such that \(A\leq B\) or \(B\leq A\). Let \(F_N\) be the free group of finite rank \(N\geq 3\) and \(F_N=\pi_1(\mathbb A)\) a splitting, where \(\mathbb A\) is a graph of groups with a single topological edge \(e\) (possibly a loop edge) and trivial edge group such that the action of \(F_N\) on the Bass-Serre tree \(T_{\mathbb A}\) is minimal. Two splittings \(F_N=\pi_1(\mathbb A)\) and \(F_N=\pi_1(\mathbb B)\) are equivalent if there exists an \(F_N\)-equivariant isometry between \(T_{\mathbb A}\) and \(T_{\mathbb B}\). Let \([\mathbb A]\) denote the equivalence class of the splitting \(F_N=\pi_1(\mathbb A)\). The free splitting complex \(FS_N\) is a simplicial complex defined as follows. The set of vertices \(V(FS_N)\) consists of equivalence classes of splittings. The edges in \(FS_N\) correspond to two splittings admitting a common refinement. Thus two distinct vertices \([\mathbb A]\) and \([\mathbb B]\) of \(FS_N\) are joined by an edge whenever there exists a splitting \(F_N=\pi_1(\mathbb D)\) such that the graph of groups \(\mathbb D\) has exactly two topological edges, both with trivial edge groups, and such that collapsing one of these edges produces a splitting of \(F_N\) representing \([\mathbb A]\) and collapsing the other edge produces a splitting representing \([\mathbb B]\). Let \(F_N\) be the free group of finite rank \(N\geq 3\). Two free bases \(\mathcal A\) and \(\mathcal B\) are considered equivalent if the corresponding Cayley graphs \(T_{\mathcal A}\) and \(T_{\mathcal B}\) are \(F_N\)-equivalently isometric. The free bases graph \(FB_N\) of \(F_N\) is a graph whose vertex set \(V(FB_N)\) consists of equivalence classes \([\mathcal A]\) of free bases \(\mathcal A\) of \(F_N\). Two distinct vertices \(v_1,v_2\) are adjacent by an edge if there exist free bases \(\mathcal A\) and \(\mathcal B\) representing \(v_1,v_2\) such that \(\mathcal A\cap\mathcal B\neq\emptyset\). Theorem. Let \(N\geq 3\). Then the free factor complex \(FF_N\) is Gromov-hyperbolic. Moreover, there exists a constant \(H>0\) such that for any two vertices \(x,y\) of \(FS_N\) and any geodesic \([x,y]\) in \(FS_N^{(1)}\) the path \(\tau([x,y])\) is \(H\)-Hausdorff close to a geodesic \([\tau(x),\tau(y)]\) in \(FF_N^{(1)}\). The proof is based on a result of \textit{M. Handel} and \textit{L. Mosher} [in Geom. Topol. 17, No. 3, 1581-1672 (2013; Zbl 1278.20053)], where the hyperbolicity of the free splitting complex \(FS_N\) is proved. Also it is used the free bases graph, appropriately combined with the machinery of Stallings foldings.