Cogrowth series of free products of finite and free groups (Q4242597)

To a presentation of a finitely generated group \(G=\langle a_1,\ldots,a_n\mid r_1,\ldots,r_m\rangle\), one associates its cogrowth function \(\Upsilon(k)\) counting the freely reduced relators of length~\(k\), its cogrowth series \(\upsilon(t)=\sum_{k=0}^\infty\Upsilon(k)t^k\) and its cogrowth exponent \(\alpha=\lim_{k\to\infty}(\sum_{j=0}^k\Upsilon(j))^{1/k}\). By a result of \textit{J. M. Cohen} [J. Funct. Anal. 48, 301-309 (1982; Zbl 0499.20023)] and \textit{R. I. Grigorchuk} [in: Multicomponent random systems, Adv. Probab. Relat. Top. 6, 285-325 (1980; Zbl 0475.60007)], the group \(G\) is amenable if and only if \(\alpha=2n-1\). In the paper under review, the author presents a method of computing the cogrowth series of a free product of finite and free groups (where the free groups are given by the standard presentation without relators). The method involves fairly elaborate combinatorial manipulations, resulting in a system of algebraic equations for several power series, one of which is the cogrowth series. Several examples are given, e.g., the cogrowth series of a free product of \(n\) copies of the group with two elements is \[ \upsilon(t)=\frac{(2-n)((2-n)t+1)+n\sqrt{1-2(6n-7)t^2+(2n-1)^2t^4}}{2(1-(2n-1)^2 t^2)}, \] and one can show from this result that the group is not amenable unless \(n\leq 2\).