Detecting automorphic orbits in free groups. (Q606657)

The following theorem is the main result of the paper. Theorem. Let \(\varphi\) be an automorphism of a finitely generated free group \(F\). Then there exists an explicit algorithm that, given two elements \(u,v\in F\), decides whether there exists some exponent \(N\) such that \(u\varphi^N=v\), or whether these elements are conjugate in \(F\). If such an exponent \(N\) exists, then the algorithms will compute \(N\) as well. The main technical tool of the paper is an algorithmic extension of the theory of relative train track maps.