The subgroup growth spectrum of virtually free groups. (Q611028)

For a finitely generated group \(\Gamma\) denote by \(s_n(\Gamma)\) the number of subgroups of index \(n\) in \(\Gamma\). The `growth coefficient' \(\mu(\Gamma)\) is defined as \(\mu(\Gamma)=\lim_{n\to\infty}\sup\frac{\log s_n(\Gamma)}{n\log n}\). This quantity has been computed previously in a variety of cases, including free products of finite groups, Fuchsian groups, and certain one-relator groups. It is proved in the paper under review that the set \(\{\mu(\Gamma)\mid\Gamma\) finitely generated, virtually free\(\}\) is equal to the set of non-negative rational numbers. Moreover, the construction of a finitely generated virtually free groups is described that for every non-negative rational number \(q\) gives a group \(\Gamma\) such that \(\mu(\Gamma)=q\).