Conjugacy growth in polycyclic groups. (Q633176)

Let \(G\) be a finitely generated group, and fix a finite generating set \(S\) of \(G\). Then \(S\) induces on \(G\) the standard word metric. Denote by \(B(n)\) the ball of radius \(n\) centred at the identity with respect to the above metric. Define the `conjugacy growth function' of \(G\) in \(n\) as the number of conjugacy classes \(C\) of \(G\) such that \(C\cap B(n)\) is not empty. In the article under review the author proves the following result. Theorem. Let \(G\) be a polycyclic-by-finite group. Then the conjugacy growth function of \(G\) is either polynomially bounded or exponential. In particular, the conjugacy growth function of \(G\) is polynomially bounded if and only if \(G\) is nilpotent-by-finite.