\(\mathcal Z\)-structures on product groups (Q640327)

A \({\mathcal Z}\)-structure on a group \(G\), defined by M. Bestvina, is a pair \((\hat{X},Z)\) of spaces such that: (1) \(\hat{X}\) is a compact Euclidean retract; (2) \(\hat{X}\) is a \({\mathcal Z}\)-compactification of \(X:={\hat{X}}\backslash Z\); (3) \(G\) acts properly and cocompactly on \(X\); (4) \(\hat{X}\) satisfies the null condition with respect to the action of \(G\) on \(X\). In the paper under review, the author shows that, if the groups \(G\) and \(H\) admit \({\mathcal Z}\)-structures, then so do their free and direct products. If \((\hat{X},Z)\) is a \({\mathcal Z}\)-structure on \(G\) and the action of \(G\) on \(X\) extends to an action on \(\hat{X}\), the pair \((\hat{X},Z)\) is called an \(\mathcal {EZ}\)-structure on \(G\). The author obtains analogous results to the above case, that is, if the groups \(G\) and \(H\) each admit \({\mathcal {EZ}}\)-structures, then so do the free and direct products. As a corollary, the following is given: Let \(\mathcal F\) denote the family of groups consisting of all CAT(0), hyperbolic and systolic groups. If \({G, H \in{\mathcal F}}\), then the free product \({G \ast H}\) and the direct product \({G \times H}\) admit \({\mathcal EZ}\)-structures. The paper ends with some open questions on \({\mathcal Z}\)-structures.