Loose ear decompositions and their applications to right-angled Artin groups (Q6654584)

Let \(\Gamma=(V,E)\) be a finite, undirected and simple graph and let \(A(\Gamma)=\big \langle v \in V \; \big | \; [x,y]=1 \mbox{ iff } \{x,y\} \in E \big\rangle \) be its associated right-angled Artin group.\N\NIn this paper the author characterizes planar graphs and graph minors among other graph theoretic notions in terms of right-angled Artin groups. He proves Lemma 1.1: Let \(A(\Gamma)\) and \(A(\Lambda)\) be right-angled Artin group. Then \(\Gamma\) is a graph subdivision of \(\Lambda\) if and only if \(A(\Gamma ) \simeq A(\Lambda)\) or there exists a finite sequence of smoothing homomorphisms \(\big \{ \varphi_{i} : A(\Gamma_{i}) \rightarrow A(\Gamma_{i-1})\}_{i=1}^{m}\ \big \}\) such that \(A(\Gamma_{m}) = A(\Gamma)\) and \(A(\Gamma_{0}) \simeq A(\Lambda)\). This lemma is used to settle Question 15.5.2 in [\textit{T. Koberda}, in: In the tradition of Thurston II. Geometry and groups. Cham: Springer. 475--518 (2022; Zbl 1540.20064)] asking to characterize planar graphs in terms of right-angled Artin groups. To do this the author, in the main theorems, determines all sets of elements in right-angled Artin groups with ears as underlying graphs that are exactly the sets of vertex generators. Generalizing ear decompositions of graphs to loose ear decompositions, he characterizes both decompositions in terms of right-angled Artin groups.