Quasiconvexity of virtual joins and separability of products in relatively hyperbolic groups (Q6996501)

A relatively hyperbolic group \(G\) is said to be \textsf{QCERF} if all finitely generated relatively quasiconvex subgroups are closed in the profinite topology on \(G\). This notion, introduced in analogy with the classical \textsf{LERF} property for hyperbolic groups, plays a central role in the present work.\N\NIn the paper under review, the authors establish two main results. First, they prove that if \(G\) is a \textsf{QCERF} relatively hyperbolic group whose peripheral subgroups are double coset separable, then for any two finitely generated relatively quasiconvex subgroups \(Q, R \le G\), there exist finite-index subgroups \(Q_0 \le_f Q\), \(R_0 \le_f R\), such that the virtual join \(\langle Q_0, R_0 \rangle\) is relatively quasiconvex in \(G\). This significantly generalises earlier partial results which required additional assumptions, such as (almost) compatible parabolics or fullness conditions on the subgroups involved.\N\NIf \(P\) is a group and \(s\in \mathbb{N}\), then \(P\) has property \(\mathsf{RZ}_{s}\) if for arbitrary finitely generated subgroups \(E_1, \ldots, E_s \leq P\) the product \(E_1 \cdot \ldots \cdot E_{s}\) is separable in \(P\). If \(P\) has property \(\mathsf{RZ}_{s}\) for all \(s \in \mathbb{N}\), we say that \(P\) is product separable. The definition of \(\mathsf{RZ}_{s}\) is due to \textit{T. Coulbois} [Int. J. Algebra Comput. 11, No. 2, 171--184 (2001; Zbl 1024.20022)]; he named it after \textit{L. Ribes} and \textit{P. A. Zalesskii}, who proved that free groups are product separable [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 25, No. 1, 37--43 (1993; Zbl 0811.20026)].\N\NThe second major contribution concerns product separability. The authors show that if \(G\) is \textsf{QCERF} and its peripheral subgroups satisfy the property \(\mathsf{RZ}_s\), then the product of any \(s\) finitely generated relatively quasiconvex subgroups is separable in \(G\). This result encompasses and extends previously known classes of product separable groups and provides new examples such as limit groups, geometrically finite Kleinian groups and balanced graphs of free groups with cyclic edge groups.\N\NThe approach is geometric and profinite in nature. The key technical tool is the metric quasiconvexity theorem, which gives precise metric criteria -- expressed in terms of word lengths and intersections of cosets -- for a virtual join to be relatively quasiconvex. The proof exploits control over backtracking in path representatives and employs a detailed analysis of broken geodesics in the relative Cayley graph. To construct the required finite-index subgroups satisfying these metric constraints, the authors use separability assumptions together with a novel criterion for double coset separability in amalgamated free products.\N\NThe paper includes extensive background material on relatively hyperbolic groups, path representatives and profinite topology. It also provides new insights into the structure of separable rational subsets of groups, extending results by \textit{J. E. Pin} and \textit{C. Reutenauer} [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 23, No. 4, 356-362 (1991; Zbl 0754.20007)].