Some metric properties of automorphisms of groups. (Q855335)

In this paper, the authors introduce some metric properties of automorphisms (and endomorphisms) of groups via two new functions called `curl' and `flux' to be used in the study of automorphisms and endomorphisms. The definitions of these concepts are too complicated to be included in this review. After giving some obvious properties they state some interesting problems concerning the values of flux and curl. They also give some examples concerning the automorphisms of free groups \(F_r\) of rank \(r\) and the values of flux and curl in some simple cases. For example, they prove that if \(q\) is an injective endomorphism of \(F_r\), then either \(\text{Flux}(\varphi)=0\) in which case \(|\varphi(x)|=1\) for all \(x\in X\) (\(X\) the generating set of \(F_r\), \(|\varphi(x)|\) the length of the word \(\varphi(x)\)) or \(\text{Flux}(\varphi)\leq 1/4\). They also evaluate the approximate values of curl and flux in some simple cases using a computer. Finally they prove the following Theorem. Let \(\alpha\) be an automorphism of the group \(F_r\) which is not a composition of an inner automorphism and a permutation of the set \(X\cup X^{-1}\). Then \(\text{Curl}(\alpha)<1\). Moreover, \(\text{Curl}(\alpha)\) is bounded away from \(1\), i.e., there is a constant \(c=c(r)<1\), independent of \(\alpha\), such that \(\text{Curl}(\alpha)<c\).