A fixed point theorem for deformation spaces of \(G\)-trees. (Q878318)

Let \(GVP(n)\) be the class of groups that admit an irreducible cocompact action on a locally finite simplicial tree without an invariant point or line, such that the edge stabilizers are virtually polycyclic subgroups of Hirsch length \(n\) (the number of infinite cyclic factors in a polycyclic decomposition; so the case \(n=0\) corresponds to actions with finite edge stabilizers). Using metric simplicial trees on which \(G\) acts by isometries, and elementary deformations of such \(G\)-trees, for every group \(G\) in \(GVP(n)\) a contractible topological space \({\mathcal D}_G\) is considered on which the outer automorphism group \(\text{Out}(G)\) acts. The main result of the paper is the following theorem. Let \(K\) be a polycyclic subgroup of \(\text{Out}(G)\) that fixes a point in \({\mathcal D}_G\); if \(H\) is a subgroup of \(\text{Out}(G)\) commensurable with \(K\) (e.g., a finite extension of \(K\)) then also \(H\) fixes a point in \({\mathcal D}_G\) (and hence acts also on a tree extending an action of \(K\)). Also, for \(n=0\) and 1, this holds for arbitrary subgroups \(K\) of \(\text{Out}(G)\). Note that \(GVP(0)\) is the class of virtually finitely generated free groups of rank at least two. If \(G\) is a free group \(F_r\) then \({\mathcal D}_G\) is Culler and Vogtmann's Outer space, and the main result generalizes the fact that any finite subgroup of \(\text{Out}(F_r)\) has a fixed point in Outer space or, equivalently, can be realized by the action on a finite graph with fundamental group \(F_r\) (this is a 1-dimensional version of the Nielsen realization problem); the main tool here is Stalling's theorem on splittings of groups as free products with amalgamations or HNN-extensions over finite subgroups), applied to finite extensions of free groups. Also in the present paper an analogous splitting theorem for finite extensions of f.p. groups in \(GVP(n)\) plays a key role, establishing the invariance of the class of such groups under finite extensions.