Negative immersions for one-relator groups

DOI10.1215/00127094-2021-0024MaRDI QIDQ6298720arXivFDO

Authors Larsen Louder, Henry Wilton

Publication date 7 March 2018

Published in arXiv

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1215/00127094-2021-0024

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Planar graphs; geometric and topological aspects of graph theory (05C10) Graphs and abstract algebra (groups, rings, fields, etc.) (05C25) Free nonabelian groups (20E05) Geometric group theory (20F65)

arXiv classification

math.GRmath.GT

Abstract: We prove a freeness theorem for low-rank subgroups of one-relator groups. Let $F$ be a free group, and let $winF$ be a non-primitive element. The primitivity rank of $w$, $pi(w)$, is the smallest rank of a subgroup of $F$ containing $w$ as an imprimitive element. Then any subgroup of the one-relator group $G=F/langlelanglewangleangle$ generated by fewer than $pi(w)$ elements is free. In particular, if $pi(w)>2$ then $G$ doesn't contain any Baumslag--Solitar groups. The hypothesis that $pi(w)>2$ implies that the presentation complex $X$ of the one-relator group $G$ has negative immersions: if a compact, connected complex $Y$ immerses into $X$ and $chi(Y)geq0$ then $Y$ is Nielsen equivalent to a graph. The freeness theorem is a consequence of a dependence theorem for free groups, which implies several classical facts about free and one-relator groups, including Magnus' Freiheitssatz and theorems of Lyndon, Baumslag, Stallings and Duncan--Howie. The dependence theorem strengthens Wise's $w$-cycles conjecture, proved independently by the authors and Helfer--Wise, which implies that the one-relator complex $X$ has non-positive immersions when $pi(w)>1$.

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