Helly-type theorems, CAT(0) spaces and actions of automorphism groups of free groups
This article develops a general strategy for establishing fixed-point theorems for group actions on complete CAT(0) spaces, with a particular focus on automorphism groups of free groups. The main innovation lies in combining classical ideas from convex geometry, most notably Helly-type theorems and the geometry of nerves of convex sets -- with algebraic properties of subgroup configurations. This approach yields new lower bounds on the fixed-point dimension \(\mathrm{FixDim}(\Gamma)\) for various groups \(\Gamma\) of geometric interest.\N\NA key technical tool introduced is the ample duplication criterion, which provides fixed-point results for a group \(\Gamma\) acting on a CAT(0) space \(X\) of dimension at most \(d\), under combinatorial and normality conditions on a finite generating set of a subgroup \(\Lambda < \Gamma\). This framework is applied to mapping class groups, braid groups and especially to \(\Aut(F_n)\) and its index-\(2\) subgroup \(\operatorname{SAut}(F_n)\).\N\NThe main fixed-point theorem (Theorem A) establishes that \(\Aut(F_n)\) has a fixed point when acting on a complete CAT(0) space of dimension \(d < 2m\), provided \(n \ge 3m\) and similarly for \(n \ge 3m + 2\) and \(d < 2m + 1\). From this, one deduces the bound \(\mathrm{FixDim}(\Aut(F_n)) \ge \lfloor 2n/3 \rfloor\). Stronger conclusions are obtained under additional assumptions: for instance, semisimple actions of \(\operatorname{SAut}(F_n)\) on smooth CAT(0) manifolds must fix a point whenever the dimension is less than \(2n - 4\) (Theorem 7.6).\N\NThe article also includes a detailed historical discussion, including Serre's property (FR), Farb's property \(\mathrm{FA}_n\) and rigidity results for \(\mathrm{SL}(n,\mathbb{Z})\). The author explains how his method generalizes classical results and integrates ideas from earlier work by \textit{M. Culler} and \textit{K. Vogtmann} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 124, No. 3, 677--683 (1996; Zbl 0865.20024)] and \textit{T. Januszkiewicz} and \textit{J. Świątkowski} [Comment. Math. Helv. 78, No. 3, 555--583 (2003; Zbl 1068.20043)] and others. The use of convexity and nerve geometry is combined with careful group-theoretic constructions, particularly involving the Nielsen generators of \(\mathrm{SAut}(F_n)\) and their behavior under conjugation and duplication.
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- Transformation groups in differential geometry.
- Über Mengen konvexer Körper mit gemeinschaftlichen Punkten.
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