Relatively hyperbolic groups. (Q2888833)

The author develops some of the foundations of the theory of relatively hyperbolic groups as originally formulated by \textit{M. Gromov} in Chapter 8.6 of his article entitled Hyperbolic groups, [Essays in group theory, Publ., Math. Sci. Res. Inst. 8, 75-263 (1987; Zbl 0634.20015)]. Here is proved the equivalence of two definitions of this notion. One is essentially that of a group admitting a properly discontinuous geometrically finite action on a proper hyperbolic space. The other is that of a group which admits a cofinite action on a connected fine hyperbolic graph.NEWLINENEWLINE In the article is given a definition of a fine graph, i.e. it has only finitely many circuits of a given length containing any given edge. Moreover, there is shown how a relatively hyperbolic group can be assumed to act on a proper hyperbolic space of a particular geometric form.NEWLINENEWLINE Finally the author defines the boundary of a relatively hyperbolic group, and shows that the limit set of any geometrically finite action of the group is equivariantly homeomorphic to this boundary.NEWLINENEWLINE We should add that this very outstanding and valuable article was known since 1997 under the same title as a preprint of the author edited by the University of Southampton.