Unsolvability of the isomorphism problem for [free abelian]-by-free groups

The isomorphism problem for [free abelian]-by-free groups is unsolvable.Comment: added reference to a paper by Bruno Zimmermann containing a similar result for (free abelian)-by-surface group

Quotients and subgroups of Baumslag-Solitar groups

We determine all generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups (finitely generated groups acting on a tree with all stabilizers infinite cyclic) which are quotients of a given Baumslag-Solitar group BS(m,n), and (when BS(m,n) is not Hopfian) which of them also admit BS(m,n) as a quotient. We determine for which values of r,s one may embed BS(r,s) into a given BS(m,n), and we characterize finitely generated groups which embed into some BS(n,n).Comment: Final version, to appear in Journal of Group Theor

Counting growth types of automorphisms of free groups

Given an automorphism of a free group $F_n$, we consider the following invariants: $e$ is the number of exponential strata (an upper bound for the number of different exponential growth rates of conjugacy classes); $d$ is the maximal degree of polynomial growth of conjugacy classes; $R$ is the rank of the fixed subgroup. We determine precisely which triples $(e,d,R)$ may be realized by an automorphism of $F_n$. In particular, the inequality e\le (3n-2)/4} (due to Levitt-Lustig) always holds. In an appendix, we show that any conjugacy class grows like a polynomial times an exponential under iteration of the automorphism.Comment: final version, to appear in GAFA; proof of 3.1 simplified thanks to the refere

Characterizing rigid simplicial actions on trees

We extend Forester's rigidity theorem so as to give a complete characterization of rigid group actions on trees (an action is rigid if it is the only reduced action in its deformation space, in particular it is invariant under automorphisms preserving the set of elliptic subgroups).Comment: Geometric methods in group theory (2004) to appea

Deformation spaces of trees

Let G be a finitely generated group. Two simplicial G-trees are said to be in the same deformation space if they have the same elliptic subgroups (if H fixes a point in one tree, it also does in the other). Examples include Culler-Vogtmann's outer space, and spaces of JSJ decompositions. We discuss what features are common to trees in a given deformation space, how to pass from one tree to all other trees in its deformation space, and the topology of deformation spaces. In particular, we prove that all deformation spaces are contractible complexes.Comment: Update to published version. 43 page

The outer space of a free product

We associate a contractible ``outer space'' to any free product of groups G=G_1*...*G_q. It equals Culler-Vogtmann space when G is free, McCullough-Miller space when no G_i is Z. Our proof of contractibility (given when G is not free) is based on Skora's idea of deforming morphisms between trees. Using the action of Out(G) on this space, we show that Out(G) has finite virtual cohomological dimension, or is VFL (it has a finite index subgroup with a finite classifying space), if the groups G_i and Out(G_i) have similar properties. We deduce that Out(G) is VFL if G is a torsion-free hyperbolic group, or a limit group (finitely generated fully residually free group).Comment: Updated reference. To appear in Proc. L.M.