Virtually splitting the map from Aut(G) to Out(G)

We give an elementary criterion on a group G for the map from Aut(G) to Out(G) to split virtually. This criterion applies to many residually finite CAT(0) groups and hyperbolic groups, and in particular to all finitely generated Coxeter groups. As a consequence the outer automorphism group of any finitely generated Coxeter group is residually finite and virtually torsion-free.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figur

The Word Problem in the Baumslag group with a non-elementary Dehn function is polynomial time decidable

We prove that the Word problem in the Baumslag group G(1,2) which has a non-elementary Dehn function is decidable in polynomial time

Stable commutator length in Baumslag-Solitar groups and quasimorphisms for tree actions

This paper has two parts, on Baumslag-Solitar groups and on general G-trees. In the first part we establish bounds for stable commutator length (scl) in Baumslag-Solitar groups. For a certain class of elements, we further show that scl is computable and takes rational values. We also determine exactly which of these elements admit extremal surfaces. In the second part we establish a universal lower bound of 1/12 for scl of suitable elements of any group acting on a tree. This is achieved by constructing efficient quasimorphisms. Calculations in the group BS(2,3) show that this is the best possible universal bound, thus answering a question of Calegari and Fujiwara. We also establish scl bounds for acylindrical tree actions. Returning to Baumslag-Solitar groups, we show that their scl spectra have a uniform gap: no element has scl in the interval (0, 1/12).Comment: v2: minor changes, incorporates referee suggestions; v1: 36 pages, 10 figure

Decision problems and profinite completions of groups

We consider pairs of finitely presented, residually finite groups P\hookrightarrow\G for which the induced map of profinite completions \hat P\to \hat\G is an isomorphism. We prove that there is no algorithm that, given an arbitrary such pair, can determine whether or not $P$ is isomorphic to \G. We construct pairs for which the conjugacy problem in \G can be solved in quadratic time but the conjugacy problem in $P$ is unsolvable. Let $\mathcal J$ be the class of super-perfect groups that have a compact classifying space and no proper subgroups of finite index. We prove that there does not exist an algorithm that, given a finite presentation of a group \G and a guarantee that \G\in\mathcal J, can determine whether or not \G\cong\{1\}. We construct a finitely presented acyclic group \H and an integer $k$ such that there is no algorithm that can determine which $k$-generator subgroups of \H are perfect