Hyperbolic towers and independent generic sets in the theory of free groups

We use hyperbolic towers to answer some model theoretic questions around the generic type in the theory of free groups. We show that all the finitely generated models of this theory realize the generic type $p_0$, but that there is a finitely generated model which omits $p_0^{(2)}$. We exhibit a finitely generated model in which there are two maximal independent sets of realizations of the generic type which have different cardinalities. We also show that a free product of homogeneous groups is not necessarily homogeneous.Comment: to appear in Proceedings of the conference "Recent developments in Model Theory", Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logi

Zariski Closures and Subgroup Separability

The main result of this article is a refinement of the well-known subgroup separability results of Hall and Scott for free and surface groups. We show that for any finitely generated subgroup, there is a finite dimensional representation of the free or surface group that separates the subgroup in the induced Zariski topology. As a corollary, we establish a polynomial upper bound on the size of the quotients used to separate a finitely generated subgroup in a free or surface group.Comment: Final version. To appear in Selecta Mat

Krull dimension for limit groups II: aligning JSJ decompositions

This is the second paper in a sequence on Krull dimension for limit groups, answering a question of Z. Sela. In it we develop the notion of a resolution of a sequence of limit groups and show how to derive resolutions of low complexity from resolutions of high complexity.Comment: Consistent with other papers in the series, I hope. Not a major rewrite. The statement of Theorem 1.4 is consistent with paper 4 (the new one) now. (And they have the same numbering, coincidentally.