A probabilistic approach to representation formulae for semigroups of operators with rates of convergence.
We prove that with probability tending to 1, a one-relator group with at least three generators and the relator of length is residually finite, is a virtually residually (finite -)group for all sufficiently large , and is coherent. The proof uses both combinatorial group theory and non-trivial results about Brownian motions.
We prove that every linear-activity automaton group is amenable. The proof is based on showing that a random walk on a specially constructed degree 1 automaton group – the mother group – has asymptotic entropy 0. Our result answers an open question by Nekrashevych in the Kourovka notebook, and gives a partial answer to a question of Sidki.