Algebraic linking numbers of knots in 3-manifolds.
M. Bestvina has shown that for any given torsion-free CAT(0) group G, all of its boundaries are shape equivalent. He then posed the question of whether they satisfy the stronger condition of being cell-like equivalent. In this article we prove that the answer is "Yes" in the situation where the group in question splits as a direct product with infinite factors. We accomplish this by proving an interesting theorem in shape theory.
The main issue of this paper is an attempt to find a decomposition theorem for infra-nilmanifolds in the same spirit as a result of A. Vasquez for flat Riemannian manifolds. That is: we look for infra-nilmanifolds with prime order holonomy which can be obtained as a fiber space with a non-trivial nilmanifold as fiber and an infra-nilmanifold as its base. In this perspective, we prove the following algebraic result: if E is an almost-Bieberbach group with prime order holonomy,...
We show that the amalgamated free products of two free groups over a cyclic subgroup admit amenable, faithful and transitive actions on infinite countable sets. This work generalizes the results on such actions for doubles of free group on two generators.
We study under which condition an amalgamated free product or an HNN-extension over a finite subgroup admits an amenable, transitive and faithful action on an infinite countable set. We show that such an action exists if the initial groups admit an amenable and almost free action with infinite orbits (e.g. virtually free groups or infinite amenable groups). Our result relies on the Baire category Theorem. We extend the result to groups acting on trees.