Caltech Geometry and Topology SeminarNovember 13th, 2009
Polygonal words in free groups
Henry Wilton, the California Institute of Technology
Abstract: Gromov asked whether every word-hyperbolic group contains a surface subgroup, and this question is still open for the double of a free group over a cyclic subgroup. Polygonality is a combinatorial condition which implies that the double has a surface subgroup. I will discuss the topological meaning of polygonality, and give many large families of examples.