On the Admissibility of a Polish Group Topology Gianluca Paolini - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

On the Admissibility of a Polish Group Topology

Gianluca Paolini (joint work with Saharon Shelah)

Einstein Institute of Mathematics Hebrew University of Jerusalem

A Descriptive Set Theory Day in Torino Torino, 12 June 2018

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The Beginning of the Story

Question (Evans)

Can an uncountable free group be the automorphism group of a countable structure?

Answer (Shelah [Sh:744])

1No uncountable free group can be the group of automorphisms of

a countable structure.

• 1S. Shelah. A Countable Structure Does Not Have a Free Uncountable

Automorphism Group. Bull. London Math. Soc. 35 (2003), 1-7.

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Polish Groups

Definition

A Polish group is a topological group whose topology is separable and completely metrizable.

Fact

Groups of automophisms of countable structures are Polish groups (such groups are called non-archimedean Polish groups).

Question (Becher and Kechris)

Can an uncountable free group admit a Polish group topology?

Answer (Shelah [Sh:771])

2No uncountable free group admits a Polish group topology.

2Saharon Shelah. Polish Algebras, Shy From Freedom. Israel J. Math. 181

(2011), 477-507.

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Some History/Literature

The question above was answered by Dudley3 “before the it was asked”. In fact Dudley proved a more general result, but with techniques very different from Shelah’s. Inspired by the above question of Becher and Kechris, Solecki4 proved that no uncountable Polish group can be free abelian. Also Solecki’s proof used methods very different from Shelah’s.

3Richard M. Dudley. Continuity of Homomorphisms. Duke Math. J. 28

(1961), 587-594.

4S

lawomir Solecki. Polish Group Topologies. In: Sets and Proofs, London

• Math. Soc. Lecture Note Ser. 258. Cambridge University Press, 1999.

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The Completeness Lemma for Polish Groups

The crucial technical tool used by Shelah in his proof is what he calls a Completeness (or Compactness) Lemma for Polish Groups. This is a technical result stating that if G is a Polish group, then for every sequence ¯ d = (dn : n < ω) ∈ G ω converging to the identity element eG = e, many countable sets of equations with parameters from ¯ d are solvable in G. We will state a version of this lemma later in the talk.

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Using The Completeness Lemma

The aim of our work was to extend the scope of applications of the techniques from [Sh:771] to other classes of groups from combinatorial and geometric group theory, most notably:

◮ right-angled Artin and Coxeter groups; ◮ graph products of cyclic groups; ◮ graph products of groups.

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Our Papers (G.P. and Saharon Shelah)

◮ No Uncountable Polish Group Can be a Right-Angled Artin

• Group. Axioms 6 (2017), no. 2: 13.

◮ Polish Topologies for Graph Products of Cyclic Groups. Israel

• J. Math., to appear.

◮ Group Metrics for Graph Products of Cyclic Groups. Topology

• Appl. 232 (2017), 281-287.

◮ Polish Topologies for Graph Products of Groups. Submitted.

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Right-Angled Artin Groups

Definition

Given a graph Γ = (E, V ), the associated right-angled Artin group (a.k.a RAAG) A(Γ) is the group with presentation: Ω(Γ) = V | ab = ba : aEb. If in the presentation Ω(Γ) we ask in addition that all the generators have order 2, then we speak of the right-angled Coxeter group (a.k.a RACG) C(Γ).

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Examples

Let Γ1 be a discrete graph (no edges), then A(Γ1) is a free group. Let Γ2 be a complete graph (a.k.a. clique), then A(Γ2) is a free abelian group, and C(Γ2) is the abelian group

α<|Γ| Z2.

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No Uncountable Polish group can be a RAAG

Theorem (P. & Shelah)

Let G = (G, d) be an uncountable Polish group and A a group admitting a system of generators whose associated length function satisfies the following conditions: (i) if 0 < k < ω, then lg(x) lg(xk); (ii) if lg(y) < k < ω and xk = y, then x = e. Then G is not isomorphic to A, in fact there exists a subgroup G ∗

• f G of size b (the bounding number) such that G ∗ is not

embeddable in A.

Corollary (P. & Shelah)

No uncountable Polish group can be a right-angled Artin group.

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What about right-angled Coxeter groups?

The structure M with ω many disjoint unary predicates of size 2 is such that Aut(M) = (Z2)ω =

α<2ω Z2, i.e. Aut(M) is the

right-angled Coxeter group on the complete graph K2ℵ0.

Question

Which right-angled Coxeter groups admit a Polish group topology (resp. a non-Archimedean Polish group topology)?

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Graph Products of Cyclic Groups

Definition

Let Γ = (V , E) be a graph and let: p : V → {pn : p prime and 1 n} ∪ {∞} a vertex graph coloring (i.e. p is a function). We define a group G(Γ, p) with the following presentation: V | ap(a) = 1, bc = cb : p(a) = ∞ and bEc.

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Examples

Let (Γ, p) be as above and suppose that ran(p) = {∞}, then G(Γ, p) is a right-angled Artin group. Let (Γ, p) be as above and suppose that ran(p) = {2}, then G(Γ, p) is a right-angled Coxeter group.

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A Characterization

Theorem (P. & Shelah)

Let G = G(Γ, p). Then G admits a Polish group topology if only if (Γ, p) satisfies the following four conditions: (a) there exists a countable A ⊆ Γ such that for every a ∈ Γ and a = b ∈ Γ − A, a is adjacent to b; (b) there are only finitely many colors c such that the set of vertices of color c is uncountable; (c) there are only countably many vertices of color ∞; (d) if there are uncountably many vertices of color c, then the set

• f vertices of color c has the size of the continuum.

Furthermore, if (Γ, p) satisfies conditions (a)-(d) above, then G can be realized as the group of automorphisms of a countable structure.

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In Plain Words

Theorem (P. & Shelah)

The only graph products of cyclic groups G(Γ, p) admitting a Polish group topology are the direct sums G1 ⊕ G2 with G1 a countable graph product of cyclic groups and G2 a direct sum of finitely many continuum sized vector spaces over a finite field.

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Embeddability of Graph Products into Polish groups

Fact

The free group on continuum many generators is embeddable into the automorphism group of the random graph (and any other free homogeneous structure in a finite relational language, and also in Hall’s universal locally finite group, etc.).

Question

Which graph products of cyclic groups G(Γ, p) are embeddable into a Polish group?

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Another Characterization

Theorem (P. & Shelah)

Let G = G(Γ, p), then the following are equivalent: (a) there is a metric on Γ which induces a separable topology in which EΓ is closed; (b) G is embeddable into a Polish group; (c) G is embeddable into a non-Archimedean Polish group. The condition(s) above fail e.g. for the ℵ1-half graph Γ = Γ(ℵ1), i.e. the graph on vertex set {aα : α < ℵ1} ∪ {bβ : β < ℵ1} with edge relation defined as aαEΓbβ if and only if α < β.

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Even More...

Theorem (P. & Shelah)

Let Γ = (ωω, E) be a graph and p : V → {pn : p prime, n 1} ∪ {∞} a vertex graph coloring. Suppose further that E is closed in the Baire space ωω, and that p(η) depends5 only on η(0). Then G = G(Γ, p) admits a left-invariant separable group ultrametric extending the standard metric on the Baire space.

5I.e., for η, η′ ∈ 2ω, we have: η(0) = η′(0) implies p(η) = p(η′). This is

essentially a technical convenience.

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The Last Level of Generality

Definition

Let Γ = (V , E) be a graph and {Ga : a ∈ Γ} a set of non-trivial groups each presented with its multiplication table presentation and such that for a = b ∈ Γ we have eGa = e = eGb and Ga ∩ Gb = {e}. We define the graph product of the groups {Ga : a ∈ Γ} over Γ, denoted G(Γ, Ga), via the following presentation: generators:

• a∈V

{g : g ∈ Ga}, relations:

• a∈V

{the relations for Ga} ∪

• {a,b}∈E

{gg′ = g′g : g ∈ Ga and g′ ∈ Gb}.

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Examples

Let Γ be a graph and let, for a ∈ Γ, Ga be a primitive6 cyclic

• group. Then G(Γ, Ga) is a graph product of cyclic groups G(Γ, p).

6I.e. a cyclic group of order of the form pn or infinity. 20 / 27

Some Notation

Notation

(1) We denote by Q = G ∗

∞ the rational numbers, by Z∞ p = G ∗ p the

divisible abelian p-group of rank 1, and by Zpk = G ∗

(p,k) the

finite cyclic group of order pk. (2) We let S∗ = {(p, k) : p prime and k 1} ∪ {∞} and S∗∗ = S∗ ∪ {p : p prime}; (3) For s ∈ S∗∗ and λ a cardinal, we let G ∗

s,λ be the direct sum of

λ copies of G ∗

s .

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The First Venue

Theorem (P. & Shelah)

Let G = G(Γ, Ga) and suppose that G admits a Polish group

• topology. Then for some countable A ⊆ Γ and 1 n < ω we have:

(a) for every a ∈ Γ and a = b ∈ Γ − A, a is adjacent to b; (b) if a ∈ Γ − A, then Ga = {G ∗

s,λa,s : s ∈ S∗};

(c) if λa,(p,k) > 0, then pk | n; (d) if in addition A = ∅, then for every s ∈ S∗ we have that {λa,s : a ∈ Γ} is either ℵ0 or 2ℵ0.

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The Second Venue

Theorem

Let G = G(Γ, Ga). Then there is a finite subset B1 of Γ such that if we let B = Γ − B1 then the following conditions are equivalent: (a) G(Γ ↾ B) admits a Polish group topology; (b) for every s ∈ S∗ the cardinal: λB

s =

• {λa,s : a ∈ B} ∈ {ℵ0, 2ℵ0}.

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The Third Venue

Corollary (P. & Shelah)

Let G = G(Γ, Ga) with all the Ga countable. Then G admits a Polish group topology if only if G admits a non-Archimedean Polish group topology if and only if there exist a countable A ⊆ Γ and 1 n < ω such that: (a) for every a ∈ Γ and a = b ∈ Γ − A, a is adjacent to b; (b) if a ∈ Γ − A, then Ga = {G ∗

s,λa,s : s ∈ S∗};

(c) if λa,(p,k) > 0, then pk | n; (d) for every s ∈ S∗, {λa,s : a ∈ Γ − A} is either ℵ0 or 2ℵ0.

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The Third Venue (Cont.)

Corollary (P. & Shelah)

Let G be an abelian group which is a direct sum of countable groups, then G admits a Polish group topology if only if G admits a non-Archimedean Polish group topology if and only if there exists a countable H G and 1 n < ω such that: G = H ⊕

• α<λ∞

Q ⊕

• pk|n
• α<λ(p,k)

Zpk, with λ∞ and λ(p,k) ℵ0 or 2ℵ0.

Corollary (P. & Shelah, and independently Slutsky)

If G is an uncountable group admitting a Polish group topology, then G can not be expressed as a non-trivial free product.

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A Conjecture

Conjecture (Polish Direct Summand Conjecture)

Let G be a group admitting a Polish group topology. (1) If G has a direct summand isomorphic to G ∗

s,λ, for some

ℵ0 < λ 2ℵ0 and s ∈ S∗, then it has one of cardinality 2ℵ0. (2) If G = G1 ⊕ G2 and G2 = {G ∗

s,λs : s ∈ S∗}, then for some

G ′

1, G ′ 2 we have:

(i) G1 = G ′

1 ⊕ G ′ 2;

(ii) G ′

1 admits a Polish group topology;

(iii) G ′

2 = {G ∗ s,λ′

s : s ∈ S∗}.

(3) If G = G1 ⊕ G2, then for some G ′

1, G ′ 2 we have:

(i) G1 = G ′

1 ⊕ G ′ 2;

(ii) G ′

1 admits a Polish group topology;

(iii) G ′

2 = {G ∗ s,λs : s ∈ S∗}.

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Bibliography

Gianluca Paolini and Saharon Shelah. No Uncountable Polish Group Can be a Right-Angled Artin Group. Axioms 6 (2017), no. 2: 13. Gianluca Paolini and Saharon Shelah. Polish Topologies for Graph Products of Cyclic Groups. Israel J. Math., to appear. Gianluca Paolini and Saharon Shelah. Group Metrics for Graph Products of Cyclic Groups. Topology Appl. 232 (2017), 281-287. Gianluca Paolini and Saharon Shelah. Polish Topologies for Graph Products of Groups. Submitted.

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