arXiv research

We prove a Tits alternative theorem for groups acting on CAT(0) cubical complexes. Namely, suppose that $G$ is a group for which there is a bound on the orders of its finite subgroups. We prove that if $G$ acts properly on a finite-dimensional CAT(0) cubical complex, then either $G$ contains a free subgroup of rank 2 o…

We prove that every finite connected simplicial complex has the homology of the classifying space for some $\mathrm{CAT}(0)$ cubical duality group. More specifically, for any finite simplicial complex $X$, we construct a locally $\mathrm{CAT}(0)$ cubical complex $T_{X}$ and an acyclic map $t_{X} : T_{X} \to X$ such tha…

Let $Γ$ be an irreducible lattice of $\Q$-rank $\geq 2$ in a semisimple Lie group of noncompact type. We prove that any action of $Γ$ on a $\CAT(0)$ cubical complex has a global fixed point.

We prove that a hyperplane in a CAT(0) cubical complex X has no self-intersections and separates X into two convex complementary components. These facts were originally proved by Sageev. Our argument shows that his theorem is a corollary of Gromov's link condition. We also give new arguments establishing some combinato…

The contact graph of a CAT(0) cubical complex has unbounded structure and a Gaussian CLT for random walks.

We prove a geometric model for HHS hierarchies as CAT(0) cube complexes.

We show that every graph product of finitely generated abelian groups acts properly and cocompactly on a CAT(0) cubical complex. The complex generalizes (up to subdivision) the Salvetti complex of a right-angled Artin group and the Coxeter complex of a right-angled Coxeter group. In the right-angled Artin group case it…

Planar pure braids form a group that acts on a CAT(0) cubical complex.

New groups with special properties found.

We introduce a $\mathbb{Z}$-valued cross ratio on Roller boundaries of ${\rm CAT(0)}$ cube complexes. We motivate its relevance by showing that every cross-ratio preserving bijection of Roller boundaries uniquely extends to a cubical isomorphism. Our results are strikingly general and even apply to infinite dimensional…

Extends graph factor system to quasi-median graphs.

Proves hyperbolized groups are virtually compact special and linear.

We prove that an open manifold $M$ of dimension at least $5$ which admits a complete CAT(0) polyhedral metric is pseudo-collarable, its fundamental group at infinity is strongly perfectly semistable and has vanishing Chapman-Siebenmann obstruction $τ_{\infty}(M)$. Moreover, this implies that $M$ is topologically collap…

Study rigidity of real moment-angle manifolds using cubical geometry.

We prove that a Kähler group which is cubulable, i.e. which acts properly discontinuously and cocompactly on a CAT(0) cubical complex, has a finite index subgroup isomorphic to a direct product of surface groups, possibly with a free Abelian factor. Similarly, we prove that a closed aspherical Kähler manifold with a cu…

We prove that if $G = G_1\times\dots\times G_n$ acts essentially, properly and cocompactly on a CAT(0) cube complex X, then the cube complex splits as a product. We use this theorem to give various examples of groups for which the minimal dimension of a cube complex the group acts on is strictly larger than that of the…

New bicombings found for mapping class groups and Teichmüller spaces.

We bound the size of $d$-dimensional cubulations of finitely presented groups. We apply this bound to obtain acylindrical accessibility for actions on CAT(0) cube complexes and bounds on curves on surfaces.

In this paper, we study the geometry of cone-offs of CAT(0) cube complexes over a family of combinatorially convex subcomplexes, with an emphasis on their Gromov-hyperbolicity. A first application gives a direct cubical proof of the characterization of the (strong) relative hyperbolicity of right-angled Coxeter groups,…

Survey discusses new ideas in geometric group theory and their applications.

We provide geometric conditions on a pair of hyperplanes of a CAT(0) cube complex that imply divergence bounds for the cube complex. As an application, we classify all right-angled Coxeter groups with quadratic divergence and show right-angled Coxeter groups cannot exhibit a divergence function between quadratic and cu…

Let G be a group acting geometrically on a CAT(0) cube complex X. We prove first that G is hyperbolic relative to the collection P of subgroups if and only if the simplicial boundary of X is the disjoint union of a nonempty discrete set, together with a pairwise-disjoint collection of subcomplexes corresponding, in the…

The study examines the topology of complements of polytopal skeletons.

New topology shows Morse boundaries are topologically invariant.

We classify Dehn functions of Bestvina-Brady groups.

Classifies 3-manifold groups with equivariant hierarchically hyperbolic structures.

We show that group actions on irreducible ${\rm CAT(0)}$ cube complexes with no free faces are uniquely determined by their $\ell^1$ length function. Actions are allowed to be non-proper and non-cocompact, as long as they are minimal and have no finite orbit in the visual boundary. This is, to our knowledge, the first …

Pseudo-automorphisms are birational transformations acting as regular automorphisms in codimension 1. We import ideas from geometric group theory to prove that a group of birational transformations that satisfies a fixed point property on CAT(0) cubical complexes, for example a discrete countable group with Kazhdan Pro…

In the context of CAT(0) cubical groups, we develop an analogue of the theory of curve complexes and subsurface projections. The role of the subsurfaces is played by a collection of convex subcomplexes called a \emph{factor system}, and the role of the curve graph is played by the \emph{contact graph}. There are a numb…

Study of group actions on CAT(0) cube complexes, focusing on marked length spectra.

Proper proximality proved for various groups on non-positive curvature spaces.

We introduce the polygonalisation complex of a surface, a cube complex whose vertices correspond to polygonalisations. This is a geometric model for the mapping class group and it is motivated by works of Harer, Mosher and Penner. Using properties of the flip graph, we show that the midcubes in the polygonalisation com…

Locally finite complexes with polyhedral $CAT(0)$ metrics are arborescent.

We study branched covering spaces in several contexts, proving that under suitable circumstances the cover satisfies the same upper curvature bounds as the base space. The first context is of a branched cover of an arbitrary metric space that satisfies Alexandrov's curvature condition CAT(k), over an arbitrary complete…

Hougthon's groups H_n is a family of groups where each H_n consists of `translations at infinity' on n rays of discrete points emanating from the origin on the plane. Brown shows H_n has type FP_n-1 but not FP_n by constructing infinite dimensional cell complex on which H_n acts with certain conditions. We modify his i…

Groups on CAT(0) cube complexes grow exponentially uniformly.

Study mapping class groups on CAT(0) cube complexes.

We show that groups satisfying Kazhdan's property (T) have no unbounded actions on finite dimensional CAT(0) cube complexes, and deduce that there is a locally CAT(-1) Riemannian manifold which is not homotopy equivalent to any finite dimensional, locally CAT(0) cube complex.

Let X be a proper CAT(0) cube complex admitting a proper cocompact action by a group G. We give three conditions on the action, any one of which ensures that X has a factor system in the sense of [BHS14]. We also prove that one of these conditions is necessary. This combines with results of Behrstock--Hagen--Sisto to s…

New group acts on complex but not in lower dimensions.

Non-uniform lattices in PU(n,1) cannot geometrically act on CAT(0) cube complexes.

Effective rank rigidity proved for cubulated groups with factor systems.

The study finds conditions for groups acting on CAT(0) cube complexes to have infinite girth.

Develops theory of relatively geometric actions on CAT(0) cube complexes.

Collapsibility is a combinatorial strengthening of contractibility. We relate this property to metric geometry by proving the collapsibility of any complex that is CAT(0) with a metric for which all vertex stars are convex. This strengthens and generalizes a result by Crowley. Further consequences of our work are: (1) …

CAT(0) properties extended to a class of Shephard groups.

Study shows Roller compactification's median graph has limited asymptotic dimension.

Croke and Kleiner constructed two homeomorphic locally CAT(0) complexes whose universal covers have visual boundaries that are not homeomorphic. We construct two homeomorphic locally CAT(0) complexes so that the visual boundary of one universal cover contains a nonplanar graph, while the visual boundary of the other do…