An alternative construction for the bordification of outer space

Abstract: The Bestvina-Feighn bordification of outer space is analogous to the Borel-Serre bordification. We describe a different construction for a homeomorphic space that is the analogue of Grayson's equivariant deformation retract of the symmetric space. The alternative construction simplifies the analysis of connectivity properties and thereby also the proof that the group of outer automorphisms of a free group is a virtual duality group. [This is joint work with Peter Smillie and Karen Vogtmann.]

algebraic geometrydifferential geometrygroup theorygeometric topologynumber theory

Audience: general audience

International Conference on Discrete groups, Geometry and Arithmetic

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