From self-similar groups to self-similar sets and spectra

The survey presents developments in the theory of self-similar groups leading to applications to the study of fractal sets and graphs, and their associated spectra

Hausdorff dimension of some groups acting on the binary tree

Based on the work of Abercrombie, Barnea and Shalev gave an explicit formula for the Hausdorff dimension of a group acting on a rooted tree. We focus here on the binary tree T. Abert and Virag showed that there exist finitely generated (but not necessarily level-transitive) subgroups of AutT of arbitrary dimension in [0,1]. In this article we explicitly compute the Hausdorff dimension of the level-transitive spinal groups. We then show examples of 3-generated spinal groups which have transcendental Hausdroff dimension, and exhibit a construction of 2-generated groups whose Hausdorff dimension is 1.Comment: 10 pages; full revision; simplified some proof

Profinite completion of Grigorchuk's group is not finitely presented

In this paper we prove that the profinite completion $\mathcal{\hat G}$ of the Grigorchuk group $\mathcal{G}$ is not finitely presented as a profinite group. We obtain this result by showing that H^2(\mathcal{\hat G},\field{F}_2) is infinite dimensional. Also several results are proven about the finite quotients $\mathcal{G}/ St_{\mathcal{G}}(n)$ including minimal presentations and Schur Multipliers

Finite self-similar p-groups with abelian first level stabilizers

We determine all finite p-groups that admit a faithful, self-similar action on the p-ary rooted tree such that the first level stabilizer is abelian. A group is in this class if and only if it is a split extension of an elementary abelian p-group by a cyclic group of order p. The proof is based on use of virtual endomorphisms. In this context the result says that if G is a finite p-group with abelian subgroup H of index p, then there exists a virtual endomorphism of G with trivial core and domain H if and only if G is a split extension of H and H is an elementary abelian p-group.Comment: one direction of theorem 2 extended to regular p-group

On a conjecture of Atiyah

In this note we explain how the computation of the spectrum of the lamplighter group from \cite{Grigorchuk-Zuk(2000)} yields a counterexample to a strong version of the Atiyah conjectures about the range of $L^2$-Betti numbers of closed manifolds.Comment: 8 pages, A4 pape

A Mealy machine with polynomial growth of irrational degree

We consider a very simple Mealy machine (three states over a two-symbol alphabet), and derive some properties of the semigroup it generates. In particular, this is an infinite, finitely generated semigroup; we show that the growth function of its balls behaves asymptotically like n^2.4401..., where this constant is 1 + log(2)/log((1+sqrt(5))/2); that the semigroup satisfies the identity g^6=g^4; and that its lattice of two-sided ideals is a chain.Comment: 20 pages, 1 diagra

Effective-Range Expansion of the Neutron-Deuteron Scattering Studied by a Quark-Model Nonlocal Gaussian Potential

The S-wave effective range parameters of the neutron-deuteron (nd) scattering are derived in the Faddeev formalism, using a nonlocal Gaussian potential based on the quark-model baryon-baryon interaction fss2. The spin-doublet low-energy eigenphase shift is sufficiently attractive to reproduce predictions by the AV18 plus Urbana three-nucleon force, yielding the observed value of the doublet scattering length and the correct differential cross sections below the deuteron breakup threshold. This conclusion is consistent with the previous result for the triton binding energy, which is nearly reproduced by fss2 without reinforcing it with the three-nucleon force.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures and 6 tables, submitted to Prog. Theor. Phy

Random matrices, non-backtracking walks, and orthogonal polynomials

Several well-known results from the random matrix theory, such as Wigner's law and the Marchenko--Pastur law, can be interpreted (and proved) in terms of non-backtracking walks on a certain graph. Orthogonal polynomials with respect to the limiting spectral measure play a role in this approach.Comment: (more) minor change