The interval conjecture for stable commutator length in a rank-two free group

Let F2F_2 be the free group of rank 22, and let B1H(F2)B_1^H(F_2) denote the space of real homologically trivial 11-boundaries in F2F_2. An integral chain is an integral element of this space. The stable commutator length of such a chain is denoted by scl\operatorname{scl}.

Interval conjecture. The set of values

{scl(Γ):Γ is an integral chain in B1H(F2)}\{\operatorname{scl}(\Gamma):\Gamma\text{ is an integral chain in }B_1^H(F_2)\}

contains every rational number in the interval [3/4,1][3/4,1].

The conjecture is motivated by a histogram of stable commutator lengths obtained from 7500 random realizations associated to a four-punctured sphere. It predicts that all rational values in the indicated interval occur, but the supplied text gives no resolution.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Danny Calegari and Alden Walker, “Isometric endomorphisms of free groups”, arXiv:1101.4055 (2011).

Progress summary

Never refreshed

Nothing recorded yet. Refresh searches the literature and the public web for attempts on this problem, and writes the first summary here.

Solutions 0

No solutions have been posted yet.