A Pansiot-type subword complexity theorem for automorphisms of free groups
arXiv:2208.00676
Abstract
Inspired by Pansiot's work on substitutions, we prove a similar theorem for automorphisms of a free group F of finite rank: if a right-infinite word X represents an attracting fixed point of an automorphism of F, the subword complexity of X is equivalent to n, n log log n, n log n, or n^2. The proof uses combinatorial arguments analogue to Pansiot's as well as train tracks. We also define the recurrence complexity of X, and we apply it to laminations. In particular, we show that attracting laminations have complexity equivalent to n, n log log n, n log n, or n^2 (to n if the automorphism is fully irreducible).
Final version, to appear in IJM. Proof of Proposition 3.3 reorganized and simplified following a referee's suggestion