Quantitative residual properties of Γ-limit groups

Abstract

Let Γ be a fixed hyperbolic group. The Γ-limit groups of Sela are exactly the finitely generated, fully residually Γ groups. We give a new invariant of Γ-limit groups called Γ-discriminating complexity and show that the Γ-discriminating complexity of any Γ-limit group is asymptotically dominated by a polynomial. Our proof relies on an embedding theorem of Kharlampovich-Myasnikov which states that a Γ-limit group embeds in an iterated extension of centralizers over Γ. The result then follows from our proof that if G is an iterated extension of centralizers over Γ, the G-discriminating complexity of a rank n extension of a cyclic centralizer of G is asymptotically dominated by a polynomial of degree n.