In this paper we consider several classical and novel algorithmic problems for right-angled Artin groups, some of which are closely related to graph theoretic problems, and study their computational complexity. We study these problems with a view towards applications to cryptography.
The Tits Conjecture, proved by Crisp and Paris, states that squares of the standard generators of any Artin group generate an obvious right-angled Artin subgroup. We consider a larger set of elements consisting of all the centers of the irreducible s
pherical special subgroups of the Artin group, and conjecture that sufficiently large powers of those elements generate an obvious right-angled Artin subgroup. This alleged right-angled Artin subgroup is in some sense as large as possible; its nerve is homeomorphic to the nerve of the ambient Artin group. We verify this conjecture for the class of locally reducible Artin groups, which includes all $2$-dimensional Artin groups, and for spherical Artin groups of any type other than $E_6$, $E_7$, $E_8$. We use our results to conclude that certain Artin groups contain hyperbolic surface subgroups, answering questions of Gordon, Long and Reid.
We show that if a right-angled Artin group $A(Gamma)$ has a non-trivial, minimal action on a tree $T$ which is not a line, then $Gamma$ contains a separating subgraph $Lambda$ such that $A(Lambda)$ stabilizes an edge in $T$.
We consider the question of which right-angled Artin groups contain closed hyperbolic surface subgroups. It is known that a right-angled Artin group $A(K)$ has such a subgroup if its defining graph $K$ contains an $n$-hole (i.e. an induced cycle of l
ength $n$) with $ngeq 5$. We construct another eight forbidden graphs and show that every graph $K$ on $le 8$ vertices either contains one of our examples, or contains a hole of length $ge 5$, or has the property that $A(K)$ does not contain hyperbolic closed surface subgroups. We also provide several sufficient conditions for a RAAG to contain no hyperbolic surface subgroups. We prove that for one of these forbidden subgraphs $P_2(6)$, the right angled Artin group $A(P_2(6))$ is a subgroup of a (right angled Artin) diagram group. Thus we show that a diagram group can contain a non-free hyperbolic subgroup answering a question of Guba and Sapir. We also show that fundamental groups of non-orientable surfaces can be subgroups of diagram groups. Thus the first integral homology of a subgroup of a diagram group can have torsion (all homology groups of all diagram groups are free Abelian by a result of Guba and Sapir).
We study atomic right-angled Artin groups -- those whose defining graph has no cycles of length less than five, and no separating vertices, separating edges, or separating vertex stars. We show that these groups are not quasi-isometrically rigid, but
that an intermediate form of rigidity does hold. We deduce from this that two atomic groups are quasi-isometric iff they are isomorphic.