Chen ranks and resonance

Daniel C. Cohen, Henry K. Schenck

Decision: reject

Abstract: The Chen groups of a group $G$ are the lower central series quotients of the maximal metabelian quotient of $G$. Under certain conditions, we relate the ranks of the Chen groups to the first resonance variety of $G$, a jump locus for the cohomology of $G$. In the case where $G$ is the fundamental group of the complement of a complex hyperplane arrangement, our results positively resolve Suciu's Chen ranks conjecture. We obtain explicit formulas for the Chen ranks of a number of groups of broad interest, including pure Artin groups associated to Coxeter groups, and the group of basis-conjugating automorphisms of a finitely generated free group.