Abstract commensurators of surface groups

Abstract

Let [Formula: see text] be the fundamental group of a surface of finite type and [Formula: see text] be its abstract commensurator. Then [Formula: see text] contains the solvable Baumslag–Solitar groups [Formula: see text] for any [Formula: see text]. Moreover, the Baumslag–Solitar group [Formula: see text] has an image in [Formula: see text] that is not residually finite. Our proofs are computer-assisted. Our results also illustrate that finitely-generated subgroups of [Formula: see text] are concrete objects amenable to computational methods. For example, we give a proof that [Formula: see text] is not residually finite without the use of normal forms of HNN extensions.