Genus bounds in right-angled Artin groups

Abstract

We show that, in any right-angled Artin group whose defining graph has chromatic number $k$, every non-trivial element has stable commutator length at least $1/(6k)$. Secondly, if the defining graph does not contain triangles, then every non-trivial element has stable commutator length at least $1/20$. These results are obtained via an elementary geometric argument based on earlier work of Culler.