Hereditarily just-infinite torsion groups with positive first $\ell^2$-Betti number

Abstract

We present a new method to construct finitely generated, residually finite, infinite torsion groups. In contrast to known constructions, a profinite perspective enables us to control finite quotients and normal subgroups of these torsion groups. As an application, we describe the first examples of residually finite, hereditarily just-infinite groups with positive first $\ell^2$-Betti-number. In addition, we show that these groups have polynomial normal subgroup growth, which answers a question of Barnea and Schlage-Puchta.