An invariant of finite group actions on shifts of finite type

We describe a pair of invariants for actions of finite groups on shifts of finite type, the left-reduced and right-reduced shifts. The left-reduced shift was first constructed by U. Fiebig, who showed that its zeta function is an invariant, and in fact equal to the zeta function of the quotient dynamical system. We also give conditions for expansivity of the quotient, and applications to combinatorial group theory, knot theory and topological quantum field theory.