English

A generating set for the Johnson kernel

Geometric Topology 2025-07-08 v2

Abstract

For a connected orientable hyperbolic surface SS without boundary and of finite topological type, the Johnson kernel K(S){\mathcal K}(S) is the subgroup of the mapping class group of SS generated by Dehn twists about separating simple closed curves on SS. We prove that K(S){\mathcal K}(S) is generated by the Dehn twists about separating simple closed curves on SS bounding either: a closed subsurface of genus 11 or 22; a closed subsurface of genus 11 minus one point; a closed disc minus two points.

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Cite

@article{arxiv.2507.01560,
  title  = {A generating set for the Johnson kernel},
  author = {Marco Boggi},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2507.01560},
  year   = {2025}
}

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6 pages