Related papers: On generating mapping class groups by pseudo-Anoso…

We prove that for genus $g=3,4$, the extended mapping class group $\text{Mod}^{\pm}(S_g)$ can be generated by two elements of finite orders. But for $g=1$, $\text{Mod}^{\pm}(S_1)$ cannot be generated by two elements of finite orders.

Let $S(n)$ be the infinite-type surface with infinite genus and $n \in \mathbb{N}$ ends, all of which are accumulated by genus. The mapping class group of this surface, $\mod(S(n))$, is a Polish group that is not countably generated, but it…

Let $S_g$ be the closed oriented surface of genus g and let $\text{Mod}(S_g)$ be the mapping class group. When the genus is at least 3, $\text{Mod}(S_g)$ can be generated by torsion elements. We prove the follow results. For $g \geq 4$,…

We prove that the mapping class group of a closed connected orientable surface of genus $g$ is generated by three involutions for $g\geq 6$.

Let $S$ be a compact orientable surface, and $\Mod(S)$ its mapping class group. Then there exists a constant $M(S)$, which depends on $S$, with the following property. Suppose $a,b \in \Mod(S)$ are independent (i.e., $[a^n,b^m]\not=1$ for…

We study types of mapping classes which arise as a product of a given mapping class and powers of certain pure mapping classes. We derive an explicit constant depending only on a surface such that almost all above pure mapping classes give…

We prove that the mapping class group $\mathcal{M}(N_g)$ of a closed nonorientable surface of genus $g$ different than 4 is generated by three torsion elements. Moreover, for every even integer $k\ge 12$ and $g$ of the form $g=pk+2q(k-1)$…

Given any connected compact orientable surface, a pair of mapping classes are said to be procongruently conjugate if they induce a conjugate pair of outer automophisms on the profinite completion of the fundamental group of the surface. For…

In this article, we study the normal generation of the mapping class group. We first show that a mapping class is a normal generator if its restriction on the invariant subsurface normally generates the (pure) mapping class group of the…

Given any generating set of any pseudo-Anosov-containing subgroup of the mapping class group of a surface, we construct a pseudo-Anosov with word length bounded by a constant depending only on the surface. More generally, in any subgroup G…

Let $\Sigma_{g,b}$ denote a closed oriented surface genus $g$ with $b$ punctures and let $Mod_{g,b}$ denote its mapping class group. Luo proved that if the genus is at least 3, the group $Mod_{g,b}$ is generated by involutions. He also…

Given a finite generating set $S$, let us endow the mapping class group of a closed hyperbolic surface with the word metric for $S$. We discuss the following question: does the proportion of non-pseudo-Anosov mapping classes in the ball of…

The mapping class group of an orientable surface, which records its symmetries up to isotopy, plays a central role in low-dimensional topology. This chapter explores the foundational problem of determining minimal generating sets for these…

We obtain a finite generating set for the level 2 twist subgroup of the mapping class group of a closed non-orientable surface. The generating set consists of crosscap pushing maps along non-separating two-sided simple loops and squares of…

An algorithm is proposed that solves two decision problems for pseudo-Anosov elements in the mapping class group of a surface with at least one marked fixed point. The first problem is the root problem: decide if the element is a power and…

Let $\Sigma_{g,p}$ be a oriented connected surface of genus $g$ with $p$ punctures. We denote by $\mathcal{M}_{g,p}$ and $\mathcal{M}_{g,p}^\pm$ the mapping class group and the extended mapping class group of $\Sigma_{g,p}$, respectively.…

This chapter provides a comprehensive survey of foundational results and recent advances concerning minimal generating sets for the mapping class group of a nonorientable surface, $\mathrm{Mod}(N_{g})$, and its index-two twist subgroup,…

We prove that pseudo-Anosov mapping classes are generic with respect to certain notions of genericity reflecting that we are dealing with mapping classes.

We consider the pseudo-Anosov elements of the mapping class group of a surface of genus g that fix a rank k subgroup of the first homology of the surface. We show that the smallest entropy among these is comparable to (k+1)/g. This…

A topological group $G$ is topologically normally generated if there exists $g \in G$ such that the normal closure of $g$ is dense in $G$. Let $S$ be a tame, infinite type surface whose mapping class group $\mathrm{Map}(S)$ is generated by…