Related papers: Vector Braids

For a tree $G$, we study the changing behaviors in the homology groups $H_i(B_nG)$ as $n$ varies, where $B_nG := \pi_1($UConf$_n(G))$. We prove that the ranks of these homologies can be described by a single polynomial for all $n$, and…

This paper is a survey of some properties of the braid groups and related groups that lead to questions on mapping class groups.

In this paper we compute the automorphism groups $\operatorname{Aut}(\mathbf{P}_n(\Sigma))$ and $\operatorname{Aut}(\mathbf{B}_n(\Sigma))$ of braid groups $\mathbf{P}_n(\Sigma)$ and $\mathbf{B}_n(\Sigma)$ on every orientable surface…

The space of unordered configurations of distinct points in the plane is aspherical, with Artin's braid group as its fundamental group. Remarkably enough, the space of ordered configurations of distinct points on the real projective line,…

S. Bigelow proved that the braid groups are linear. That is, there is a faithful representation of the braid group into the general linear group of some field. Using this, we deduce from previously known results that the mapping class group…

This paper is devoted to the proof of a structural theorem, concerning certain homomorphic images of Artin braid group on $n$ strands in finite symmetric groups. It is shown that any one of these permutation groups is an extension of the…

A generalization of the topological fundamental group is developed in order to exhibit a topologically complete braid group containing Artin's braid group on infinitely many strands with respect to the following notion of convergence: A…

We consider the (pure) braid groups B_{n}(M) and P_{n}(M), where M is the 2-sphere S^2 or the real projective plane RP^2. We determine the minimal cardinality of (normal) generating sets X of these groups, first when there is no restriction…

A braided generalization of the concept of Hopf algebra (quantum group) is presented. The generalization overcomes an inherent geometrical inhomogeneity of quantum groups, in the sense of allowing completely pointless objects. All…

The spaces of triangulations of a given manifold have been widely studied. The celebrated theorem of Pachner~\cite{Pachner} says that any two triangulations of a given manifold can be connected by a sequence of bistellar moves, or Pachner…

We study a novel type of braid groups on a closed orientable surface $\Sigma$. These are fundamental groups of certain manifolds that are hybrids between symmetric products and configuration spaces of points on $\Sigma$; a class of examples…

We consider finite-sheeted, regular, possibly branched covering spaces of compact surfaces with boundary and the associated liftable and symmetric mapping class groups. In particular, we classify when either of these subgroups coincides…

It is known that the recently discovered representations of the Artin groups of type A_n, the braid groups, can be constructed via BMW algebras. We introduce similar algebras of type D_n and E_n which also lead to the newly found faithful…

Complex braid groups are the natural generalizations of braid groups associated to arbitrary (finite) complex reflection groups. We investigate several methods for computing the homology of these groups. In particular, we get the Poincar\'e…

Let M be a compact, connected non-orientable surface without boundary and of genus g greater than or equal to 3. We investigate the pure braid groups P_n(M) of M, and in particular the possible splitting of the Fadell-Neuwirth short exact…

We give a complete classification of homomorphisms from the commutator subgroup of the braid group on $n$ strands to the braid group on $n$ strands when $n$ is at least 7. In particular, we show that each nontrivial homomorphism extends to…

We propose a family of new representations of the braid groups on surfaces that extend linear representations of the braid groups on a disc such as the Burau representation and the Lawrence-Krammer-Bigelow representation.

We introduce linear representations of the universal virtual braid group $UV_n(c)$, where $n\geq 2$ and $c\geq 1$, which is a unifying framework for braid-type groups with multiple types of crossings. We classify and study its complex…

Let $n\ge 2$. Let $VB_n$ (resp. $VP_n$) be the virtual braid group (resp. the pure virtual braid group), and let $VT_n$ (resp. $PVT_n$) be the virtual twin group (resp. the pure virtual twin group). Let $\Pi$ be one of the following…

We investigate braid group representations associated with unitary braided vector spaces, focusing on a conjecture that such representations should have virtually abelian images in general and finite image provided the braiding has finite…