Related papers: On the linearity of certain mapping class groups

We show that the mapping class group of a handlebody of genus at least 2 (with any number of marked points or spots) is exponentially distorted in the mapping class group of its boundary surface. The same holds true for solid tori with at…

We prove several positive results regarding representation of homotopy classes of spheres and algebraic groups by regular mappings. Most importantly we show that every mapping from a sphere to an orthogonal or a unitary group is homotopic…

Building on techniques from complex analysis and topology, we establish a remarkable property of branched covers and formulate a complete criterion for the existence of specific types of branched covers between 2-spheres. Our results extend…

Braid groups are an important and flexible tool used in several areas of science, such as Knot Theory (Alexander's theorem), Mathematical Physics (Yang-Baxter's equation) and Algebraic Geometry (monodromy invariants). In this note we will…

We compute the twisted cohomology of the mapping class group with level structures, with coefficients in the $r$-tensor powers of the Prym representations for any positive integer $r$. When $r\ge 2$, we show that the cohomology exhibits…

For every $n\ge 2$, the {\em surface Houghton group} $\mathcal B_n$ is defined as the asymptotically rigid mapping class group of a surface with exactly $n$ ends, all of them non-planar. The groups $\mathcal B_n$ are analogous to, and in…

Similar pictures appear in various branches of mathematics. Sometimes this similarity gives rise to deep theorems. Mentioning such a similarity between hexagonal tilings, cubes in 3-space, configurations of lines and braid groups, we prove…

Let $M$ be a compact surface without boundary, and $n\geq 2$. We analyse the quotient group $B_n(M)/\Gamma_2(P_n(M))$ of the surface braid group $B_{n}(M)$ by the commutator subgroup $\Gamma_2(P_n(M))$ of the pure braid group $P_{n}(M)$. If…

A group G is sharply 2-transitive if it admits a faithful permutation representation that is transitive and free on pairs of distinct points. Conjecturally, for all such groups there exists a near-field N (i.e. a skew field that is…

A ribbon is a double structure on P^1. The geometry of a ribbon is closely related to that of a smooth curve. In this note we consider linear series on ribbons. Our main result is an explicit determinantal description for the locus…

We give formulae for the first homology of the $n$-braid group and the pure 2-braid group over a finite graph in terms of graph theoretic invariants. As immediate consequences, a graph is planar if and only if the first homology of the…

We characterize helix surfaces (constant angle surfaces) in the special linear group $\mathrm{SL}(2,\r)$. In particular, we give an explicit local description of these surfaces in terms of a suitable curve and a 1-parameter family of…

Motivated by the work of Birman about the relationship between mapping class groups and braid groups, we discuss the relationship between the orbit braid group and the equivariant mapping class group on the closed surface $M$ with a free…

We introduce a natural stratification of the space of projective classes of measured laminations on a complete hyperbolic surface of finite area. We prove a rigidity result, namely, the group of self-homeomorphisms of the space of…

Let $G$ be a fundamental group of a graph of group where the graph is a rose or a star graph and the vertex groups are free groups, free abelian groups or right-angled Artin groups. We prove the linearity of $G$ over $\mathbb{Z}$ under…

Let $(S,\, \ast)$ be a closed oriented surface with a marked point, let $G$ be a fixed group, and let $\rho\colon\pi_1(S) \longrightarrow G$ be a representation such that the orbit of $\rho$ under the action of the mapping class group…

We prove that any topological loop homeomorphic to a sphere or to a real projective space and having a compact-free Lie group as the inner mapping group is homeomorphic to the circle. Moreover, we classify the differentiable $1$-dimensional…

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…

Suppose that the adjusted Brill-Noether number is zero, we prove that there exists a family of twice-marked smooth projective curves such that the family of linear series with two imposed ramification conditions is irreducible. Moreover,…

The hyperelliptic mapping class group has been studied in various contexts within topology and algebraic geometry. What makes this study tractable is that there is a surjective map from the hyperelliptic mapping class group to a mapping…