English

Automorphisms of profinite mapping class groups

Geometric Topology 2026-04-23 v6 Algebraic Geometry Number Theory

Abstract

For S=Sg,nS=S_{g,n} a closed orientable differentiable surface of genus gg from which nn points have been removed, such that χ(S)=22gn<0\chi(S)=2-2g-n<0, let PΓ(S)\mathrm{P}\Gamma(S) be the pure mapping class group of SS and PΓ^(S)\mathrm{P}\widehat\Gamma(S) and PΓˇ(S)\mathrm{P}\check\Gamma(S) be, respectively, its profinite and its congruence completions, the latter being identified with the image of the natural representation PΓ^(S)Out(π^1(S))\mathrm{P}\widehat\Gamma(S)\to\operatorname{Out}({\widehat\pi}_1(S)) (where π^1(S){\widehat\pi}_1(S) is the profinite completion of the fundamental group of SS). We determine the automorphism groups of procongruence completions under a natural rigidity condition, and show that the profinite Grothendieck-Teichm\"uller group embeds into the outer automorphism group of the profinite completion. Let OutI0(PΓ^(S))\operatorname{Out}^{\mathbb{I}_0}(\mathrm{P}\widehat\Gamma(S)) and OutI0(PΓˇ(S))\operatorname{Out}^{\mathbb{I}_0}(\mathrm{P}\check\Gamma(S)) be the groups of outer automorphisms which preserve the conjugacy class of a procyclic subgroup generated by a nonseparating Dehn twist (a condition trivially satisfied for g=0g=0). Our main result gives that, for χ(S)<g2\chi(S)<g-2 and (g,n)(1,2)(g,n)\neq (1,2), there is a natural isomorphism: OutI0(PΓˇ(S))Σn×GT^,\operatorname{Out}^{\mathbb{I}_0}(\mathrm{P}\check\Gamma(S))\cong\Sigma_n\times\widehat{\operatorname{GT}}, where Σn\Sigma_{n} is the symmetric group on nn letters and GT^\widehat{\operatorname{GT}} denotes the profinite Grothendieck-Teichm\"uller group. We also prove that, for χ(S)<g2\chi(S)<g-2, there is a natural faithful representation GT^OutI0(PΓ^(S))\widehat{\operatorname{GT}}\hookrightarrow\operatorname{Out}^{\mathbb{I}_0}(\mathrm{P}\widehat\Gamma(S)).

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2011.15075,
  title  = {Automorphisms of profinite mapping class groups},
  author = {Marco Boggi},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2011.15075},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

Revised version with improved exposition, updated introduction, and references; 53 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-23T20:36:44.871Z