A small generating set for the twist subgroup of the mapping class group of a non-orientable surface by Dehn twists (Q1652782): Difference between revisions

Let \(N_{g,n}\) denote the connected closed nonorientable surface of genus \(g \geq 1\) with \(n \geq 0\) boundary components, and let \(N_{g,0} := N_g\). Let \(\mathcal{M}(N_{g,n})\) be the mapping class group of \(N_{g,n}\), and let \(\mathcal{T}(N_{g,n})\) denote the twist subgroup of \(\mathcal{M}(N_{g,n})\) generated by Dehn twists. \textit{W. B. R. Lickorish} [Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 59, 307--317 (1963; Zbl 0115.40801); ibid. 61, 61--64 (1965; Zbl 0131.20802)] proved that \(\mathcal{M}(N_{g,n})\) is generated by a finite collection of Dehn twists and a \(Y\)-homeomorphism. \textit{B. Szepietowski} [Geom. Dedicata 117, 1--9 (2006; Zbl 1091.57014)] showed that \(g\) Dehn twists and a \(Y\)-homeomorphism from a generating set derived by \textit{D. R. J. Chillingworth} [Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 65, 409--430 (1969; Zbl 0172.48801)], generate \(\mathcal{M}(N_{g,n})\). This generating set was shown by \textit{S. Hirose} [Kodai Math. J. 41, No. 1, 154--159 (2018; Zbl 1402.57019)] to be minimal among generating sets consisting of Dehn twists and \(Y\)-homeomorphisms. It is known [Chillingworth, loc. cit.] that for \(g >3\), \(\mathcal{T}(N_{g,n})\) is generated by \(\frac{3g-1}{2}\) Dehn twists, when \(g\) is odd, and \(\frac{3g}{2}\) Dehn twists, when \(g\) is even. Moreover, for \(n \in\{ 0,1\}\), \textit{M. Stukow} [Bull. Korean Math. Soc. 53, No. 2, 601--614 (2016; Zbl 1355.57021)] derived a finite presentation for \(\mathcal{T}(N_{g,n})\) that involved \(g+2\) Dehn twists. The main result in this paper asserts that for \(g \geq 4\) and \(n \leq 1\), \(\mathcal{T}(N_{g,n})\) is generated by \(g+1\) Dehn twists, which form a proper subset of the generating set derived by Stukow [loc. cit.]. The author proves this assertion by applying an argument of Hirose [loc. cit.] to establish that when \(g \geq 4\) and \(n \leq 1\), any minimal generating set for \(\mathcal{T}(N_{g,n})\) comprising Dehn twists has cardinality at least \(g\). The paper leaves open the question of whether \(\mathcal{T}(N_{g,n})\) is minimally generated by \(g\) or \(g+1\) Dehn twists.