Automorphisms of the 3-sphere preserving a genus two Heegaard splitting (Q2493425): Difference between revisions

Goeritz found a finite set of generators for the group \(\mathcal H\) of isotopy classes of orientation preserving automorphisms of \(S^3\) that leave a genus two Heegaard decomposition invariant [see \textit{L.~Goeritz}, Abh. Math Sem. Univ. Hamburg 9, 244--259 (1933; Zbl 0007.08102)]. This result was generalized to Heegard splittings of any genus by \textit{J.~Powell} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 257, No. 1, 193--216 (1980; Zbl 0445.57008)]. The author explains that Powell's proof contains a gap. He provides a modern proof of Goeritz' result, in the hope that it may be helpful for studying the case of higher genus Heegaard splittings. The proof is based on considering a natural \(2\)-complex on which \(\mathcal H\) acts transitively.