Determining whether a finite group of outer automorphisms of a free group is geometric. (Q1765699)

Necessary and sufficient conditions for a finite group \(G\) of outer automorphisms of a free group \(F\) are given to be `orientably-geometric', i.e. induced by an action of \(G\) by orientation-preserving homeomorphisms on a punctured surface (or a compact surface with non-empty boundary), with fundamental group \(F\), and for a finite Abelian group \(G\) to be `geometric' (dropping the orientability condition). It is well-known that each such finite group \(G\) can be realized by an action on a finite graph, and the proofs in the present paper use then the work of \textit{J. E. Los} and \textit{Z. H. Nitecki} [Topology 43, No. 1, 49-69 (2004; Zbl 1079.37034)] on embeddings of groups of graph automorphisms in surfaces. The conditions are given in terms of the finite subgroups of the preimage of \(G\subset\text{Out}(F)\) in the automorphism group \(\Aut(F)\) of \(F\) (which basically have to be cyclic or dihedral, each non-trivial automorphism in such a group fixing at most a cyclic subgroup of \(F\)). It is interesting to compare these conditions with those given in a paper by \textit{D. McCullough, A. Miller} and the reviewer [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 64, No. 3, 269-292 (1990; Zbl 0704.57005)] where necessary and sufficient conditions for the geometric realizability of \(G\) are given in terms of the extension of \(F\) defined by \(G\) (the preimage of \(G\subset\text{Out}(F)\) in \(\Aut(F)\)).