On the mapping class group of a genus 2 handlebody (Q536050)

Let \(M\) be a handlebody of genus \(2\), which is an oriented 3-manifold constructed from a \(3\)-ball with attaching \(2\) handles of index \(1\). As an analogy to the complex of curves for the surface, a complex \(\mathcal{I}(M)\) of incompressible surfaces in \(M\) is defined as follows. A vertex \([S]\) in \(\mathcal{I}(M)\) is an isotopy class of a meridian disk or an incompressible surface parallel to a subsurface in \(\partial M\). The simplices of \(\mathcal{I}(M)\) are \(([S_1], \dots, [S_k])\) where \([S_i]\), \([S_j]\) are distinct isotopy classes of surfaces having disjoint representatives for \(i \not= j\). Let \(\mathcal{I}_0 (M)\) be the subcomplex of \(\mathcal{I}(M)\) consisting of all vertices of infinite valence. There are \(8\) types of vertices up to homeomorphisms of \(M\) in \(\mathcal{I}(M)\). Let \(Aut(\mathcal{I}(M))\) (resp. \(Aut(\mathcal{I}_0 (M))\)) be an automorphism group of \(\mathcal{I}(M)\) (resp. \(\mathcal{I}_0 (M)\)), and \(\mathcal{MCG}(M)\) be the group of isotopy classes of self-homeomorphisms of \(M\). There are natural maps \(A\) from \(\mathcal{MCG}(M)\) to \(Aut(\mathcal{I}(M))\), and \(A_0\) from \(\mathcal{MCG}(M)\) to \(Aut(\mathcal{I}_0 (M))\) defined by the actions of homeomorphisms of \(M\) on the complexes \(\mathcal{I}(M)\) and \(\mathcal{I}_0 (M)\). The main result of this paper is: The map \(A : \mathcal{MCG}(M) \to Aut(\mathcal{I}_0 (M))\) is onto and has a \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-kernel. The map \(A : \mathcal{MCG}(M) \to Aut(\mathcal{I} (M))\) is injective but not onto. For the proof of the main result, it is shown that any element of \(Aut(\mathcal{I} (M))\) preserves the types of vertices, and the results by \textit{N. Ivanov} [Int. Math. Res. Not. 1997, No.~14, 651--666 (1997; Zbl 0890.57018)] and \textit{F. Luo} [Topology 39, No.~2, 283--298 (2000; Zbl 0951.32012)] about the automorphism group of the complex of curves of a surface are applied. In the paper under review it is also shown that, when the genus of handlebody \(M\) is at least \(2\), \(\mathcal{I}(M)\) is \(\delta\)-hyperbolic in the sense of Gromov.