On reduced lantern relations in mapping class groups (Q2448460)

Let \(S\) be a finite area hyperbolic Riemann surface of type \((p,n)\), where \(3p+n>3\) and \(n \geq 1\). Let \(t_{\alpha}\) denote the Dehn twist along a simple closed geodesic \(\alpha\) in \(S\). The author proves the following fact. Let \(a\), \(b\), \(c\) and \(D\) be simple closed geodesics in \(S\). Then the lantern relation \(t_{D}=t_{c}t_{b}t_{a}\) holds if and only if \(n \geq 3\) and the following geometric configuration holds: the geodesic \(D\) bounds a triple-punctured disc, the geodesics \(a\), \(b\) and \(c\) are contained in that triple-punctured disc, each one bounding a double-punctured disc, two of them not containing the same two punctures. This provides a partial answer to a question posed by J. D. McCarthy.