Big mapping class groups with hyperbolic actions: classification and applications

DOI10.1017/S1474748021000189MaRDI QIDQ6339832arXivWikidataFDO

Authors Camille Horbez, Yulan Qing, Kasra Rafi

Publication date 1 May 2020

Published in arXiv

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474748021000189

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Geometric group theory (20F65) Hyperbolic groups and nonpositively curved groups (20F67) Group actions on manifolds and cell complexes in low dimensions (57M60)

arXiv classification

math.GRmath.GT

Abstract: We address the question of determining which mapping class groups of infinite-type surfaces admit nonelementary continuous actions on hyperbolic spaces. More precisely, let $Sigma$ be a connected, orientable surface of infinite type with tame endspace whose mapping class group is generated by a coarsely bounded subset. We prove that $mathrmMap(Sigma)$ admits a continuous nonelementary action on a hyperbolic space if and only if $Sigma$ contains a finite-type subsurface which intersects all its homeomorphic translates. When $Sigma$ contains such a nondisplaceable subsurface $K$ of finite type, the hyperbolic space we build is constructed from the curve graphs of $K$ and its homeomorphic translates via a construction of Bestvina, Bromberg and Fujiwara. Our construction has several applications: first, the second bounded cohomology of $mathrmMap(Sigma)$ contains an embedded $el{l}^1$; second, using work of Dahmani, Guirardel and Osin, we deduce that $mathrmMap(Sigma)$ contains nontrivial normal free subgroups (while it does not if $Sigma$ has no nondisplaceable subsurface of finite type), has uncountably many quotients and is SQ-universal.

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