Automorphisms of surface mapping class groups. A recent theorem of N. Ivanov (Q1077010)

Let F be a closed, connected, orientable surface of genus \(g\geq 2\). The mapping class group of F, \(\Gamma\) (F), is the group of isotopy classes of orientation preserving diffeomorphisms \(F\to F\). The extended mapping class group \(\Gamma^*(F)\) is the group of isotopy classes of all diffeomorphisms \(F\to F\). In 1983 the reviewer had proved that for \(g\geq 3\) all automorphisms of \(\Gamma^*(F)\) are inner [Sov. Math. Dokl. 29, 288-291 (1984); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 275, 786-789 (1984; Zbl 0586.20026)] and that all automorphisms of \(\Gamma\) (F) are induced by inner automorphisms of \(\Gamma^*(F)\). The author presents his own approach to these results based on similar ideas. The main idea is to characterize Dehn twists in terms of commutation relations in \(\Gamma^*(F)\). In the author's version a general study of abelian subgroups of \(\Gamma^*(F)\) comes to the first place. The author considers also the exceptional case \(g=2\) and proves that Out(\(\Gamma\) (F))\(\approx Out(\Gamma^*(G))\approx ({\mathbb{Z}}/2{\mathbb{Z}})^ 2\) in this case. Now all these results are extended by the reviewer to surfaces with nonempty boundary. The detailed exposition is to appear in V. A. Rokhlin Memorial Volume of Springer Lecture Notes [see also the reviewer, Algebraic properties of mapping class groups of surfaces, Banach Center Publ. 18, 17-37 (1986)].