All automorphisms of the 3-nilpotent free group of countably infinite rank can be lifted (Q1107626)

If \(F\) is a free group and \(\bar F=F/V\) is a quotient group of \(F\) by a characteristic subgroup \(V\), then an automorphism of \(F\) induces in a natural way an automorphism on the group \(\bar F\). In general there are automorphisms of \(\bar F\) which cannot be induced in this way, or as it is customary to say cannot be lifted to automorphisms of \(F\). In this paper the authors consider the case where \(V=\gamma_ 4(F)\) i.e. the case where \(\bar F=F/\gamma_ 4(F)\) is the free nilpotent group of class 3. They prove that if \(F\) has infinite rank then every automorphism of \(\bar F\) can be lifted. This contrasts with results of the reviewer [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 15, 239-268 (1965; Zbl 0135.04502)] and \textit{S. Bachmuth} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 122, 1-17 (1966; Zbl 0133.28101)] who have proved that if \(F\) is of finite rank then not every automorphism of \(\bar F\) can be lifted.