An approach to automorphisms of free groups and braids via transvections (Q1188030)

Let \(F(n)=\langle x_ 1,\dots,x_ n\rangle\) be the free group of rank \(n\) and \(\Phi(n)=\text{Aut}(F(n))\). Let \(\widehat{H}(n)=\{\alpha\in\Phi(n): (x_ i)\alpha\) is a conjugate of some \(x_{\mu(i)}\) for \(i=1,\dots,n\), for \(\mu\in S_ n\}\). Let \(H(n)\) be the subgroup of \(\widehat{H}(n)\) such that \(\mu=\text{id}\). Let \(B_ n\) be the group of \(n\)-braids and \(P_ n\) the pure braid group. Let \(\widehat{H}(n)^*\), \(H(n)^*\), \(B^*_ n\) and \(P^*_ n\) be the quotients \(\widehat {H}(n)/\text{Inn}(n)\), \(H(n)/Inn(n)\), \(B_ n/(B_ n\cap\text{Inn}(n))\) and \(P_ n/(P_ n\cap \text{Inn}(n))\). We construct and study certain faithful representations of the group \(\widehat{H}(n)^*\) as automorphisms of polynomial algebras. This extends results obtained by Magnus for \(B^*_ n\). We find invariant elements for the action of \(\widehat H(n)^*\) each of which is a determinant. We also show that \(H(n)^*\), \(H(n)\), \(P^*_ n\) and \(P_ n\) have no elements of finite order. We get some new linear (symplectic) representations of \(P^*_ n\) by linearizing the action of \(\widehat{H}(n)^*\) at certain fixed points. We show that for \(n=4\) the kernel is contained in the 4th term of the lower central series of some free subgroup of \(P_ 4\). For \(P_ 4\) our representation is \(4\times 4\) irreducible and so is not conjugate to the Burau or Gassner representations. We also find naturally occurring invariant ideals for the action of \(\widehat{H}(n)^*\) and show that \(H(n)^*\) acts faithfully on these for \(n=4,5\).