Generating mapping class groups with elements of fixed finite order (Q1663537)

The paper concerns the generation of the mapping class group \(\mathrm{Mod}(S_g)\) of a closed, connected and orientable surface \(S_g\) of genus \(g\) by small generating sets, and in particular by elements of the same finite order. The main result states that, for \(k \ge 6\) and \(g \ge (k-1)^2 + 1\), the mapping class group \(\mathrm{Mod}(S_g)\) can be generated by three elements of order \(k\), and also by four elements of order 5 when \(g\geq 8\). It is interesting that all these generators can be realized by rotations of \(S_g\) embedded in \(\mathbb{R}^3\), that can easily be visualized (on the other hand, an interesting example which cannot be realized in such a way is the cyclic subgroup of order 7, unique up to conjugation, of \(\mathrm{Mod}(S_3)\), a subgroup of the famous Hurwitz-action of order 168 on Klein's quartic of genus 3). The author gives also a short survey on other types of small generating sets for \(\mathrm{Mod}(S_g)\), in particular for involutions and other elements of small orders.