Injective homomorphisms of mapping class groups of non-orientable surfaces (Q1737579)

Let $\mathcal{M}(N)$ denote the mapping class group of a compact, connected, non-orientable surface $N$, possibly with boundary and of genus at least 5. The main result of the present paper states that every injective homomorphism from a finite-index subgroup of $\mathcal{M}(N)$ to $\mathcal{M}(N)$ is obtained by conjugation with an element of $\mathcal{M}(N)$ (this was known for orientable surfaces, see papers by \textit{E. Irmak} [Topology Appl. 153, No. 8, 1309--1340 (2006; Zbl 1100.57020)], \textit{J. Behrstock} and \textit{D. Margalit} [Geom. Dedicata 118, 71--85 (2006; Zbl 1129.57023)], and \textit{R. W. Bell} and \textit{D. Margalit} [Comment. Math. Helv. 82, No. 4, 725--751 (2007; Zbl 1148.20024)]). As consequences of the main result, $\text{Aut}(\mathcal{M}(N)) \cong \mathcal{M}(N)$ and the outer automorphism group $\text{Out}(\mathcal{M}(N))$ is trivial (previously proved by \textit{F. Atalan} [Int. J. Algebra Comput. 20, No. 3, 437--456 (2010; Zbl 1207.57026)] and \textit{F. Atalan} and \textit{B. Szepietowski} [Geom. Dedicata 189, 39--57 (2017; Zbl 1430.57009)]); also, the abstract commensurator of $\mathcal{M}(N)$ coincides with $\mathcal{M}(N)$.