Classification of epimorphisms of fundamental groups of surfaces onto free groups (Q1813380)

For a minimal strictly quadratic word \(S = S(x_ 1, \dots, x_ n)\) the group \(\Gamma_ S = \langle x_ 1, \dots, x_ n : S = 1\rangle\) is isomorphic to the fundamental group of a closed surface. Two epimorphisms \(\alpha, \beta : \Gamma_ S \to F_ r\) of \(\Gamma_ S\) to the free group of rank \(r\) are called strongly equivalent if there is an automorphism \(\gamma : \Gamma_ S \to \Gamma_ S\) such that \(\alpha \circ \gamma = \beta\). It is known that there does not exist any epimorphism \(\alpha\) if \(r > \bigl[ \textstyle {u \over 2} \bigr]\). The authors show that for \(r \leq \bigl[ \textstyle {u \over 2} \bigr]\) there exists a finite number \(q\) of strong equivalence classes of epimorphisms \(\Gamma_ S \to F_ r\). If \(\Gamma_ S\) corresponds to an orientable surface then \(q = 1\). If \(\Gamma_ S\) corresponds to a non-orientable surface then \(q = 1\) if \(n = 2m + 1\); \(q = 2^ r\) if \(n = 2m\) and \(r < m\); \(q = 2^ r - 1\) if \(n = 2m\) and \(r = m\). This theorem generalizes previous joint results of the authors and H. Zieschang.