Stable commutator length of a Dehn twist (Q1885562)

The commutator subgroup \([G,G]\) of a group \(G\) is the subgroup generated by all commutators \([a,b]=aba^{-1}b^{-1}\). For \(x \in [G,G]\), the commutator length \(c(x)\) of \(x\) is the minimum number of factors needed to express \(x\) as a product of commutators. The stable commutator length of \(x\) is then defined by \(\| x\| =\lim_{n\to \infty}\frac{c(x^n)}{n}\). The author proves the following: Let \(S\) be a connected orientable surface of genus \(g\geq 0\) with \(p\) punctures and \(q\) boundary components, such that \(g+q\geq 2\). Let \(a\) be a simple closed curve on \(S\) not bounding a disc with punctures, and let \(t_a\) denote the right Dehn twist about \(a\). If \(t_a^k\) is in the commutator subgroup of the mapping class group of \(S\), then \(\| t_a^k\| >0\). This result is a corollary to the author's main theorem giving lower bounds of \(\| t_a\| \) for closed surfaces of genus \(g\geq 3\) and of \(\| t_a^{10}\| \) for closed surfaces of genus \(g=2\). (Recall that when \(S\) is closed and \(g\geq 3\), the mapping class group \(Mod_g\) is perfect; that is, \(Mod_g = [Mod_g,Mod_g]\). When \(g=2\), we have \(Mod_2 / [Mod_2,Mod_2]\simeq Z_{10}\).) The proof uses the handlebody decomposition of a 4-manifold admitting a Lefschetz fibration. The author also gives an upper bound for \(\| t_a\| \), distinguishing between the cases when \(a\) is separating and when \(a\) is nonseparating.