Some groups of mapping classes not realized by diffeomorphisms (Q1939568)

Let \(\Sigma \) be a closed orientable surface and \(z\in\Sigma\) a marked point. Define Diff\(_+(\Sigma , z)\) to be the orientation preserving diffeomorphisms of \(\Sigma\) fixing \(z\). Let Diff\(_0(\Sigma , z)\) be the subgroup of those diffeomorphisms isotopic to the identity via an isotopy fixing \(z\). Define the mapping class group Map\((\Sigma, z)=\) Diff\(_+(\Sigma , z)/\) Diff\(_0(\Sigma , z)\). The authors show: {Theorem 1.1.} Let \(\Sigma\) be a closed surface of genus \(g\geq 2\) and \(z\in\Sigma \) a marked point. No finite index subgroup of the point-pushing subgroup \(\pi_1 (\Sigma,z)\subset Map(\Sigma,z)\) lifts to Diff\(_+(\Sigma , z)\). As a corollary the authors show that the Atiyah-Kodaira surface bundles admit no invariant flat connection and obtain another proof of Morita's non-lifting theorem.