An elementary approach to the mapping class group of a surface (Q1960729)

The mapping class groups, \(M_{g,0}\) and \(M_{g,1}\), are the groups of isotopy classes of orientation preserving homeomorphisms on a surface \(S\), where \(S\) is a compact surface of genus \(g\) with 0 or 1 boundary components respectively. In 1980, Hatcher and Thurston gave an algorithm for constructing a finite presentation for \(M_{g,1}\), for arbitrary \(g\). In 1983 the author gave a simplified version of an explicit presentation by Harer (corrected by Birman and the author in 1994). The current work gives a proof of Hatcher and Thurston's result by elementary means (not using Morse and Cerf Theory). It goes on to find a simple presentation of \(M_{g,0}\) and \(M_{g,1}\), each generated by \(2g+1\) Dehn twists, and shows the relationship between those and the earlier presentations. A cell complex, \(X\), is constructed as follows. The vertices are cut systems \(\langle\gamma_1, \gamma_2,\dots, \gamma_g\rangle\), which are isotopy classes of disjoint simple closed curves \(\gamma_1,\gamma_2, \dots,\gamma_g\) in \(S\) such that if \(S\) is cut along those curves a connected surface is formed. If \(\gamma_i'\) meets \(\gamma_i\) at one point and is disjoint from the other curves then \(\langle\gamma_1, \gamma_2,\dots, \gamma_{i-1},\;\gamma_i', \gamma_{i+1}, \dots,\gamma_g \rangle\) forms another cut system said to be formed from \(\langle\gamma_1, \gamma_2,\dots, \gamma_g\rangle\) by a simple move. If two cut systems are formed from each other by a simple move the corresponding vertices in \(X\) are connected by an edge, thus forming the 1-skeleton of \(X\). Finally, sets of paths in \(X^1\) which are closed and have 3, 4, or 5 edges and certain intersection properties among the curves forming the vertices are distinguished and two cells attached to those closed edge-paths, forming the cell complex \(X\). The author then gives an elementary proof of Hatcher and Thurston's theorem that \(X\) is connected and simply connected. A presentation of \(M_{g,1}\) is approached through its action on \(X\). Since a homeomorphism will take cut systems to cut systems and preserves intersections \(M_{g,1}\)'s action on \(X^0\) can be extended to \(X\). First a presentation is found of the stabilizer, \(H\), of the vertex \(v_0=\langle \alpha_1,\alpha_2, \dots, \alpha_g \rangle\) where \(\alpha_i\) is the meridian curve across the \(i\)th handle. Then a presentation of the stabilizer of the edge \(e_0\) determined by the simple move replacing \(\alpha_1\) by \(\beta_1\), where \(\beta_1\) is the curve along the first handle, is found. Finally a presentation of \(M_{g,1}\) is given with generators the generators of \(H\) and the element \(r=a_1 b_1a_1\) where \(a_1\) and \(b_1\) correspond to Dehn twists along \(\alpha_1\) and \(\beta_1\). The presentation is then simplified. The presentation of \(M_{g,1}\) is used to find a presentation of \(M_{g,0}\). Finally the relationship between these presentations and the earlier ones found by the author are given. This paper is fairly self-contained and includes most of the details of the extensive calculations.