A note on the automorphism group of the rank two free group (Q1970973)

If \(\Phi\) is the free group on two free generators \(\xi\) and \(\eta\), then the automorphisms which fix the commutator \(\lambda=[\eta,\xi]=\eta^{-1}\xi^{-1}\eta\xi\) form a subgroup \(F\) of the automorphism group of \(\Phi\). It was proved by Nielsen that an endomorphism of \(\Phi\) which fixes \(\lambda\) is actually an automorphism. In this note the author studies the group \(F\) and gives a characterization of its elements. The main theorem states that the mapping \(\xi\mapsto\alpha\), \(\eta\mapsto\beta\) defines an automorphism in \(F\) if and only if the elements \(\eta\alpha\xi^{-1}\), \(\xi\beta\eta^{-1}\) and \(\eta\beta\alpha\xi^{-1}\) are all palindromes. An element \(w\in\Phi\) is called palindrome if \(\widetilde ww=1\), where \(\widetilde w\) is the element which arises from \(w\) by replacing \(\xi\) by \(\xi^{-1}\) and \(\eta\) by \(\eta^{-1}\). He also gives a criterion for an element \(\alpha\in\Phi\) to be primitive (i.e., part of a basis of \(\Phi\)) in terms of certain palindromes. The method of proofs is combinatorial.