Rigidity of mapping class group actions on \(S^1\) (Q2004524)

Let \(\Sigma_{g}\) be an oriented surface of genus \(g\geq2\) and let \(\Gamma _{g}=\pi_{1}\Sigma_{g}.\) The mapping class group \(\text{Mod}_{g,1}\) consisting of isotopy classes of orientation-preserving homeomorphisms of a surface with one marked point is an index two subgroup of \(\text{Mod}_{g,1}^{\pm}.\) As the group \(\text{Mod}_{g,1}^{\pm}\) can be indentified with \(\text{Aut}(\Gamma_{g}),\) the group \(\text{Mod}_{g,1}\) can be identified with an index two subgroup of \(\text{Aut}(\Gamma_{g})\) denoted by \(\text{Aut}_{+}(\Gamma_{g}).\) The Gromov boundary of \(\Gamma_{g}\) is a circle on which \(\text{Aut}(\Gamma_{g})\) acts faithfully by homeomorphisms. Thus, the identification \(\text{Aut}(\Gamma_{g})\cong\text{Mod}_{g,1}^{\pm}\) defines a standard action of \(\text{Aut}(\Gamma_{g})\) on \(S^{1}.\) In the present paper the authors prove the following theorem which answers a question of \textit{B. Farb} [Proc. Symp. Pure Math. 74, 11--55 (2006; Zbl 1191.57015)]. Let \(\rho :\text{Aut}_{+}(\Gamma_{g})\rightarrow\text{Homeo}_{+}(S^{1})\) be a homomorphism. Up to reversing the orientation of the circle, we have the following: if \(g\geq3,\) then \(\rho\) is either trivial or semiconjugate to the standard Gromov boundary action. If \(g=2,\) then \(\rho\) is either conjugate to a subgroup of \(\mathbb{Z}/10\mathbb{Z}\) acting by rotations, or is semiconjugate to the standard action.