A small generating set for the balanced superelliptic handlebody group (Q2105029)

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A small generating set for the balanced superelliptic handlebody group
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    A small generating set for the balanced superelliptic handlebody group (English)
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    8 December 2022
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    For \(g \geq 0\), let \(H_g\) be the oriented three-dimensional handlebody of genus \(g\) and \(\Sigma_{g,k}\) be the oriented surface of genus \(g\) with \(k\geq 0\) punctures. Let \(\mathcal{H}_g\) be the handlebody group of \(H_g\) and \(\mathrm{Mod}_{g,k}\) be the mapping class group of \(\Sigma_{g,k}\). (We denote \(S_{g,0}\) simply by \(S_g\).) For \(n \geq 1\) and \(k \geq 2\) with \(g = n(k-1)\), let \(p_{g,k}: H_g \to H_0\) be the \(k\)-fold balanced superelliptic branched covering space introduced by \textit{T. Ghaswala} and \textit{R. R. Winarski} [Mich. Math. J. 66, No. 4, 885--890 (2017; Zbl 1383.57001)] (who considered its restriction \(p_{g,k}\vert_{\partial H_g} : \Sigma_g \to \Sigma_0\) with \(2n+2\) branched points.) Let \(\mathbf{H}_{2n+2}\) be the \textit{Hilden group} [\textit{H. M. Hilden}, Pac. J. Math. 59, 475--486 (1975; Zbl 0317.57005)], \(\mathrm{LMod}_{2n+2,k}\) be the liftable mapping class group, and \(\mathrm{SMod}_{g,k}\) be the symmetric mapping class group [\textit{D. Margalit} and \textit{R. R. Winarski}, Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 53, No. 3, 643--659 (2021; Zbl 1470.57045)] with respect to \(p_{g,k}\). The main result of this paper establishes that for \(k \geq 2\), the \textit{liftable Hilden group} \(\mathbf{LH}_{2n+2,k} =\mathrm{LMod}_{2n+2,k} \cap \mathbf{H}_{2n+2}\), is generated by three elements. As an application of this result and a result due to \textit{S. Hirose} and \textit{E. Kin} [Q. J. Math. 68, No. 3, 1035--1069 (2017; Zbl 1393.57005)], it is shown that the \textit{balanced superelliptic handlebody group} \(\mathcal{SH}_{g,k} = \mathrm{SMod}_{g,k} \cap \mathcal{H}_g\) is generated by four elements. Furthermore, by considering known abelianizations of \(\mathbf{LH}_{2n+2,k}\) and \(\mathcal{SH}_{g,k}\) [\textit{S. Hirose} and \textit{E. Kin}, loc. cit.; \textit{G. Omori} and \textit{Y. Yoshida}, ``A finite presentation for the balanced superelliptic handlebody group'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:2206.13006}; \textit{S. Tawn}, Math. Res. Lett. 15, No. 5--6, 1277--1293 (2008; Zbl 1166.57001)], the author proves that the derived generating set for \(\mathbf{LH}_{2n+2,k}\) is minimal for \(k > 2\) and even \(n\), while the generating set for \(\mathcal{SH}_{g,k}\) is minimal for even \(k \geq 4\) and odd \(n\).
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    balanced superelliptic mapping class group
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    handlebody group
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    liftable mapping class group
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    Hilden group
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    small generating set
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