Fixed point sets of isotopies on surfaces (Q2178269)

For \(F\) a closed subset of a separable surface \(S\) and a homeomorphism \(h:S\to S\) fixing each point of \(F\), one says that \(F\) is unlinked for \(h\) provided there is an isotopy \(h_t\) of homeomorphisms such that \(h_0\) is the identity, \(h_1=h\) and each \(h_t\) fixes each point of \(F\). The main result shows that, with \(F\) and \(h\) as above, if there is a dense subset \(F_0\subset F\) such that every finite subset of \(F_0\) is unlinked for \(h\) then \(F\) is unlinked for \(h\). As a corollary it is shown that if \(F\) is unlinked for \(h\) then there is a maximal (with respect to inclusion) closed unlinked set containing \(F\).