Torelli group, Johnson kernel, and invariants of homology spheres (Q2192434)

Let \(\mathcal{M}_g\) be the mapping class group of an orientable closed surface of genus \(g\), and let \(\mathcal{I}_g\) be the Torelli group. Then the lower central series \(\{\mathcal{I}_g(k)\}_{k \geq 1}\) of \(\mathcal{I}_g\) and the Johnson filtration \(\{\mathcal{M}_g(k)\}_{k \geq 1}\) of \(\mathcal{M}_g\) are defined. The authors deeply study two graded Lie algebras \(\operatorname{Gr}\mathfrak{t}_g=\bigoplus_{k=1}^{\infty}\mathfrak{t}_g(k)\) and \(\mathfrak{m}_g=\bigoplus_{k=1}^{\infty}\mathfrak{m}_g(k)\), where \(\mathfrak{t}_g(k)=(\mathcal{I}_g(k)/\mathcal{I}_g(k+1))\otimes\mathbb{Q}\) and \(\mathfrak{m}_g(k)=(\mathcal{M}_g(k)/\mathcal{M}_g(k+1))\otimes\mathbb{Q}\). We have \(\mathfrak{t}_g(1)=\mathfrak{m}_g(1)\) by definition. First, \textit{R. Hain} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 10, No. 3, 597--651 (1997; Zbl 0915.57001)] proved that there is a natural surjection \(\mathfrak{t}_g(k) \to \mathfrak{m}_g(k)\) and the kernel of \(\mathfrak{t}_g(2) \to \mathfrak{m}_g(2)\) is isomorphic to \(\mathbb{Q}\), which corresponds to the Casson invariant. Next, \(\mathfrak{t}_g(3) \cong \mathfrak{m}_g(3)\) is due to \textit{S. Morita} [Geom. Topol. Monogr. 2, 349--406 (1999; Zbl 0959.57018)]. The main result of the paper under review is Theorem 1.2: \(\mathfrak{t}_g(k) \cong \mathfrak{m}_g(k)\) for \(k=4,5,6\). Then the authors propose Conjecture 1.8: \(\mathfrak{t}_g(k) \cong \mathfrak{m}_g(k)\) for \(k \neq 2\). The proof is based on showing that \(H_2(\mathfrak{m}_g)_w=0\) for some weights \(w\). The authors use a method developed in their papers [Quantum Topol. 6, No. 1, 139--182 (2015; Zbl 1362.17033); Adv. Math. 282, 291--334 (2015; Zbl 1366.17021)] and computer computation. Technically, they consider not only closed surfaces but also surfaces with one boundary component. The authors give some significant applications of Theorem 1.2. One is about the abelianization of the Johnson kernel \(\mathcal{K}_g\). \textit{A. Dimca} et al. [J. Eur. Math. Soc. (JEMS) 16, No. 4, 805--822 (2014; Zbl 1344.57001)] gave a description of \(H_1(\mathcal{K}_g;\mathbb{Z})\). Combining this result and Theorem 1.2, the authors explicitly determine \(H_1(\mathcal{K}_g;\mathbb{Q})\) in Theorem 1.4. On the other hand, they mention that ``at present, there is no known information about the torsion part of \(H_1(\mathcal{K}_g;\mathbb{Z})\)''. After the publication of the paper, the reviewer, \textit{M. Sato} and \textit{M. Suzuki} [``Abelian quotients of the \(Y\)-filtration on the homology cylinders via the LMO functor'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:2001.09825}, to appear in Geom. Topol.] found torsion elements of it. Another application of Theorem 1.2 is about finite type invariants of homology 3-spheres stated in Theorems 1.7, 7.8 and 7.9. Roughly speaking, the authors prove that some finite type invariants can be expressed by the core of the Casson invariant and (lifts of) Johnson homomorphisms.