On the nonrealizability of braid groups by homeomorphisms (Q2285047)

Kerckhoff proved that each finite subgroup of the mapping class group of a closed orientable surface can be realized by an isomorphic group of representing homeomorphisms [\textit{S. P. Kerckhoff}, Ann. Math. (2) 117, 235--265 (1983; Zbl 0528.57008)], thus resolving the original version of the Nielsen realization problem from 1932; Markovic proved that the whole mapping class group of a surface of genus \(g \ge 2\) cannot be realized by homeomorphims [\textit{V. Markovic}, Invent. Math. 168, No. 3, 523--566 (2007; Zbl 1131.57021)]. It is part of the main result of the present paper that, for \(n \ge 6\), the braid group \(B_n\) of the 2-disk (as well as the braid group of the sphere) cannot be realized by homeomorphisms. The braid group \(B_n\) is the group of isotopy classes of homeomorphisms of the 2-disk fixing pointwise its boundary and setwise \(n\) distinguished interior points; the non-realizability by diffeomorphisms was shown previously by \textit{N. Salter} and \textit{B. Tshishiku} [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 48, No. 3, 457--471 (2016; Zbl 1345.19002)]. As a corollary of the main result of the present paper, the hyperelliptic mapping class group of a surface of genus \(g\ge 2\), i.e. of isotopy classes of homeomorphisms commuting with a fixed hyperelliptic involution (whose quotient is the 2-sphere with \(2g+2\) distinguished points) cannot be realized by homeomorphisms, thus implying also the non-realizability of the whole mapping class group (we note that, in a recent preprint [``Global fixed points of mapping class group actions and a theorem of Markovic'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:2003.02440}], the present author and \textit{N. Salter} offer another ``short and elementary proof'' of the non-realizability of the whole mapping class group by homeomorphisms). The proof of the main result of the present paper uses torsion elements in mapping class groups in an essential way, observing that different torsion elements are not compatible with each other, in general; since braid groups can be torsion-free, the torsion elements are created by applying Markovic's minimal decomposition theory (from the paper cited above).