Centralizers in the group of interval exchange transformations (Q2327964)

An \(m\)-interval exchange transformation (IET) is a bijective map \(T : [0, 1) \rightarrow [0, 1)\) defined by partitioning the unit interval \([0,1)\) into \(m\) subintervals and then rearranging these subintervals via a translation, according to a permutation on \(\{1, 2, \ldots, m\}\). The set of all IETs forms a group \(G\) under composition. Given \(T \in G\), let \(C(T)\) denote the centralizer of \(T\) in \(G\) and let \(\langle T \rangle\) denote the cyclic subgroup generated by \(T\). The rank of \(T\) is the dimension of the \(\mathbb{Q}\)-vector space spanned by the lengths of the exchanged subintervals. It is shown that if \(T\) satisfies an infinite distinct orbit condition and \(\operatorname{rank}(T) > 1 + \lfloor m/2 \rfloor\), then the only interval exchange transformations commuting with \(T\) are its powers. The author also proves the following interesting result: let \(T\) be an \(m\)-IET defined by a separating permutation. Suppose that \(T\) satisfies the infinite distinct orbit condition and that \(\operatorname{rank}(T) > 1 + \lfloor m/2 \rfloor\). Then \(C(T) = \langle T \rangle\). It is also established that \(C(T)\) is torsion-free under some conditions. More precisely, an \(m\)-IET defined by a separating permutation, satisfying the infinite distinct orbit condition and \(\operatorname{rank}(T) > 1 + \lfloor m/2 \rfloor\). Then the only element on its centralizer with finite order is the identity. In the case that \(T\) is a minimal 3-interval exchange transformation, then \(T\) has trivial centralizer in the group of interval exchange transformations if and only if \(T\) satisfies the infinite distinct orbit condition. Furthermore, if \(T\) is not of rotation type, then \(T\) has an \(n\)-th root in \(G\) for some \(n\geq 2\) if and only if \(T\) fails to satisfy the infinite distinct orbit condition.