Crystallographic groups and flat manifolds from surface braid groups (Q2661709)

The authors studied in [J. Algebra 474, 393--423 (2017; Zbl 1367.20034); J. Algebra 524, 160--186 (2019; Zbl 1450.20006); Ann. Inst. Fourier 70, No. 5, 2005--2025 (2020; Zbl 1493.20010)] the quotient \(B_n/\Gamma_2(P_n),\) where \(B_n\) is the \(n\)-string Artin braid group, \(P_n\) is the subgroup of \(B_n\) of pure braids, and \(\Gamma_2(P_n)\) is the commutator subgroup of \(P_n\). Then, they proved in [J. Algebra 474, 393--423 (2017; Zbl 1367.20034)] that this quotient is a crystallographic group. \par Let \(M\) be a compact, connected surface, and let \(n\ge 1\). In this paper, the authors study the quotient \(B_n(M)/\Gamma_2(P_n(M))\) of the \(n\)-string braid group \(B_n(M)\) of \(M\), where \(Γ_2(P_n(M))\) is the commutator subgroup of the \(n\)-string pure braid group \(P_n(M)\) of \(M\), one of their aims being to decide whether it is crystallographic or not. If \(M\) is an orientable, compact, connected surface of genus \(g\ge 1\) without boundary, they prove that \(B_n(M)/\Gamma_2(P_n(M))\) is crystallographic. Next, the authors study some Bieberbach subgroups of \(B_n(M)/\Gamma_2(P_n(M))\) whose construction is suggested by that of the Bieberbach subgroups of \(B_n/\Gamma_2(P_n)\) given by the third author in [J. Knot Theory Ramifications 30, No. 9, Article ID 2150069, 19 p. (2021; Zbl 07459708)]. Finally, the authors construct a family of Bieberbach subgroups \(\tilde{G}_{n,g}\) of \(B_n(M)/\Gamma_2(P_n(M))\) of dimension \(2ng\) and whose holonomy group is the finite cyclic group of order \(n\). If \(\mathcal{X}_{n,g}\) is a flat manifold whose fundamental group is \(\tilde{G}_{n,g}\), they prove that it is an orientable Kähler manifold that admits Anosov diffeomorphisms.