Genus two Goeritz equivalence in \(S^3\) (Q2678939)

The mapping class group is an important topic in low-dimensional topology. For the Goeritz group, there is the interesting question of whether the Goeritz group for the (standard) genus \(g\) Heegaard splitting of \(S^{3}\) is finitely generated. \textit{J. Powell} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 257, 193--216 (1980; Zbl 0445.57008)] conjectured that there are five generators for the genus \(g\) Heegaard splitting of \(S^{3}\); \textit{E. Akbas} [Pac. J. Math. 236, No. 2, 201--222 (2008; Zbl 1157.57002)], \textit{S. Cho} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 136, No. 3, 1113--1123 (2008; Zbl 1149.57025)] and \textit{M. Scharlemann} [Bol. Soc. Mat. Mex., III. Ser. 10, 503--514 (2004; Zbl 1095.57017)] proved that there are four generators for the genus two Heegaard splitting of \(S^{3}\), respectively. In the paper under review, the authors give a better understanding of Goeritz equivalence for the genus two Heegaard splitting of \(S^{3}\) as follows: \textbf{Theorem 1.1.} Suppose \(K\subset F\) is a non-separating simple closed curve. The split product of \([K]\in H_{1}(F)\) with respect to any slope basis is equal to the surface slope of \(K\) with respect to \(F\). \textbf{Theorem 1.2.} Suppose \(K\) and \(K'\) are non-separating nontrivial simple closed curves in the standard genus two Heegaard surface, \(F\), for \(S^{3}\) with non-zero surface slope, and suppose \([K] = (a, x, b, y)^{T}\) and \([K'] =(a', x', b', y')^{T}\) with respect to any slope basis. Then \(K\) and \(K'\) are homologically Goeritz equivalent if and only if: \((1)\) \(\gcd(a, x) = \gcd(a', x')\), \((2)\) \(\gcd(b, y) = \gcd(b', y')\), and \((3)\) \(ab+xy = a'b'+x'y'\), and either \((4)\) \(a'b+xy'\), \((5)\) \(a'y-ay'\), \((6)\) \(bx'-b'x\), and \((7)\) \(x'y+ab'\) are all multiples of \(ab + xy\), or \((4')\) \(a'b-xy'\), \((5')\) \(a'y+ay'\), \((6')\) \(bx'+b'x\), and \((7')\) \(x'y-ab'\) are all multiples of \(ab + xy\). \textbf{Theorem 1.3.} Suppose \(K\) and \(K'\) are homologous simple closed curves with non-zero surface slopes. If \(K\) is not freely homotopic to \(K'\) in \(H\) or if \(K\) is not freely homotopic to \(K'\) in \(H'\), then \(K\) and \(K'\) are not Goeritz equivalent.