The pure symmetric automorphisms of a free group form a duality group (Q5957540)

For the free group \(\Sigma_n\) on a fixed set of \(n\) generators, the pure symmetric automorphism group \(P\Sigma_n\) is the group of automorphisms taking each generator to a conjugate of itself. Its quotient by the inner automorphisms is denoted \(OP\Sigma_n\). The main results of this paper are that \(OP\Sigma_n\) is a duality group of dimension \(n-2\), and that \(P\Sigma_n\) is a duality group of dimension \(n-1\). The starting point of the proof is an action of \(P\Sigma_n\) on a contractible simplicial complex constructed by the fourth-named author and the reviewer. The action has a (strong) fundamental domain which is the geometric realization of a finite poset \(W_n\) of labeled bipartite trees. The main results are reduced to showing that \(W_n\) is Cohen-Macaulay, a certain homological condition on the links of simplices of its realization. Using a technique of A. Björner and M. Wachs, it is shown that a poset closely related to \(W_n\) admits a recursive atom ordering, which implies that it and consequently \(W_n\) are Cohen-Macaulay. In a final section, the authors discuss open questions related to \(P\Sigma_n\). In particular, they note that the symmetric automorphism group of \(\Sigma_n\) can be regarded as the group of motions of the trivial \(n\)-component link in the \(3\)-sphere, and ask whether the motion group of any \(n\)-component link is a virtual duality group.