On the stable cohomology of the \(\mathrm{IA}\)-automorphism groups of free groups (Q6979204)

Let \(\mathrm{IA}_n\) denote the group of automorphisms of the free group \(F_n\) acting trivially on its abelianization. The group \(\mathrm{IA}_n\) plays a central role in geometric group theory and low-dimensional topology, with deep connections to Johnson filtrations, Torelli groups and representation stability.\N\NThe article under review studies the stable cohomology ring of the sequence \((\mathrm{IA}_n)\) for \(n \geq 2\). The main result is a complete description of the algebraic structure of \(H^*(\mathrm{IA}_\infty, \mathbb{Q})\), the stable rational cohomology of \(\mathrm{IA}_n\), in terms of generators and relations. This is achieved by developing a new model for the homotopy type of the classifying space \(B\mathrm{IA}_n\) and by analyzing the representation-theoretic structure of the cohomology groups as \(\mathrm{GL}(n,\mathbb{Q})\)-modules. In particular, the authors compute explicitly the stable part of \(H^k(\mathrm{IA}_n,\mathbb{Q})\) for small \(k\) and identify the subalgebra generated by the Johnson homomorphism in stable cohomology, see [\textit{D. Johnson}, Math. Ann. 249, 225--242 (1980; Zbl 0409.57009)].\N\NThe proofs rely on techniques from homological algebra, representation stability and the theory of Dwyer-Weiss-Williams assembly maps. Several new results are obtained on the behavior of the cohomology under stabilization maps and on the structure of secondary characteristic classes. The paper concludes with a number of open questions related to the unstable cohomology and to possible connections with graph complexes.