Ordering pure braid groups on compact, connected surfaces. (Q700685)

The following main results are obtained: 1) If \(M\) is a closed orientable surface, then the pure braid group \(PB_n(M)\) is orderable (Theorem 1.6); 2) If \(M\) is a closed, non-orientable surface, then the pure braid group \(PB_n(M)\) has generalized torsion, for \(n\geq 2\). Therefore, \(PB_n(M)\) is not orderable for \(n\geq 2\) (Theorem 1.7).