Congruence subgroups of the virtual braid group (Q7323767)

Using the extension \(\rho_v : vB_n \to GL_n(\mathbb{Z})\) of the integral Burau representation due to \textit{V. V. Vershinin} [J. Knot Theory Ramifications 10, No. 5, 795--812 (2001; Zbl 0997.57020)], the paper defines the level \(m\) congruence subgroup of the virtual braid group as \(vB_n[m] := \ker(r_m \circ \rho_v)\) and proves that \(vB_n[2] = vP_n\), the pure virtual braid group, the virtual counterpart of the equality \(B_n[2] = P_n\), for which a new algebraic proof is also given.\N\NThe virtual congruence subgroups satisfy \(B_n[m] \subsetneq vB_n[m] \subsetneq vB_n\) for \(m > 1\) and \(vB_n[m] \cap vB_n[\ell] = vB_n[\mathrm{lcm}(m,\ell)]\), while the classical identity \(B_n[m] \cdot B_n[\ell] = B_n[\gcd(m,\ell)]\) fails: \(vB_n = vB_n[m] \cdot vB_n[\ell]\) if and only if \(m = 2\) and \(\ell\) is odd. For \(n = 2\) the image of \(\rho_v\) is shown to be the infinite dihedral group and normal generators for \(vB_2[m]\) are exhibited when \(m \neq 2\).