Automorphisms of the Hatcher-Thurston complex (Q926404)

Let \(S\) be a compact, orientable surface of positive genus with \(r\geq 0\) boundary components. Let \(HT(S)\) be the Hatcher-Thurston complex. This complex is a 2-dimensional CW-complex obtained by attaching to the graph of cut systems of the surface \(S\) 2-cells along 3 types of paths of cut systems: triangles, rectangles and pentagons. This complex was used by Hatcher and Thurston to get a presentation of the mapping class group. In this paper the authors prove that the automorphism group of \(HT(S)\) is isomorphic to the extended mapping class group of \(S\) (the group of isotopy classes of all homeomorphisms of the surface) modulo its center.