On a question of Etnyre and Van Horn-Morris (Q507064)

Let \(S\) be a compact oriented surface with non empty boundary, and let \(\mathrm{Mod}(S)\) denote the mapping class group of \(S\). Denote by \(c(-, C): \mathrm{Mod}(S) \to \mathbb Q\) the fractional Dehn twist coefficient (FDTC) of \(\phi\in \mathrm{Mod}(S)\) with respect to the connected component \(C\) of \(\partial S\). \textit{J. B. Etnyre} and \textit{J. van Horn-Morris} [Geom. Topol. Monogr. 19, 319--365 (2015; Zbl 1337.57057)], asked for which values of \(r\in \mathbb R\) the set \[ \text{FDTC}_r(S):= \{\phi \in \mathrm{Mod}(S)\mid \;c(\phi, C)\geq r \text{ for all }C\subset \partial S\} \cup\{id_{S}\} \] is a monoid. In the same work they showed that the set is a monoid for \(r>1\). The main goal of the work under review is to show: Theorem 1.1 Let \(S\) be a surface that is not a pair of pants and has negative Euler characteristic. Let \(C\) be a boundary component of \(S\). The set FDTC\(_{r, C}(S)\) -- and hence FDTC\(_r(S)\) -- is a monoid if and only if \(r>0\). Here FDTC\(_{r,C}(S):= \{\phi \in\mathrm{Mod}(S)\mid \;c(\phi, C)\geq r \} \cup\{id_{S}\}\). The proof is based on the study of maps \(G \to \mathbb R\) (\(G\) a group) called homogeneous quasimorphisms, and uses properties of Dehn twists. A particular map \(\tau: \widetilde{\text{Homeo}}\vphantom{X}^+(S^1) \to \mathbb R\), called the translation number, plays an important rôle.