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Write Mod(g,n) for the mapping class group of a genus-$g$ surface $\Sigma$ with $n$ boundary components. When $n=0,1$ we define the Torelli group $T$ to be the subgroup of Mod(g,n) which acts trivially on the homology $H = H_1(\Sigma,\mathbf{Z})$.

The Johnson homomorphism is a much-studied homomorphism from the Torelli group to $\mathrm{Hom}(H,\wedge^2 H)$ (when n=1) or a quotient of this (when n=0) whose kernel turns out to be the commutator subgroup of Torelli.

Morita showed in 1993 that the Johnson homomorphism extends to the whole group Mod(g,1), not as a homomorphism, but as a 1-cocycle in

$H^1(\mathrm{Mod}(g,1), \mathrm{Hom}(H,\wedge^2 H))$

where the action is given by the action of Mod(g,n) on $H$. (Thus the Morita cocycle restricts to a homomorphism on Torelli, as claimed.) It can be thought of as keeping track of the action of the mapping class on the quotient of $\pi_1(\Sigma)$ by the third term of its lower central series.

All of the above is well-known, or at least well-known to the people who know this kind of thing well. Now here's my question: is there a Morita cocycle on MMod(g,n) when n > 1?

Of course, such a cocycle would restrict to a Johnson homomorphism from the Torelli subgroup of Mod(g,n), and even this is subtle; but Church's paper "Orbits of curves under the Johnson kernel," gives a way to define a Torelli group and a Johnson homomorphism for Mod(g,n) which behaves well with respect to inclusion of subsurfaces. So a more specific version of my question would be: when n > 1, does Church's "Johnson homomorphism" extend to a "Morita cocycle" on all of Mod(g,n) which behaves well with respect to inclusion of subsurfaces?

Write Mod(g,n) for the mapping class group of a genus-$g$ surface $\Sigma$ with $n$ boundary components. When $n=0,1$ we define the Torelli group $T$ to be the subgroup of Mod(g,n) which acts trivially on the homology $H = H_1(\Sigma,\mathbf{Z})$.

The Johnson homomorphism is a much-studied homomorphism from the Torelli group to $\mathrm{Hom}(H,\wedge^2 H)$ (when n=1) or a quotient of this (when n=0) whose kernel turns out to be the commutator subgroup of Torelli.

Morita showed in 1993 that the Johnson homomorphism extends to the whole group Mod(g,1), not as a homomorphism, but as a 1-cocycle in

$H^1(\mathrm{Mod}(g,1), \mathrm{Hom}(H,\wedge^2 H))$

where the action is given by the action of Mod(g,n) on $H$. (Thus the Morita cocycle restricts to a homomorphism on Torelli, as claimed.) It can be thought of as keeping track of the action of the mapping class on the quotient of $\pi_1(\Sigma)$ by the third term of its lower central series.

All of the above is well-known, or at least well-known to the people who know this kind of thing well. Now here's my question: is there a Morita cocycle on M(g,n) when n > 1?

Of course, such a cocycle would restrict to a Johnson homomorphism from the Torelli subgroup of Mod(g,n), and even this is subtle; but Church's paper "Orbits of curves under the Johnson kernel," gives a way to define a Torelli group and a Johnson homomorphism for Mod(g,n) which behaves well with respect to inclusion of subsurfaces. So a more specific version of my question would be: when n > 1, does Church's "Johnson homomorphism" extend to a "Morita cocycle" on all of Mod(g,n) which behaves well with respect to inclusion of subsurfaces?

Write Mod(g,n) for the mapping class group of a genus-$g$ surface $\Sigma$ with $n$ boundary components. When $n=0,1$ we define the Torelli group $T$ to be the subgroup of Mod(g,n) which acts trivially on the homology $H = H_1(\Sigma,\mathbf{Z})$.

The Johnson homomorphism is a much-studied homomorphism from the Torelli group to $\mathrm{Hom}(H,\wedge^2 H)$ (when n=1) or a quotient of this (when n=0) whose kernel turns out to be the commutator subgroup of Torelli.

Morita showed in 1993 that the Johnson homomorphism extends to the whole group Mod(g,1), not as a homomorphism, but as a 1-cocycle in

$H^1(\mathrm{Mod}(g,1), \mathrm{Hom}(H,\wedge^2 H))$

where the action is given by the action of Mod(g,n) on $H$. (Thus the Morita cocycle restricts to a homomorphism on Torelli, as claimed.) It can be thought of as keeping track of the action of the mapping class on the quotient of $\pi_1(\Sigma)$ by the third term of its lower central series.

All of the above is well-known, or at least well-known to the people who know this kind of thing well. Now here's my question: is there a Morita cocycle on Mod(g,n) when n > 1?

Of course, such a cocycle would restrict to a Johnson homomorphism from the Torelli subgroup of Mod(g,n), and even this is subtle; but Church's paper "Orbits of curves under the Johnson kernel," gives a way to define a Torelli group and a Johnson homomorphism for Mod(g,n) which behaves well with respect to inclusion of subsurfaces. So a more specific version of my question would be: when n > 1, does Church's "Johnson homomorphism" extend to a "Morita cocycle" on all of Mod(g,n) which behaves well with respect to inclusion of subsurfaces?

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JSE
  • 19.2k
  • 6
  • 69
  • 134

Is there a Morita cocycle for the mapping class group Mod(g,n) when n > 1?

Write Mod(g,n) for the mapping class group of a genus-$g$ surface $\Sigma$ with $n$ boundary components. When $n=0,1$ we define the Torelli group $T$ to be the subgroup of Mod(g,n) which acts trivially on the homology $H = H_1(\Sigma,\mathbf{Z})$.

The Johnson homomorphism is a much-studied homomorphism from the Torelli group to $\mathrm{Hom}(H,\wedge^2 H)$ (when n=1) or a quotient of this (when n=0) whose kernel turns out to be the commutator subgroup of Torelli.

Morita showed in 1993 that the Johnson homomorphism extends to the whole group Mod(g,1), not as a homomorphism, but as a 1-cocycle in

$H^1(\mathrm{Mod}(g,1), \mathrm{Hom}(H,\wedge^2 H))$

where the action is given by the action of Mod(g,n) on $H$. (Thus the Morita cocycle restricts to a homomorphism on Torelli, as claimed.) It can be thought of as keeping track of the action of the mapping class on the quotient of $\pi_1(\Sigma)$ by the third term of its lower central series.

All of the above is well-known, or at least well-known to the people who know this kind of thing well. Now here's my question: is there a Morita cocycle on M(g,n) when n > 1?

Of course, such a cocycle would restrict to a Johnson homomorphism from the Torelli subgroup of Mod(g,n), and even this is subtle; but Church's paper "Orbits of curves under the Johnson kernel," gives a way to define a Torelli group and a Johnson homomorphism for Mod(g,n) which behaves well with respect to inclusion of subsurfaces. So a more specific version of my question would be: when n > 1, does Church's "Johnson homomorphism" extend to a "Morita cocycle" on all of Mod(g,n) which behaves well with respect to inclusion of subsurfaces?