Groupoid-theoretical methods in the mapping class groups of surfaces

Nariya Kawazumi, Yusuke Kuno

Published 2011-09-29, updated 2012-10-21Version 3

We provide some language for algebraic study of the mapping class groups for surfaces with non-connected boundary. As applications, we generalize our previous results on Dehn twists to any compact connected oriented surfaces with non-empty boundary. Moreover we embed the `smallest' Torelli group in the sense of Putman into a pro-nilpotent group coming from the Goldman Lie algebra. The graded quotients of the embedding equal the Johnson homomorphisms of all degrees if the boundary is connected.