Subgroup of interval exchanges generated by torsion elements and rotations

Michael Boshernitzan

Published 2012-08-05Version 1

Denote by $G$ the group of interval exchange transformations (IETs) on the unit interval. Let $G_{per}\subset G$ be the subgroup generated by torsion elements in $G$ (periodic IETs), and let $G_{rot}\subset G$ be the subset of 2-IETs (rotations). The elements of the subgroup $G_1=< G_{per},G_{rot}>\subset G$ (generated by the sets $G_{per}$ and $G_{rot}$) are characterized constructively in terms of their Sah-Arnoux-Fathi (SAF) invariant. The characterization implies that a non-rotation type 3-IET lies in $G_1$ if and only if the lengths of its exchanged intervals are linearly dependent over $\Q$. In particular, $G_1\subsetneq G$. The main tools used in the paper are the SAF invariant and a recent result by Y. Vorobets that $G_{per}$ coincides with the commutator subgroup of $G$.