Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2021/iii/paper-156/2/a/solution

Fix a basepoint . A homeomorphism induces an isomorphism from to . Choosing a path from to identifies the latter group with . Changing the path conjugates the resulting automorphism by an element of , while an isotopy changes nothing in the outer automorphism group. Hence there is a natural homomorphism
the mapping-class action on the outer automorphism group of the fundamental group.

New to topics? Read the docs here!