Abstract:
The Johnson kernel of a genus g oriented surface Σg is a subgroup K(Σg) of the mapping class group Mod(Σg) generated by all Dehn twists along separating curves. Given a family of 2g−3 pairwise disjoint separating curves on Σg one can construct the corresponding abelian cycle in the top homology group H2g−3(K(Σg),Z); such abelian cycles we call primitive. We will discuss the structure of the subgroup of H2g−3(K(Σg),Z) generated by all primitive abelian cycles. In particular, we will describe the relations between them.