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Main Authors: Menet, Gabrielle, Nguyen, Duc-Manh
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.10401
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_version_ 1866910701322240000
author Menet, Gabrielle
Nguyen, Duc-Manh
author_facet Menet, Gabrielle
Nguyen, Duc-Manh
contents Let $d \geq 2$ and $n\geq 3$ be two natural numbers. Given any sequence $κ=(k_1,\dots,k_n) \in \mathbb{Z}^n$ such that $\gcd(k_1,\dots,k_n,d)=1$, we consider the family of Riemann surfaces obtained from the plane curves defined by $y^d=\prod_{i=1}^n(x-b_i)^{k_i}$, where $\{b_1,\dots,b_n\}$ are $n$ distinct points in $\mathbb{C}$. The monodromy of the cohomology of the fibers of this family provides us with a representation of the pure braid group $\mathrm{PB}_n$ into some symplectic group. By restricting to a specific subspace in the cohomology of the fibers, we obtain a representation $ρ_d$ of $\mathrm{PB}_n$ into a linear algebraic group defined over $\mathbb{Q}$. In a sense, $ρ_d$ is primitive with respect to the parameters $d$ and $κ$. The first main result of this paper is a criterion for the Zariski closure of the image of $ρ_d$ to be maximal, and the second main result is a criterion for the image to be an arithmetic lattice in the target group. The latter generalizes previous results of Venkataramana and gives an answer to a question by McMullen.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2310_10401
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Representations of braid groups via cyclic covers of the sphere: Zariski closure and arithmeticity
Menet, Gabrielle
Nguyen, Duc-Manh
Geometric Topology
Complex Variables
Group Theory
57K20 (Primary) 20C99 (Secondary)
Let $d \geq 2$ and $n\geq 3$ be two natural numbers. Given any sequence $κ=(k_1,\dots,k_n) \in \mathbb{Z}^n$ such that $\gcd(k_1,\dots,k_n,d)=1$, we consider the family of Riemann surfaces obtained from the plane curves defined by $y^d=\prod_{i=1}^n(x-b_i)^{k_i}$, where $\{b_1,\dots,b_n\}$ are $n$ distinct points in $\mathbb{C}$. The monodromy of the cohomology of the fibers of this family provides us with a representation of the pure braid group $\mathrm{PB}_n$ into some symplectic group. By restricting to a specific subspace in the cohomology of the fibers, we obtain a representation $ρ_d$ of $\mathrm{PB}_n$ into a linear algebraic group defined over $\mathbb{Q}$. In a sense, $ρ_d$ is primitive with respect to the parameters $d$ and $κ$. The first main result of this paper is a criterion for the Zariski closure of the image of $ρ_d$ to be maximal, and the second main result is a criterion for the image to be an arithmetic lattice in the target group. The latter generalizes previous results of Venkataramana and gives an answer to a question by McMullen.
title Representations of braid groups via cyclic covers of the sphere: Zariski closure and arithmeticity
topic Geometric Topology
Complex Variables
Group Theory
57K20 (Primary) 20C99 (Secondary)
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.10401