Dynamics of Aut(Fn) Actions on Group Presentations and Representations
arXiv:1109.0155
Abstract
Several different areas of group theory, topology and geometry have led to the study of the action of Aut(Fn) | the automorphism group of the free group on n generators | on Hom(Fn;G) when G is either finite,compact or simple Lie group. In this survey, we describe these topics and results, with special emphasis on some similarities and with an effort to give a somewhat uniform treatment. This perspective sometimes suggests new questions, conjectures and methods borrowed from one area to another.
The paper has appeared in "Geometry, Rigidity, and Group Actions" pp. 609-643, a collections of papers dedicated to Bob Zimmer, edited by B. Farb and D. Fisher, Chicago University press 2011