Generating the mapping class group of a nonorientable surface by crosscap transpositions

Abstract

A crosscap transposition is an element of the mapping class group of a nonorientable surface represented by a homeomorphism supported on a one-holed Klein bottle and swapping two crosscaps. We prove that the mapping class group of a compact nonorientable surface of genus $g\ge 7$ is generated by conjugates of one crosscap transposition. In the case when the surface is either closed or has one boundary component, we give an explicit set of $g+2$ crosscap transpositions generating the mapping class group.