Commuting conjugates of finite-order mapping classes

Abstract

Let $\text{Mod}(S_g)$ be the mapping class group of the closed orientable surface $S_g$ of genus $g\ge 2$. In this paper, we derive necessary and sufficient conditions for two finite-order mapping classes to have commuting conjugates in $\text{Mod}(S_g)$. As an application of this result, we show that any finite-order mapping class, whose corresponding orbifold is not a sphere, has a conjugate that lifts under any finite-sheeted cover of $S_g$. Furthermore, we show that any torsion element in the centralizer of an irreducible finite order mapping class is of order at most $2$. We also obtain conditions for the primitivity of a finite-order mapping class. Finally, we describe a procedure for determining the explicit hyperbolic structures that realize two-generator finite abelian groups of $\text{Mod}(S_g)$ as isometry groups.

24 pages, 7 figures, 1 table