The image conjecture for the Dehn–Nielsen–Baer map of a graph-like surface

Let SS be an infinite-type surface with compact boundary, properly homotopy equivalent to a locally finite infinite graph \G\G, and let Θ\Theta be the induced homomorphism from Map(S)\operatorname{Map}(S) to Map(\G)\operatorname{Map}(\G). Fix a proper homotopy equivalence ϕ:S\G\phi:S\to\G. Let B\mathcal{B} be the set of properly immersed oriented curves S1\GS^1\to\G and immersed oriented lines R\G\mathbb{R}\to\G that are images under ϕ\phi of the components of S\partial S. Denote by Map(\G,B)<Map(\G)\operatorname{Map}(\G,\mathcal{B})<\operatorname{Map}(\G) the subgroup of mapping classes that fix each line or curve in B\mathcal{B}, together with its orientation, up to homotopy. Image conjecture. The image of Θ\Theta is

Map(\G,B).\operatorname{Map}(\G,\mathcal{B}).

This conjecture gives a geometric characterization of the image of the Dehn–Nielsen–Baer homomorphism in terms of the properly immersed curves and lines arising from the boundary of SS.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Ryan Dickmann, Hannah Hoganson and Sanghoon Kwak, “Surfaces proper homotopy equivalent to graphs and their Dehn-Nielsen-Baer maps”, arXiv:2410.20877 (2026).

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