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# Artin groups of type 𝐵 and 𝐷

## 1 Introduction

Let $`S`$ be a finite set. A Coxeter matrix over $`S`$ is a matrix $`M=(m_{\alpha \beta })_{\alpha ,\beta S}`$ indexed by the elements of $`S`$ such that $`m_{\alpha \alpha }=1`$ for all $`\alpha S`$, and $`m_{\alpha \beta }=m_{\beta \alpha }\{2,3,4,\mathrm{},+\mathrm{}\}`$ for all $`\alpha ,\beta S`$, $`\alpha \beta `$. A Coxeter matrix $`M=(m_{\alpha \beta })`$ is usually represented by its Coxeter graph, $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$. This (labelled) graph is defined by the following data. $`S`$ is the set of vertices of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$. Two vertices $`\alpha ,\beta `$ are joined by an edge if $`m_{\alpha \beta }3`$, and this edge is labelled by $`m_{\alpha \beta }`$ if $`m_{\alpha \beta }4`$. For $`\alpha ,\beta S`$ and $`m_2`$ we denote by $`w(\alpha ,\beta :m)`$ the word $`\alpha \beta \alpha \mathrm{}`$ of length $`m`$. Define the Artin group of type $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ to be the (abstract) group $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ presented by

$$A(\mathrm{\Gamma })=S|w(\alpha ,\beta :m_{\alpha \beta })=w(\beta ,\alpha :m_{\alpha \beta })\mathrm{for}\alpha \beta \mathrm{and}m_{\alpha \beta }<+\mathrm{}.$$

The Coxeter group $`W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ of type $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is the quotient of $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ by the relations $`\alpha ^2=1`$, $`\alpha S`$. The cardinal of $`S`$ is called the rank of $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$. We say that $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is of spherical type if $`W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is finite, and that $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is irreducible if $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is connected. Note that, if $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_1,\mathrm{\Gamma }_2,\mathrm{},\mathrm{\Gamma }_{\mathrm{}}`$ are the connected components of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$, then $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })=A(\mathrm{\Gamma }_1)\times A(\mathrm{\Gamma }_2)\times \mathrm{}\times A(\mathrm{\Gamma }_{\mathrm{}})`$. If $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is the graph $`A_{n1}`$ shown in Figure 1, then $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })=A(A_{n1})`$ is the Artin braid group on $`n`$ strings, which we shall also denote by $`_n`$, and $`S=\{\alpha _1,\mathrm{},\alpha _{n1}\}`$ is the set of standard generators of $`_n`$. Moreover, the group $`W(A_{n1})`$ is the symmetric group on $`\{1,\mathrm{},n\}`$, which we shall also denote by $`𝒮_n`$, and the $`\alpha _i`$ correspond in this group to the transpositions $`(i,i+1)`$, $`i=1,\mathrm{},n1`$.

Artin groups, also called generalized braid groups, were first introduced by Tits  as extensions of Coxeter groups. Later, Brieskorn  gave a topological interpretation of the Artin groups of spherical type in terms of regular orbit spaces as follows. Define a finite reflection group to be a finite subgroup $`W`$ of $`O(n,)`$ generated by reflections, where $`n`$ is some positive integer. A classical result due to Coxeter ,  states that $`W`$ is a finite reflection group if and only if $`W`$ is a finite Coxeter group. Assume this is the case. Let $`𝒜(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ be the set of reflecting hyperplanes of $`W=W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$, and, for $`H𝒜(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$, let $`H_{}`$ denote the hyperplane of $`^n`$ having the same equation as $`H`$. Let

$$M(\mathrm{\Gamma })=^n\left(\underset{H𝒜(\mathrm{\Gamma })}{}H_{}\right).$$

Then $`M(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is a connected submanifold of $`^n`$, the group $`W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ acts freely on $`M(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$, and the quotient $`N(\mathrm{\Gamma })=M(\mathrm{\Gamma })/W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is isomorphic to the complement in $`^n`$ of an algebraic variety called discriminantal variety of type $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$. Now, by a theorem of Brieskorn , the fundamental group of $`N(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is isomorphic to the Artin group $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$. In the case $`\mathrm{\Gamma }=A_{n1}`$, $`W(A_{n1})=𝒮_n`$ acts on $`^n`$ by permuting the coordinates, the reflections in $`𝒮_n`$ are exactly the transpositions, and $`N(A_{n1})`$ is the space of configurations of $`n`$ (unordered) points in $``$, whose fundamental group is well-known to be the braid group $`_n`$.

Since the work of Brieskorn and Saito  and that of Deligne , the combinatorial theory of Artin groups of spherical type has been well studied. In particular, these groups are known to be biautomatic (see , ). The finite irreducible Coxeter groups, and therefore the irreducible Artin groups of spherical type, were classified by Coxeter . These consist of the three infinite families of Coxeter groups defined by the Coxeter graphs $`A_n`$, $`B_n`$ and $`D_n`$ of Figure 1, the dihedral groups of order $`2m`$ for $`m3`$, associated to the Artin groups of rank 2 (with $`m_{\alpha \beta }=m_{\beta \alpha }=m+\mathrm{}`$), as well as the 6 so-called sporadic reflection groups.

In this paper, for each of the Artin groups of type $`B_n`$ and $`D_n`$ we present semidirect product structures $`F_n`$, where $`F`$ is a free group and $`_n`$ is the $`n`$-string braid group. We explain how these structures arise quite naturally from fibrations of the regular orbits spaces $`N(B_n)`$ and $`N(D_n)`$ based on $`N(A_{n1})`$. Moreover, we observe that, in each case, the action of the braid group $`_n`$ on the free group $`F`$ is classical: for type $`B_n`$ it is Artin’s representation , and for type $`D_n`$ it comes from the monodromy action on the Milnor fibre of the singularity of type $`A_{n1}`$ (see Perron-Vannier ).

The automorphism groups of the (spherical type) Artin groups are just beginning to be explored. Artin’s 1947 paper  was motivated by the problem of determining the automorphism groups of the braid groups (it is explicit in the introduction). However, the problem itself was only solved 37 years later by Dyer and Grossman  who proved that the outer automorphism group of the braid group $`_n`$ is of order 2 generated by the automorphism which sends each standard generator to its inverse. Until now, except for the braid groups, the only known significant result on the automorphism groups of (spherical type) Artin groups is an extension of Artin’s results of  to all irreducible Artin groups of spherical type (see ). In this paper we prove that, for each of the above semidirect products, the group of automorphisms which leave invariant the normal subgroup $`F`$ is small: namely $`\text{Out}(A(B_n),F)`$ has order $`2`$ (see Theorem 4.2), and $`\text{Out}(A(D_n),F)`$ has order $`4`$ if $`n`$ is even, and $`2`$ if $`n`$ is odd (see Theorem 4.9). It is an open question as to whether, in either the $`B_n`$ or the $`D_n`$ case, the free subgroup $`F`$ is a characteristic subgroup of the Artin group.

The Artin group of type $`D_n`$ may be viewed as an index 2 subgroup of the $`n`$-string braid group over an orbifold (namely the complex plane with a single orbifold point of degree 2, see Allcock ). This latter group can be presented as a semidirect product $`K_n`$, where $`K`$ is the free product of $`n`$ copies of $`C_2=\{\pm 1\}`$, and it shall play a major role in our study of the Artin groups of type $`D_n`$. We also show in the paper that the outer automorphism group of this group is of order 2.

We determine in the last section the automorphism groups of the Artin groups of rank 2. For such a group $`A=A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$, we obtain that $`\text{Out}(A)`$ is of order 2 if the label $`m`$ of the (unique) edge of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is odd, and $`\text{Out}(A)`$ is infinite and isomorphic to $`(C_2)\times C_2`$ if $`m`$ is even.

## 2 The semidirect product structures

We number the vertices of the Coxeter graphs of type $`A_n`$, $`B_n`$ and $`D_n`$ as shown in Figure 1. The standard generators of $`A(A_n)`$ will be written $`\alpha _1,\alpha _2,..,\alpha _n`$, the standard generators of $`A(B_n)`$ will be written $`\beta _1,\beta _2,..,\beta _n`$, and the standard generators of $`A(D_n)`$ will be written $`\delta _1,\delta _2,..,\delta _n`$. For the rest of the article we shall identify $`A(A_{n1})`$ with the classical $`n`$-string braid group $`_n`$ in the usual fashion. This will simplify notation throughout, and be a constant remainder of the special role played by the braid group $`_n`$ in this story.

### 2.1 Definition of $`\pi _B`$, $`\pi _D`$, $`s_B`$, and $`s_D`$

We wish to study the epimorphisms $`\pi _B:A(B_n)_n`$ and $`\pi _D:A(D_n)_n`$ defined by:

$`\pi _B(\beta _1)=1,\pi _B(\beta _i)=\alpha _{i1}\text{ for }i=2,3,..,n.`$
$`\pi _D(\delta _1)=\pi _D(\delta _2)=\alpha _1,\pi _D(\delta _i)=\alpha _{i1}\text{ for }i=3,..,n.`$
The epimorphism $`\pi _B:A(B_n)_n`$ admits a section $`s_B:_nA(B_n)`$ defined by:

$$s_B(\alpha _i)=\beta _{i+1}\text{ for }i=1,2,..,n1.$$

In particular, $`A(B_n)`$ may be written as a semidirect product $`A(B_n)=\mathrm{ker}\pi _B_n`$.

In a similar fashion, the epimorphism $`\pi _D:A(D_n)_n`$ admits a section $`s_D:_nA(D_n)`$ defined by:

$$s_D(\alpha _i)=\delta _{i+1}\text{ for }i=1,2,..,n1.$$

and $`A(D_n)`$ may be written as a semidirect product $`A(D_n)=\mathrm{ker}\pi _D_n`$.

We now describe how each of these semidirect products arise from a topologically defined faithful action of the braid group $`_n`$ on a free group. Both of these representations involved are classical. The first is quite famous and due to Artin . The second arises from the monodromy action of the $`n`$-string braid group on the Milnor fibre of the singularity of type $`A_{n1}`$, and was shown to be faithful by Perron and Vannier .

We recall the definition of a *Dehn twist* homeomorphism $`\tau _c:\mathrm{\Sigma }\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ on a simple closed curve $`c`$ in a surface $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$. Let $`A`$ denote an annular neighbourhood of $`c`$. Then $`\tau _c`$ is any homeomorphism isotopic to one which is the identity on $`\mathrm{\Sigma }\text{int}(A)`$ and transforms the interior of $`A`$ as shown in Figure 2. If $`c`$ bounds a disk in $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ and $`a,b`$ are points on $`c`$ which are interchanged by $`\tau _c`$, then $`\tau _c`$ induces what we shall call a *braid twist* homeomorphism $`\sigma _c`$ of the punctured surface $`\mathrm{\Sigma }\{a,b\}`$. This homeomorphism exchanges (neighbourhoods of) the two punctures, as shown in Figure 2.

### 2.2 Artin’s representation

Let $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_B`$ denote the surface of Figure 3, namely $`\{1,2,3,..,n\}`$, and, for each $`i=1,..,n1`$, let $`\sigma _i`$ denote the braid twist homeomorphism on the curve $`c_i`$ illustrated in Figure 3. Take the origin $`0`$ as a basepoint and define loops $`\gamma _i`$ at $`0`$ for $`i=1,..,n`$, as shown in the figure. Then $`\pi _1(\mathrm{\Sigma }_B,0)=F_n`$ is freely generated by the elements $`u_i=[\gamma _i]`$. Artin’s representation $`\rho _B:_n\text{Aut}(F_n)`$ is defined by $`\rho _B(\alpha _i)=(\sigma _i)_{}`$, for $`i=1,2,..,n1`$.

###### Proposition 2.1.

(1) Let $`F_n`$ denote the free group on $`n`$ generators $`u_1,u_2,..,u_n`$. Then Artin’s representation $`\rho _B:_n\text{Aut}(F_n)`$ is well-defined and given algebraically by

$$\rho _B(\alpha _i):\{\begin{array}{cc}u_iu_{i+1}\hfill & \\ u_{i+1}u_{i+1}^1u_iu_{i+1}\hfill & \\ u_ju_jj\{i,i+1\}.\hfill & \end{array}$$

(2) We have $`A(B_n)F_n_{\rho _B}_n`$, where the projection onto the second factor is $`\pi _B`$ and the section $`_nF_n_n`$ is just $`s_B`$. In particular, $`\mathrm{ker}\pi _B`$ is a free group of rank $`n`$.

#### Proof.

Part (1) is well-known and due to Artin . It is easily enough checked that this algebraic formulation gives a well-defined representation and corresponds to the topological description given above after identifying $`F_n`$ with $`\pi _1\mathrm{\Sigma }_B`$ via $`u_i=[\gamma _i]`$ for $`i=1,2,..,n`$. We concern ourselves with part (2) of the proposition.

Let $`\phi :\{\beta _1,..,\beta _n\}F_n_n`$ be the function defined by $`\phi (\beta _1)=u_1`$ and $`\phi (\beta _i)=\alpha _{i1}`$ for $`i=2,..,n`$. It is easily verified that $`\phi `$ extends to a homomorphism $`\phi :A(B_n)F_n_n`$.

Let $`\psi :\{u_1,..,u_n\}\{\alpha _1,..,\alpha _{n1}\}A(B_n)`$ be defined by

$`\psi (u_i)=\beta _i\beta _{i1}\mathrm{}\beta _2\beta _1\beta _2^1\mathrm{}\beta _{i1}^1\beta _i^1\text{ for }i=1,..,n.`$
$`\psi (\alpha _i)=\beta _{i+1}\text{ for }i=1,..,n1.`$
Again, it is easily seen that $`\psi `$ induces a homomorphism $`\psi :F_n_nA(B_n)`$. (Hint: verify the relation $`\phi (\alpha _iu_iu_{i+1}\alpha _i^1)=\phi (u_iu_{i+1})`$, for all $`1i<n`$, by induction on $`i`$). Finally, one checks that $`\phi \psi =\text{id}`$ and $`\psi \phi =\text{id}`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

###### Proposition 2.2 (Artin , Magnus ).

The representation $`\rho _B:_n\text{Aut}(F_n)`$ is faithful and has image the set of automorphisms that permute the conjugacy classes of the elements $`u_1,u_2,..,u_n`$ and fix the product $`u_1u_2\mathrm{}u_n`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

### 2.3 Braid monodromy representation

Let $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_D`$ denote the surface shown in Figure 4 and, for $`i=1,..,n1`$, let $`\tau _i`$ denote the Dehn twist homeomorphism on the curve $`c_i`$ illustrated in the figure. Choose a basepoint $`p`$ and loops $`\gamma _i`$ at $`p`$ for $`i=1,..,n1`$, as shown in the figure. Then $`\pi _1(\mathrm{\Sigma }_D,p)=F_{n1}`$ is freely generated by the elements $`v_i=[\gamma _i]`$. The braid monodromy representation $`\rho _D:_n\text{Aut}(F_{n1})`$ is defined by $`\rho _D(\alpha _i)=(\tau _i)_{}`$, for $`i=1,2,..,n1`$.

For what follows in the later sections, it is important to view the surface $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_D`$ as a branched 2-fold cover of $``$ branched over the set $`\{1,2,..,n\}`$, as shown in Figure 5. Note that the quotient orbifold $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^+`$ has orbifold fundamental group $`_n(C_2)`$ (the free product of $`n`$ groups of order $`2`$). Let $`\kappa :_n(C_2)C_2`$ be the epimorphism which maps each free factor non trivially. Note that $`\kappa `$ is the unique epimorphism $`_n(C_2)C_2`$ which sends every element of order 2 to the generator of $`C_2`$, hence the kernel of $`\kappa `$ is a characteristic subgroup. Furthermore, $`\mathrm{ker}\kappa =F_{n1}`$ is free of rank $`n1`$ and the surface $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_D`$ is the branched cover of $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^+`$ corresponding to $`F_{n1}=\mathrm{ker}\kappa <_n(C_2)`$.

We suppose that the basepoint $`p`$ in $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_D`$ maps onto the origin $`0\mathrm{\Sigma }^+`$. The loops $`\xi _i`$ at $`0`$, for $`i=1,..,n`$, as shown in Figure 5, represent canonical generators $`x_1,x_2,..,x_n`$ for the group $`_n(C_2)`$. The loops $`\gamma _i`$ were chosen to be (homotopic to) lifts of the loops $`\xi _1\xi _{i+1}`$, for $`i=1,..,n1`$, and represent one choice of generators for the free subgroup $`F_{n1}`$. A different choice will be used in a later section. The Dehn twist along the curve $`c_i`$ is a lift of the braid twist along the curve $`c_i^+`$ in $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^+`$. Thus $`\rho _D`$ extends to a representation $`\rho ^+:_n\text{Aut}(_nC_2)`$ which is induced from $`\rho _B`$ under the map $`F_n_nC_2=F_n/(u_i^2,i=1,..,n)`$.

The following is simply a more explicit version of Perron and Vannier , Corollaire 1, where it is observed that $`A(D_n)`$ is a semidirect product of a rank $`n1`$ free group and the $`n`$-string braid group.

###### Proposition 2.3.

Suppose that $`n4`$.

(1) Let $`F_{n1}`$ denote the free group on $`n1`$ generators $`v_1,v_2,..,v_{n1}`$. Then the braid monodromy representation $`\rho _D:_n\text{Aut}(F_{n1})`$ is well-defined and given algebraically by:

$$\rho _D(\alpha _1):\{\begin{array}{cc}v_1v_1\hfill & \\ v_jv_1^1v_jj1,\hfill & \end{array}$$

and, for $`2in1`$,

$$\rho _D(\alpha _i):\{\begin{array}{cc}v_{i1}v_i\hfill & \\ v_iv_iv_{i1}^1v_i\hfill & \\ v_jv_jj\{i1,i\}.\hfill & \end{array}$$

(2) We have $`A(D_n)F_{n1}_{\rho _D}_n`$, where the projection onto the second factor is $`\pi _D`$ and the section $`_nF_{n1}_n`$ is just $`s_D`$. In particular, $`\mathrm{ker}\pi _D`$ is a free group of rank $`n1`$.

#### Proof.

One shows easily (by direct calculation) that this algebraic formulation of $`\rho _D`$ gives a well-defined representation, and corresponds to the topological description above after identifying $`F_{n1}`$ with $`\pi _1\mathrm{\Sigma }_D`$ via $`v_i=[\gamma _i]`$ for $`i=1,..,n1`$. (The latter exercise is best carried out by looking at the braid twist action on $`\pi _1(\mathrm{\Sigma }^+)`$.) We turn to part (2).

Let $`\phi :\{\delta _1,..,\delta _n\}F_{n1}_n`$ be the function defined by $`\phi (\delta _1)=v_1\alpha _1`$ and $`\phi (\delta _i)=\alpha _{i1}`$ for $`i=2,..,n`$. One easily verifies that $`\phi `$ extends to a homomorphism $`\phi :A(D_n)F_{n1}_n`$.

Let $`\psi :\{v_1,..,v_{n1}\}\{\alpha _1,..,\alpha _{n1}\}A(D_n)`$ be defined by

$`\psi (v_i)=\delta _{i+1}\delta _i\mathrm{}\delta _3\delta _1\delta _2^1\delta _3^1\mathrm{}\delta _i^1\delta _{i+1}^1\text{ for }i=1,..,n1.`$
$`\psi (\alpha _i)=\delta _{i+1}\text{ for }i=1,..,n1.`$
Again, it is easily seen that $`\psi `$ induces a homomorphism $`\psi :F_{n1}_nA(D_n)`$. Finally, one checks that $`\phi \psi =\text{id}`$ and $`\psi \phi =\text{id}`$, and hence that $`\phi `$ is an isomorphism. $`\mathrm{}`$

#### Remark.

The choice of the free basis for $`F_{n1}`$ used here is the most convenient for the purposes of this section. A different free basis, given by the elements $`g_1:=x_1x_2=v_1`$ and $`g_i:=x_ix_{i+1}=v_{i1}^1v_i`$ for $`i=2,3,..,n1`$, will be used later in Section 4. With respect to this basis, $`\rho _D`$ is defined by:

$$\rho _D(\alpha _i):\{\begin{array}{cc}g_{i1}g_{i1}g_i\hfill & \\ g_{i+1}g_i^1g_{i+1}\hfill & \\ g_jg_jj\{i1,i+1\}.\hfill & \end{array}$$

Faithfulness of the braid monodromy representation $`\rho _D`$ was established in  by essentially topological means (using the work of Birman and Hilden  on mapping class groups). We proceed now to give a purely algebraic proof of faithfulness based on the above description. We first recall some background and prove a lemma.

If $`T`$ is a subset of the standard generators of an Artin group $`A=A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$, then the subgroup $`A_T`$ of $`A`$ generated by $`T`$ is known as a *standard parabolic subgroup* or *special subgroup* of $`A`$. By a well-known result of Van der Lek , each standard parabolic subgroup $`A_T`$ of $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is canonically isomorphic to the Artin group $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma }_T)`$ associated to the full subgraph $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_T`$ of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ spanned by $`T`$.

###### Lemma 2.4.

Let $`A`$ be an Artin group of spherical type with standard generating set $`S`$. Let $`TS`$, $`\alpha ST`$ and $`f,gA_T`$. If $`\alpha ^1f\alpha =g`$, then $`f=gA_{T\alpha ^{}}`$, where $`\alpha ^{}=\{\beta S:m_{\alpha ,\beta }=2\}`$.

#### Proof.

In this proof we use the *orthogonal normal forms* for elements in a spherical type Artin group . Any spherical type Artin group admits a left-invariant lattice order $`(A,<,,)`$ with positive cone the submonoid $`A^+`$ generated by the standard generators. Thus, for $`x,yA`$, $`x<y`$ if and only if $`x^1yA^+`$. This lattice order restricts nicely to standard parabolic subgroups: $`A^+A_T`$ is the submonoid generated by $`T`$ (written $`A_T^+`$) for any $`TS`$. As a result of this lattice structure, every element $`xA`$ has a unique *orthogonal normal form* $`x=x_1^1x_2`$ where $`x_1,x_2A^+`$ and $`x_1x_2=1`$. In fact, $`x_1=(1x)^1`$ and $`x_2=(1x)^1x`$. Clearly also,if $`xA_T`$ then both $`x_1,x_2A_T^+`$.

Write $`f=f_1^1f_2`$ and $`g=g_1^1g_2`$ in orthogonal normal forms. We have $`f_1,f_2,g_1,g_2A_T^+`$. The equality $`\alpha ^1f\alpha =g`$ implies that $`(f_1\alpha )^1(f_2\alpha )=g_1^1g_2`$. Put $`h=f_1\alpha f_2\alpha `$. Since $`g_1g_2=1`$, we have $`f_1\alpha =hg_1`$ and $`f_2\alpha =hg_2`$. We now use the (nontrivial) fact that the submonoid $`A^+`$ of $`A`$ is presented as a monoid as follows:

$$A^+=S|w(\alpha ,\beta :m_{\alpha ,\beta })=w(\beta ,\alpha :m_{\alpha ,\beta })\text{ for all }\alpha ,\beta S^+.$$

In other words, any two positive words representing the same element of $`A^+`$ are related by a finite sequence of applications of the given relators. Using this, we see that, since $`f_1A_T^+`$ and $`\alpha ST`$, any positive word representing $`f_1\alpha `$ is of the form $`\gamma _1\gamma _2\mathrm{}\gamma _p.\alpha .\delta _1\delta _2\mathrm{}\delta _q`$ where $`\gamma _1,..,\gamma _pT`$ and $`\delta _1,..,\delta _qT\alpha ^{}`$. Now, since $`f_1\alpha =hg_1`$ and $`\alpha `$ does not appear in any positive word representing $`g_1`$, it follows that $`g_1`$ is written $`\delta _1\delta _2\mathrm{}\delta _q`$ with $`\delta _1,..,\delta _qT\alpha ^{}`$. Therefore $`g_1A_{T\alpha ^{}}^+`$. Similarly we have $`g_2A_{T\alpha ^{}}^+`$ and therefore $`f=\alpha ^1g\alpha =g=g_1^1g_2A_{T\alpha ^{}}`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

The following is the “$`A_n`$ case” of Theorem 1 of . A completely analogous argument can also be used to prove that Artin’s representation $`\rho _B:_n\text{Aut}(F_n)`$ is faithful.

###### Proposition 2.5 (Perron-Vannier ).

The representation $`\rho _D:_n\text{Aut}(F_{n1})`$ is faithful.

#### Proof.

We consider the spherical type Artin group $`A=A(D_n)`$. Recall the presentation $`A(D_n)=F_{n1}_{\rho _D}_n`$ where $`_n`$ is identified with the standard parabolic subgroup $`A_{\{\delta _2,..,\delta _n\}}`$ of $`A`$. To prove the proposition it suffices to show that, if $`fA_{\{\delta _2,..,\delta _n\}}`$ commutes with $`v_k`$ for all $`k=1,2,..,n1`$, then $`f=1`$.

Let $`fA_{\{\delta _2,\delta _3,..,\delta _n\}}`$ such that $`fv_1=v_1f`$. Since $`v_1=\delta _1\delta _2^1`$, we have

$$\delta _1^1f\delta _1=\delta _2^1f\delta _2A_{\{\delta _2,\delta _3,..,\delta _n\}}.$$

By Lemma 2.4, it follows that $`fA_{\{\delta _2,\delta _4,..,\delta _n\}}`$.

We now show the following statement by induction on $`k`$ for $`k3`$:

($`I_k`$): If $`f`$ commutes with $`v_1,v_2,..,v_{k1}`$, then $`fA_{\{\delta _{k+2},\delta _{k+3},..,\delta _n\}}`$.

Suppose $`k=3`$. Since $`f`$ commutes with $`v_2`$ and $`v_2=\delta _3v_1\delta _3^1`$, we have that $`\delta _3^1f\delta _3`$ commutes with $`v_1`$. From the preceding argument we deduce that both $`f`$ and $`\delta _3^1f\delta _3A_{\{\delta _2,\delta _4,..,\delta _n\}}`$, and then, by Lemma 2.4, that $`fA_{\{\delta _5,\delta _6..,\delta _n\}}`$.

Suppose $`k4`$. Since $`f`$ commutes with $`v_{k1}`$ and $`v_{k1}=\delta _kv_{k2}\delta _k^1`$, we have that $`\delta _k^1f\delta _k`$ commutes with $`v_{k2}`$. On the other hand, $`\delta _k^1f\delta _k`$ also commutes with $`v_1,v_2,..,v_{k3}`$ (since both $`\delta _k`$ and $`f`$ do). By the induction hypothesis we therefore deduce that both $`f`$ and $`\delta _k^1f\delta _kA_{\{\delta _{k+1},\delta _{k+2},..,\delta _n\}}`$, and then, by Lemma 2.4, that $`fA_{\{\delta _{k+2},\delta _{k+3},..,\delta _n\}}`$.

The assertion ($`I_k`$) with $`k=n1`$ implies that if $`f`$ commutes with all $`v_1,v_2,..,v_{n2}`$ then $`f=1`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

### 2.4 Comparison of the two representations

Recall that, given a Coxeter graph $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$, the canonical map $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is determined by adding the relations $`\alpha ^2=1`$, for each standard generator $`\alpha S`$, to the standard presentation of $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$. Via this map, the semidirect product structures $`A(B_n)=F_n_n`$ and $`A(D_n)=F_{n1}_n`$ induce semidirect product structures on the associated Coxeter groups:

$$W(B_n)=C_2^n𝒮_n\text{ and }W(D_n)=C_2^{n1}𝒮_n$$

respectively, where $`𝒮_n`$ denotes the symmetric group on $`\{1,\mathrm{},n\}`$. These product structures are, of course, well-known, see . The group $`W(B_n)`$, sometimes called the *signed permutation group*, is simply the group of symmetries of an $`n`$-cube spanned by an orthonormal basis in $`^n`$: the normal subgroup $`C_2^n`$ acts by change of signs of the $`n`$ coordinates, and $`𝒮_n`$ acts by permuting the coordinates, and so acts on $`C_2^n`$ by permuting the direct factors. There exists a well-known embedding $`p:W(D_n)W(B_n)`$ which commutes with the projections onto $`𝒮_n`$ and which sends $`C_2^{n1}`$ onto the kernel of the map $`C_2^nC_2`$ which is nontrivial on each factor. It is tempting to wonder whether the inclusion $`p`$ is actually induced by an inclusion $`\varphi :A(D_n)A(B_n)`$ which commutes with the projections $`\pi _B`$ and $`\pi _D`$ onto $`_n`$. This, however, is not the case.

###### Proposition 2.6.

There is no embedding $`\varphi :A(D_n)A(B_n)`$ such that $`\pi _D=\pi _B\varphi `$.

The proof of Proposition 2.6 makes use of the following lemma from Dyer and Grossman . We first fix some notation: $`F_n`$ is the free group of rank $`n`$ generated by $`u_1,u_2,..,u_n`$ and $`_n`$ acts on $`F_n`$ via the representation $`\rho _B`$ as in Proposition 2.1 – for convenience we identify $`_n`$ with its image under $`\rho _B`$, thus simplifying the notation.

For $`x,yF_n`$ we write $`xy`$ if $`x`$ and $`y`$ are conjugate.

###### Lemma 2.7 (Dyer-Grossman , Lemma 18).

Let $`xF_n`$ such that $`\alpha _i^2(x)x`$ for all $`i=1,2,..,n1`$. Then $`x`$ is conjugate either to a power of $`u_j`$ for some $`j\{1,2,..,n\}`$ or to a power of $`u_1u_2\mathrm{}u_n`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

###### Corollary 2.8.

Let $`xF_n`$ such that $`\alpha _i(x)x`$ for all $`i=1,\mathrm{},n1`$. Then $`x`$ is conjugate to a power of $`u_1u_2\mathrm{}u_n`$.

#### Proof.

By Lemma 2.7, $`x`$ is conjugate either to a power of $`u_j`$ for some $`j\{1,2,\mathrm{},n\}`$ or to a power of $`u_1u_2\mathrm{}u_n`$. If $`xu_j`$, then we would have $`\alpha _i(u_j)u_j`$ for all $`i`$, while in fact $`\alpha _j(u_j)=u_{j+1}`$ for $`j<n`$ and $`\alpha _{j1}(u_j)u_{j1}`$ for $`j>0`$, a contradiction. $`\mathrm{}`$

#### Proof of Proposition 2.6.

We suppose that such an embedding $`\varphi :A(D_n)A(B_n)`$ exists and shall henceforth identify $`A(D_n)`$ with a subgroup of $`A(B_n)`$ via this map $`\varphi `$. Recall that, by Proposition 2.1, $`A(B_n)=F_n_n`$ where $`F_n=\mathrm{ker}\pi _B`$ is the free group on generators $`u_1,u_2,..,u_n`$, $`_n`$ is the subgroup of $`A(B_n)`$ generated by $`\beta _2,\beta _3,..,\beta _n`$, and one has $`\beta _ix\beta _i^1=\rho _B(\alpha _{i1})(x)=\alpha _{i1}(x)`$ for all $`i=2,3,..,n`$ and $`xF_n`$. Recall also (Proposition 2.3) that $`A(D_n)=F_{n1}_n`$ where $`F_{n1}=\mathrm{ker}\pi _D`$ is the free group on generators $`v_1,v_2,..,v_{n1}`$, $`_n`$ is the subgroup of $`A(D_n)`$ generated by $`\delta _2,\delta _3,..,\delta _n`$, and one has $`\delta _iy\delta _i^1=\rho _D(\alpha _{i1})(y)`$ for all $`i=2,3,..,n`$ and $`yF_n`$. The fact that $`\pi _D=\pi _B\varphi `$ means that $`F_{n1}F_n`$ and, for all $`i=2,3,..,n`$, there is a $`w_iF_n`$ such that $`\delta _i=w_i\beta _i`$.

#### Step 1:

There exists $`x_0F_{n1}\{1\}`$ such that $`\alpha _i(x_0)x_0`$ for all $`i=1,2,..,n1`$.

$$\text{Define}\text{ }x_0=\{\begin{array}{cc}v_1v_2^1v_3v_4^1\mathrm{}v_{n2}^1v_{n1}\hfill & \text{if }n\text{ even,}\hfill \\ v_1v_2^1v_3\mathrm{}v_{n2}v_{n1}^1v_1^1v_2v_3^1\mathrm{}v_{n2}^1v_{n1}\hfill & \text{if }n\text{ odd.}\hfill \end{array}$$

It is easily checked that $`\delta _ix_0\delta _i^1=\rho _D(\alpha _{i1})(x_0)=x_0`$. Therefore

$$\alpha _{i1}(x_0)=\beta _ix_0\beta _i^1=w_i^1\delta _ix_0\delta _i^1w_i=w_i^1x_0w_i\text{for all }i=2,..,n.$$

For $`xF_n`$ we denote by $`[x]`$ the class of $`x`$ in $`H_1(F_n)^n`$.

#### Step 2:

We have $`[x]=0`$ for all $`xF_{n1}`$.

We show that $`[v_i]=0`$ by induction on $`i`$. Suppose that $`i=1`$. We have

$$v_1^2v_2=\rho _D(\alpha _1^2)(v_2)=\delta _2^2v_2\delta _2^2=(w_2\beta _2)^2v_2(w_2\beta _2)^2=w_2\alpha _1(w_2)\alpha _1^2(v_2)\alpha _1(w_2^1)w_2^1$$

and $`\alpha _1^2`$ acts trivially on $`H_1(F_n)`$, whence $`[v_2]=2[v_1]+[v_2]`$, and so $`[v_1]=0`$.

Suppose now that $`i2`$ and $`[v_{i1}]=0`$. Then

$`[v_i]=[\delta _iv_{i1}\delta _i^1]`$ $`=[\beta _iv_{i1}\beta _i^1]\text{since }\delta _i=w_i\beta _i\text{ with }w_iF_n`$
$`=[\alpha _{i1}(v_{i1})]=\alpha _{i1}([v_{i1}])=0.`$
#### End of proof.

Let $`x_0`$ be the element constructed in Step 1. By Corollary 2.8, there exists some $`k`$ such that $`x_0(u_1u_2..u_n)^k`$. Step 2 now implies that

$$0=[x_0]=k([u_1]+[u_2]+..+[u_n]).$$

Since the $`[u_i]`$ are independent nontrivial generators of $`H_1(F_n)^n`$, we must have $`k=0`$, and therefore $`x_0=1`$, a contradiction. $`\mathrm{}`$

The fact that the pure braid group acts trivially on homology ($`H_1(F_n)^n`$) via Artin’s representation figures strongly in the work of Dyer and Grossman on the automorphisms of $`_n`$. We note here that the action of the braid group via the braid monodromy is somewhat more complicated on the homology $`H_1(F_{n1})^{n1}`$. In fact, this action on $`^{n1}`$ turns out to be a specialisation of the reduced Burau representation of $`_n`$.

## 3 A topological interpretation for the semidirect products

Let $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ be a Coxeter graph of spherical type (i.e: such that the Coxeter group $`W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is finite). Every finite Coxeter group has a canonical representation $`\theta :W(\mathrm{\Gamma })O(n,)`$ where $`n`$ is the number of vertices of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$, and where the standard generators are sent to reflections. It is well-known (since Brieskorn ) that each Artin group $`A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ of spherical type is isomorphic to the fundamental group of the space of regular orbits of the representation $`\theta _{}`$ of $`W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ as a complex unitary reflection group, obtained simply by tensoring $`\theta `$ with $``$. This regular orbit space may be easily described as the quotient of a complex hyperplane complement as follows.

Let $``$ denote the set of *reflections* in $`W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$, that is the set of $`rW(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ such that $`\theta (r)`$ is a reflection in a hyperplane, $`H(r)`$ say. (Note that every reflection is actually conjugate to a standard generator of $`W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$). The *arrangement* of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is the set $`𝒜(\mathrm{\Gamma })=\{H(r):r\}`$ of reflecting hyperplanes of $`W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$. The *complexification* of $`𝒜(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is the set $`𝒜_{}(\mathrm{\Gamma })=\{H_{}=H:H𝒜(\mathrm{\Gamma })\}`$. Note that $`H_{}(r)=H(r)`$ is simply the fixed set of $`\theta _{}(r)`$ in $`^n`$, and is a hyperplane in $`^n`$. The *complement* of $`𝒜_{}(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is the manifold

$$M(\mathrm{\Gamma })=^n\left(\underset{H𝒜(\mathrm{\Gamma })}{}H_{}\right).$$

The group $`W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ acts freely on $`M(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$, and the manifold $`N(\mathrm{\Gamma })=M(\mathrm{\Gamma })/W(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is the regular orbit space referred to above. Brieskorn  showed that $`\pi _1N(\mathrm{\Gamma })A(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ and Deligne later showed that $`N(\mathrm{\Gamma })`$ is a $`K(A(\mathrm{\Gamma }),1)`$-space .<sup>1</sup><sup>1</sup>1In fact this was already known to Brieskorn  by more or less ad hoc means in all but 5 exceptional cases, including the cases we will consider in this article. Deligne’s unified treatment was given in response to Brieskorn’s Séminaire Bourbaki and has significantly influenced the subsequent study of Artin groups. We refer the reader to Brieskorn’s paper  for an explicit description of the group isomorphism.

For types $`B_n`$, $`D_n`$ and $`A_{n1}`$ we have the following (this information can be derived, for instance, from the appendices of , where the associated root systems are laid out).

$`M(B_n)`$ $`=\{(z_1,z_2,..,z_n)^n:z_i\pm z_j\text{ for }1ijn,`$
$`\text{ and }z_i0,\text{ for }1in\},`$
$`M(D_n)`$ $`=\{(z_1,z_2,..,z_n)^n:z_i\pm z_j,\text{ for }1ijn\}.`$
Let $`D=\text{span}\{(1,1,..,1)\}^n`$, and, for $`𝐳^n`$, let $`[𝐳]`$ denote the element of $`^n/D`$ represented by $`𝐳`$. Then

$$M(A_{n1})=\{[z_1,z_2,..,z_n]^n/D:z_iz_j,\text{ for }1ijn\}.$$

The group $`W(A_{n1})=𝒮_n`$ acts on $`M(A_{n1})`$ by permutation of the coordinate axes, $`W(B_n)=(C_2)^n𝒮_n`$ acts on $`M(B_n)`$ by signed permutations of the coordinate axes (i.e: $`𝒮_n`$ acts by permuting the coordinates and $`(C_2)^n`$ acts via $`(\epsilon _1,\epsilon _2,..,\epsilon _n).(z_1,z_2,..,z_n)=(\epsilon _1z_1,\epsilon _2z_2,..,\epsilon _nz_n)`$ for $`\epsilon _i=\pm 1`$), and $`W(D_n)`$ acts on $`M(D_n)`$ also by signed permutations of the coordinates via the inclusion $`W(D_n)<W(B_n)`$ described in Subsection 2.4.

We consider $`M(B_n)M(D_n)`$ as submanifolds of $`^n`$ (i.e: $`M(B_n)`$ is simply the hyperplane complement $`M(D_n)`$ with additional hyperplanes removed, namely the coordinate hyperplanes). We also identify $`W(D_n)`$ as a subgroup of $`W(B_n)`$. The canonical actions of $`W(B_n)`$ and $`W(D_n)`$ on their respective hyperplane complements are therefore simultaneously induced by the action of $`W(B_n)=(C_2)^n𝒮_n`$ on $`^n`$ by signed permutations of the coordinates.

Let $`\stackrel{~}{P}_D:M(D_n)M(A_{n1})`$ be the map defined by $`(z_1,z_2,..,z_n)[z_1^2,z_2^2,..,z_n^2]`$, and $`\stackrel{~}{P}_B`$ the restriction of this map to the submanifold $`M(B_n)M(D_n)`$. Note that these maps are equivariant with respect to the canonical projections of $`W(D_n)`$ and $`W(B_n)`$ onto $`𝒮_n=W(A_{n1})`$. Thus they induce, respectively, maps $`P_D:N(D_n)N(A_{n1})`$ and $`P_B:N(B_n)N(A_{n1})`$.

###### Proposition 3.1.

(i) The map $`P_B:N(B_n)N(A_{n1})`$ is a locally trivial fibration. The fibre of $`P_B`$ over the orbit $`𝒮_n.[\xi _1,\xi _2,..,\xi _n]`$ is naturally homeomorphic to $`\{\xi _1,\xi _2,..,\xi _n\}`$.(ii) The fibration admits a section $`S_B`$ and the subsequent monodromy action of $`\pi _1N(A_{n1})`$ on the fundamental group of the fibre $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_B`$ over the orbit $`𝒮_n.[1,2,..,n]`$ is precisely Artin’s representation $`\rho _B`$.

(i) The map $`P_D:N(D_n)N(A_{n1})`$ is a locally trivial fibration. The fibre of $`P_D`$ over any point is naturally homeomorphic to the twofold branched covering of $``$ branched over the set $`\{\xi _1,\xi _2,..,\xi _n\}`$.(ii) The fibration admits a section $`S_D`$ and the subsequent monodromy action of $`\pi _1N(A_{n1})`$ on the fundamental group of the fibre $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_D`$ over the orbit $`𝒮_n.[1,2,..,n]`$ is precisely the braid monodromy representation $`\rho _D`$.

#### Proof.

We first treat the $`B_n`$ case. Let

$$\widehat{M}=M(B_n)/(C_2)^n=\{(z_1,z_2,..,z_n)^n:z_iz_j,z_i0,\text{ for }1ijn\},$$

where the covering $`M(B_n)\widehat{M}`$ is defined by the map $`(z_1,z_2,..,z_n)(z_1^2,z_2^2,..,z_n^2)`$. Now $`N(B_n)=\widehat{M}/𝒮_n`$ and $`P_B`$ is induced by the map $`\widehat{P}_B:\widehat{M}M(A_{n1})`$ given by $`𝐳[𝐳]`$. Thus $`\widehat{P}_B`$ is simply the restriction of the linear map $`d:^n^n/D`$ to the set $`\widehat{M}`$, and is easily seen to be a locally trivial fibration where the fibre over a point $`[\xi ]`$ is the set $`(\xi +D)\{𝐳:z_i=0\text{ for some }i\}`$, thus naturally homeomorphic to $`\{\xi _1,\xi _2,..,\xi _n\}`$ by the map sending $`z\{\xi _1,..,\xi _n\}`$ to the point $`(\xi _1z,\xi _2z,..,\xi _nz)`$. Factoring out by the action of $`𝒮_n`$ one obtains statement (i) for $`P_B`$.

Furthermore, $`\widehat{P}_B`$ has a section, which can be described as follows. For $`𝐳=(z_1,z_2,..,z_n)^n`$, define the “centre” $`c_𝐳:=\frac{1}{n}z_i`$ and “radius” $`r_𝐳:=\text{max}\{|z_ic_𝐳|\}`$ of the set $`\{z_1,z_2,..,z_n\}`$. Then define $`\widehat{S}_B:M(A_{n1})\widehat{M}`$ such that $`\widehat{S}_B([𝐳])=(z_1+b_𝐳,z_2+b_𝐳,..,z_n+b_𝐳)`$, where $`b_𝐳:=r_𝐳+1c_𝐳`$. Despite appearances, $`\widehat{S}_B`$ is well-defined and continuous. Clearly, since $`\widehat{S}_B`$ is $`𝒮_n`$-equivariant, it induces a section $`S_B:N(A_{n1})N(B_n)`$ to the map $`P_B`$. Note that the fibre over the orbit $`𝒮_n.[1,2,..,n]N(B_n)`$ is naturally homeomorphic to the surface $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_B`$ of Figure 3, and that $`\widehat{S}_B([1,2,..,n])=(1,2,..,n)`$ and corresponds under this homeomorphism to the basepoint at $`0`$ in $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_B=\{1,2,..,n\}`$.

To see that the monodromy action is precisely Artin’s braid action, one simply recalls that the space of braids may be identified with the space of loops in $`\{\{z_1,z_2,..,z_n\}^n/𝒮_n:z_iz_j,\text{ for }1ijn\}`$ based at the point $`\{1,2,..,n\}`$. This permits an identification of the braid group $`_n=A(A_{n1})`$ with $`\pi _1N(A_{n1})`$ which happens to agree with that described in . (Note that the standard generator $`\alpha _i`$ of $`A(A_{n1})`$ is identified with the elementary braid which twists the $`i^{\mathrm{th}}`$ and $`i+1^{\mathrm{st}}`$ strands).

Now observe that the space $`\widehat{M}^+=M(D_n)/(C_2)^n`$ is simply obtained from $`\widehat{M}`$ by restoring the coordinate hyperplanes. The map $`M(D_n)\widehat{M}^+`$ (defined by $`(z_1,z_2,..,z_n)(z_1^2,z_2^2,..,z_n^2)`$) is a ramified covering with a singular set of degree 2, the union of restored hyperplanes. Thus $`\widehat{M}^+`$ should be thought of as an orbifold. The fibration $`\widehat{P}_B`$ extends to an “orbifold fibration” $`\widehat{P}^+:\widehat{M}^+M(A_{n1})`$ with the fibre over a point $`[\xi ]`$ naturally homeomorphic to the orbifold $``$ with singular set $`\{\xi _1,\xi _2,..,\xi _n\}`$ of degree $`2`$ points (and therefore homeomorphic to the orbifold $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^+`$ of Figure 5). This fibration descends to a fibration $`P^+:N^+=\widehat{M}^+/𝒮_nN(A_{n1})`$ with the same fibre. Just as for $`P_B`$, the fibration $`P^+`$ admits a section $`S^+`$ and the monodromy action is simply that induced by Artin’s braid action on the punctured surface by replacing punctures by points of degree 2. This is precisely the braid twist action of $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^+`$ described in Section 2.3.

It remains simply to observe that $`N(D_n)`$ is a twofold cover of $`N^+`$ (in fact $`M(D_n)/_{n1}`$ is clearly a 2-fold cover of $`\widehat{M}^+`$) which fibres over $`N(A_{n1})`$ as described in the statement (i), and moreover to recall that the braid twist action on the orbifold $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^+`$ lifts to the braid monodromy representation on $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_D`$. The existence of the section $`S_D`$ (a lift of $`S^+`$) is ensured simply by the fact that the braid twist action on $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^+`$ lifts. $`\mathrm{}`$

#### Remark.

The homotopy exact sequence implies that these fibrations give rise to semidirect product structures on the two Artin groups $`\pi _1N(B_n)A(B_n)`$ and $`\pi _1N(D_n)A(D_n)`$. Here we have not paid very much attention to explicit generators for the fundamental groups, however the careful reader may verify that the canonical isomorphisms, described in Brieskorn , carry the product structure coming from the fibration in each case precisely onto the semidirect product structures given in Propositions 2.1 and 2.3.

#### Remark.

In a sense, Proposition 3.1 is just a rephrasing of some previously known facts. As explained in Daniel Allcock , the spaces $`N(B_n)`$, and $`N^+`$, may be regarded as the configuration spaces of $`n`$ unordered points in the orbifolds $`\{0\}`$, and $``$ with a degree 2 singular point, respectively. Thus $`A(B_n)`$ may be identified with the $`n`$-string braid group over a punctured plane (which is equally the subgroup of the $`(n+1)`$-string braid group in which the first string is pure), and $`A(D_n)`$ with an index two subgroup of the braid group over a plane with a degree 2 point. The fibrations observed above correspond simply to deleting the orbifold features (the puncture or the degree 2 point) and Artin’s representation appears quite naturally from this point of view as well. We note that this braid picture for type $`B_n`$ had been previously observed  and, as Allcock pointed out, was already implicit in . In fact the fibration of type $`D_n`$ in Proposition 3.1 is also implicit in  where Brieskorn observes that the map $`f:^n^{n1}`$ defined by $`(z_1,z_2,..,z_n)(z_1^2z_n^2,z_2^2z_n^2,..,z_{n1}^2z_n^2)`$ restricts to a locally trivial (differentiable) fibration of $`M(D_n)`$. This fibration is simply the map $`\stackrel{~}{P}_D`$, where the image $`f(M(D_n))`$ is just $`M(A_{n1})`$ expressed in the inhomogeneous coordinates obtained by setting the last coordinate to $`0`$. We should point out that Allcock also gave similar “braid picture” interpretations of the infinite families of affine type Artin groups. The picture for $`A(\stackrel{~}{A}_n)`$ has already been used in , and there is certainly potential for these to be explored more fully.

## 4 Automorphisms preserving the fibre

This section is largely inspired by the paper of Dyer and Grossman  which gave the first proof, using essentially algebraic techniques, that $`\text{Out}(_n)`$ is the group of two elements (the nontrivial outer automorphism being that which changes the sign of each standard braid group generator). While we are not yet able to replicate that result for the groups $`A(B_n)`$ and $`A(D_n)`$, we are able to prove that there are very few automorphisms of these groups which leave invariant the kernel of the map $`\pi _B`$ and $`\pi _D`$ respectively (that is, the normal subgroups in the semidirect product structures described in the previous sections). The question remains as to whether these kernels are characteristic subgroups. On the other hand, we are able to show that $`\text{Out}((_nC_2)_n)`$ is also of order 2.

In our investigation in this section of the automorphisms of the group $`A(B_n)`$ we shall always assume $`n3`$. The case $`n=2`$, which will be treated in Section 5 together with the other Artin groups of rank 2, is manifestly different. For example, the group $`A(B_2)`$ has a non-inner automorphism derived from the non-trivial automorphism of the graph $`B_2`$, and such an automorphism does not exist if $`n3`$. In fact, the group $`\text{Out}(A(B_2))`$ is infinite (see Theorem 5.1) while we expect that the group $`\text{Out}(A(B_n))`$ is finite if $`n3`$.

### 4.1 Automorphisms of $`A(B_n)`$ leaving $`F_n`$ invariant

Recall the presentation $`A(B_n)=F_n\rho _B_n`$ of Section 2. For notational convenience, we shall identify elements of $`_n<A(B_n)`$ with the corresponding elements of $`\text{Inn}(A(B_n))`$ via their action by conjugation (and using the fact that $`\rho _B`$ is faithful). We call these elements *braid automorphisms*. As in Section 2, let $`F_n`$ be freely generated by $`u_1,u_2,..,u_n`$ so that $`\rho _B`$ is defined as in Proposition 2.1. For simplicity we write $`u_0:=u_1u_2u_3\mathrm{}u_n`$, and note that all braid automorphisms leave $`u_0`$ fixed.

Let $`\zeta _n`$ denote the braid of Figure 6. <sup>2</sup><sup>2</sup>2Note that braids are drawn from top to bottom, so that their action (on $`\pi _1\mathrm{\Sigma }_B`$ or $`\pi _1\mathrm{\Sigma }^+`$) should be visualised by moving loops drawn in the bottom level surface up to the top level surface via a continuous path of loops. It is known that $`\zeta `$ generates the centre of $`_n`$ (it is the square of Garside’s so-called fundamental element), see . Also, it is easily seen that $`\zeta `$ acts on $`A(B_n)`$ by conjugation by the element $`u_0^1`$, and it is a straightforward exercise to check that the centre of $`A(B_n)`$ is generated by the element $`u_0\zeta `$.

Note that there is an obvious bijective correspondence between automorphisms of $`A(B_n)`$ which fix the subgroup $`_n`$ while leaving the subgroup $`F_n`$ invariant, and automorphisms of $`F_n`$ which are equivariant with respect to the $`_n`$ action. The proof of the following result is essentially contained in the work of Dyer and Grossman  – see the proof of their Theorem 19.

###### Proposition 4.1.

Let $`n3`$, and let $`_n`$ act on $`F_n`$ via Artin’s representation $`\rho _B`$. Then the group of $`_n`$-equivariant automorphisms of $`F_n`$ is generated by $`\zeta `$.

#### Proof.

We first note that the group $`F_n^_n`$ of elements of $`F_n`$ left fixed by $`_n`$ is generated by $`u_0`$: if $`x`$ is a nontrivial element of $`F_n^_n`$ then, by Corollary 2.8, $`x`$ is conjugate to a nontrivial power of $`u_0`$, say $`x=wu_0^rw^1`$. But then the commutator $`[w,u_0^r]`$ lies in $`F_n^_n`$ and so is conjugate to a power of $`u_0`$. However, since $`u_0`$ maps to an infinite order element under abelianisation of $`F_n`$ we must have $`[w,u_0^r]=1`$, in which case $`w`$ must be a power of $`u_0`$ and $`xu_0`$.

Let $`\phi `$ be a $`_n`$-equivariant automorphism of $`F_n`$. It follows from the above statement that $`\phi `$ must leave invariant the cyclic group $`u_0`$. Thus $`\phi (u_0)=u_0^\nu `$ for some $`\nu \{\pm 1\}`$.

We now use the fact that, for all $`i=1,2,..,n1`$ and all $`j=0,1,2,..,n`$, we have $`\alpha _i^2(u_j)u_j`$, and therefore by $`_n`$-equivariance $`\alpha _i^2(\phi (u_j))=\phi (\alpha _i^2(u_j))\phi (u_j)`$. It follows from Lemma 2.7, that $`\phi `$ must permute the $`2n`$ conjugacy classes of the elements $`u_1^{\pm 1},..,u_n^{\pm 1}`$ (while respecting the pairs $`\{u_i,u_i^1\}`$). Note that the elements $`u_0^{\pm 1},u_1^{\pm 1},..,u_n^{\pm 1}`$ represent distinct conjugacy classes in $`F_n`$, and none of these elements are proper powers. The conjugacy classes of $`u_0`$ and $`u_0^1`$ are already either fixed or interchanged.

So, for $`j=1,2,..,n`$, we have $`\phi (u_j)u_{\sigma (j)}^{\nu _j}`$ for $`\nu _j\{\pm 1\}`$, where $`\sigma `$ denotes a permutation in $`𝒮_n`$. Moreover, after abelianising $`F_n`$ to $`^n`$, the equation $`\phi (u_0)=\phi (u_1)\phi (u_2)\mathrm{}\phi (u_n)`$ implies that $`\nu _j=\nu `$ for every $`j=1,2,..,n`$. It now follows, by Proposition 2.2, that there exists a braid $`\beta _n`$ such that $`\beta ^1\phi (u_j)=u_j^\nu `$ for $`0jn`$.

Now, if $`\nu =1`$, we would have

$$u_1^1u_2^1\mathrm{}u_n^1=\beta ^1\phi (u_1u_2\mathrm{}u_n)=\beta ^1\phi (u_0)=u_0^1=u_n^1\mathrm{}u_2^1u_1^1,$$

which is impossible. Therefore $`\phi `$ agrees on $`F_n`$ with the braid automorphism $`\beta `$. But then, since $`\phi `$ is $`_n`$-equivariant and since the monodromy representation is faithful, $`\beta `$ must lie in the centre of $`_n`$ which is generated by $`\zeta `$. $`\mathrm{}`$

###### Theorem 4.2.

Let $`n3`$ and consider the presentation of $`A(B_n)=F_n_{\rho _B}_n`$ as a semidirect product. The group $`\text{Aut}(A(B_n),F_n)`$ of automorphisms of $`A(B_n)`$ which leave invariant the subgroup $`F_n`$ is generated by the inner automorphisms of $`A(B_n)`$ and the automorphism $`ϵ_n`$ which simply inverts each of the standard generators. Thus

$$\text{Aut}(A(B_n),F_n)=\text{Inn}(A(B_n))ϵ_n\left(A(B_n)/Z(A(B_n))\right)C_2,$$

where $`Z(A(B_n))`$ denotes the centre of $`A(B_n)`$. In particular, $`\text{Out}(A(B_n),F_n)C_2`$.

#### Proof.

Let $`\phi \text{Aut}(A(B_n),F_n)`$, and let $`\overline{\phi }`$ denote the automorphism induced on the quotient $`_n=A(B_n)/F_n`$. Using the theorem of Dyer and Grossman , we may suppose, up to a multiplication of $`\phi `$ by a braid automorphism, and by $`ϵ_n`$ if necessary, that $`\overline{\phi }`$ is the trivial automorphism of $`_n`$. In other words, there exists some function $`k:_nF_n`$, written $`\gamma k_\gamma `$, such that

$$\phi (\gamma )=k_\gamma \gamma ,\text{ for all }\gamma _n.$$

In particular, for all $`\gamma _n`$ and all $`xF_n`$, we have

$$\phi \gamma (x)=\phi (\gamma )\phi (x)\phi (\gamma )^1=k_\gamma \gamma \phi (x)\gamma ^1k_\gamma ^1\gamma \phi (x),$$

where $``$ denotes conjugacy in $`F_n`$. In other words, the action of $`\phi `$ on the conjugacy classes of $`F_n`$ is $`_n`$-equivariant.

Note that, for every $`\gamma _n`$, we have $`\gamma (\phi (u_0))\phi (\gamma (u_0))=\phi (u_0)`$. By Corollary 2.8 and the fact that $`u_0`$ is not a proper power, we then have $`\phi (u_0)u_0^\nu `$, for $`\nu \{\pm 1\}`$. But then, modifying $`\phi `$ by an inner automorphism coming from $`F_n`$, we may suppose that $`\phi (u_0)=u_0^\nu `$. (Note that, under this modification, $`\overline{\phi }`$ remains trivial, however the function $`k`$ may change).

As a consequence, we now claim that $`\phi `$ actually fixes every element of $`_n`$ (and so its action on $`F_n`$ is genuinely $`_n`$-equivariant). All braid automorphisms leave $`u_0`$ fixed. So, for any $`\gamma _n`$ we have

$$u_0^\nu =\phi (u_0)=\phi (\gamma u_0\gamma ^1)=k_\gamma \gamma u_0^\nu \gamma ^1k_\gamma ^1=k_\gamma u_0^\nu k_\gamma ^1.$$

That is, $`k_\gamma `$ commutes with $`u_0`$ and so must be a power of $`u_0`$, for every $`\gamma _n`$. In fact, $`k:_nu_0`$ must be a homomorphism since $`\phi (\gamma \beta )=k_\gamma \gamma k_\beta \beta =k_\gamma k_\beta \gamma \beta `$, using once again the fact that braid automorphisms fix powers of $`u_0`$. Moreover, in view of the braid relations $`\alpha _i\alpha _{i+1}\alpha _i=\alpha _{i+1}\alpha _i\alpha _{i+1}`$, the only homomorphisms $`_n`$ are multiples of the length homomorphism $`\mathrm{}:_n`$ which sends each standard generator to 1. In other words, there exists an $`m`$ such that $`\phi (\gamma )=u_0^{m\mathrm{}(\gamma )}\gamma `$, for all $`\gamma _n`$. Finally, we observe that the centre of $`A(B_n)`$, which is generated by the element $`u_0\zeta `$, is left invariant by any automorphism of $`A(B_n)`$. So $`\phi (u_0\zeta )=(u_0\zeta )^{\pm 1}`$. But since $`\phi (u_0\zeta )=u_0^\nu u_0^{m\mathrm{}(\zeta )}\zeta `$ we must have $`m\mathrm{}(\zeta )=1\nu `$. But, since $`\mathrm{}(\zeta )=n(n1)6`$, this is only possible if $`m=0`$, in which case $`\phi `$ fixes every element of $`_n`$ as claimed.

It now follows from Proposition 4.1 that $`\phi `$ is a power of the central braid automorphism $`\zeta `$, and hence an inner automorphism of $`A(B_n)`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

### 4.2 Automorphisms of $`A(D_n)`$ leaving $`F_{n1}`$ invariant

We proceed now to derive the analogous result for the type $`D_n`$ Artin group. The proof of Theorem 4.2 is largely transportable to this case. Thus, the main part of our work will be in establishing the following analogue of Proposition 4.1.

###### Theorem 4.3.

Let $`n4`$, and identify $`_n`$ with a subgroup of $`Aut(F_{n1})`$ via the braid monodromy representation $`\rho _D`$. Then the group of $`_n`$-equivariant automorphisms of $`F_{n1}`$ is generated by $`\zeta `$.

Let $`K=x_1,x_2,..,x_nx_i^2=1,i=1,2,..,n`$ denote the group $`\pi _1\mathrm{\Sigma }^+=_n(C_2)`$, where the generators $`x_i`$ are as described in Subsection 2.3. The braid group $`_n`$ acts on $`K`$ (via braid twists of the degree 2 orbifold points) in such a way that, for $`i=1,2,..,n1`$,

$$\alpha _i:\{\begin{array}{cc}x_ix_{i+1}\hfill & \\ x_{i+1}x_{i+1}x_ix_{i+1}\hfill & \\ x_jx_j\text{ if }j\{i,i+1\}\hfill & \end{array}$$

The braid monodromy action (via $`\rho _D`$) is just the restriction of this action to the characteristic index $`2`$ free subgroup $`F_{n1}<K`$, namely the kernel of the map of $`K`$ onto $`C_2`$ which maps each generator $`x_i`$ nontrivially. In this section we shall use the following set of free generators for $`F_{n1}`$: $`\{g_j=x_jx_{j+1}:j=1,2,..,n1\}`$.

We first study the action of $`_n`$ on the whole of $`K`$. For $`u,vK`$ we write $`uv`$ to mean that $`u`$ and $`v`$ are conjugate in $`K`$, and write $`[u]`$ for the conjugacy class of $`u`$ in $`K`$. Note that any element in $`K`$ is uniquely represented by a *reduced form*, a word in $`x_1,..,x_n`$ with all exponents $`+1`$. In addition, every conjugacy class in $`K`$ has a representative whose reduced form is *cyclically reduced*, i.e: every cyclic shift of the word is also reduced (equivalently, the word is reduced and does not begin and end with the same letter). Such a representative is unique up to cyclic shifts of its reduced form, and shall be called a *shortest* element of its conjugacy class. The same observations hold in the case of reduced forms with respect to free products of arbitrary groups. The following three lemmas shall be also used in the next subsection, so we shall assume $`n2`$ in their statement in place of $`n4`$.

###### Lemma 4.4.

Let $`1jn1`$, and let $`K^{\alpha _j}`$ denote the subgroup of $`K`$ consisting of those elements left fixed by $`\alpha _j`$.

(i) $`K^{\alpha _j}`$ is generated by the elements $`\{g_j=x_jx_{j+1}`$, $`x_1,..,x_{j1}`$, $`x_{j+2},..,x_n\}`$.

(ii) If $`wK`$ is such that $`\alpha _j(w)w`$, then there is a shortest element of $`[w]`$ lying in $`K^{\alpha _j}`$.

#### Proof.

(i) The group $`K`$ may be written $`CD`$ where $`C=x_j,x_{j+1}`$ and $`D=x_i:ij,j+1`$. Clearly $`\alpha _j`$ fixes every element of $`D`$ and leaves $`C`$ invariant. So $`K^{\alpha _j}=C^{\alpha _j}D`$.

For simplicity we write $`\alpha =\alpha _j`$, $`x=x_j`$ and $`y=x_{j+1}`$. We have $`\alpha (x)=y`$ and $`\alpha (y)=yxy`$, thus $`\alpha (xy)=xy`$ and $`\alpha (yx)=yx`$. Any element of $`C=xyC_2C_2`$ may be written in normal form with respect to the free product and has one of the following forms: $`(xy)^k,(yx)^k=(xy)^k,(xy)^kx`$, or $`y(xy)^k`$, for some $`k`$. Now $`\alpha ((xy)^kx)=(xy)^ky(xy)^kx`$, and $`\alpha (y(xy)^k)=yxy(xy)^ky(xy)^k`$. Thus $`C^\alpha `$ is generated by $`xy=g_j`$, and $`K^{\alpha _j}=g_jD`$ is as claimed.

(ii) We may clearly assume $`w1`$ and may choose $`w`$ to be any shortest element of its conjugacy class. Thus, either $`wC`$, or $`wD`$, or $`w`$ may be chosen to have reduced form $`W=c_1d_1c_2d_2..c_md_m`$ with respect to the free product $`CD`$, where the $`c_i`$ are nontrivial elements of $`C`$ and the $`d_i`$ are nontrivial elements of $`D`$, and $`m1`$.

Suppose first that $`wC`$. Since it is shortest in its conjugacy class, $`w`$ must be represented by a cyclically reduced word in the letters $`x,y`$. That is, $`w`$ is either $`(xy)^k`$ or $`(yx)^k=(xy)^k`$, for some $`k`$. But then $`w`$ lies in $`K^{\alpha _j}`$.

If $`wD`$ then, a fortiori, $`w`$ is an element of $`K^{\alpha _j}`$.

Finally we suppose that $`w`$ has reduced form $`W=c_1d_1c_2d_2..c_md_m`$ (with respect to $`CD`$), in which case it follows that $`W^{}:=\alpha (c_1)d_1\mathrm{}\alpha (c_m)d_m`$ is the reduced form for $`\alpha (w)`$ with respect to $`CD`$ . Since $`\alpha (w)w`$, and since both $`W`$ and $`W^{}`$ are cyclically reduced, we must have that $`W^{}`$ is obtained from $`W`$ by a cyclic shift. That is, there exists an $`r\{1,2,..,m\}`$ such that $`\alpha (c_i)=c_{i+r}`$ and $`d_i=d_{i+r}`$ for all $`i=1,2,..,m`$ (where indices are taken mod $`m`$). But then $`\alpha ^{2m}(c_i)=c_i`$ for all $`i=1,2,..,m`$. Note that $`\alpha ^2`$ acts on both $`x`$ and $`y`$ by conjugating by the element $`yx`$. But then $`\alpha ^{2m}(c_i)=c_i`$ only if $`c_i`$ is a power of $`xy`$. It follows that $`w`$ must lie in $`K^{\alpha _j}`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

The following lemma should be compared with Lemma 18 of  (see Lemma 2.7) and, more particularly, with Corollary 2.8.

###### Lemma 4.5.

(i) The group $`K^_n`$ of elements of $`K`$ left fixed by every $`\gamma _n`$ is the cyclic group generated by the element $`\delta :=x_1x_2\mathrm{}x_n`$.

(ii) If $`wK`$ is such that $`\alpha _j(w)w`$ for all $`j=1,2,..,n1`$, then $`w`$ is conjugate to an element of $`K^_n`$ (so conjugate to a power of $`\delta `$).

#### Proof.

The case $`n=2`$ is contained in Lemma 4.4. We assume $`n3`$.

(i) Let $`wK^_n`$ and let $`u_1u_2..u_k`$ be the reduced form for $`w`$ (each $`u_i\{x_1,x_2,..,x_n\}`$).

(1) Suppose that $`u_i=x_j`$ where $`1<j<n`$. Then, by Lemma 4.4, the inclusions $`wK^{\alpha _{j1}}`$ and $`wK^{\alpha _j}`$ imply that $`1<i<k`$ and $`u_{i1}u_iu_{i+1}=x_{j1}x_jx_{j+1}`$, or $`x_{j+1}x_jx_{j1}`$.

(2) Suppose that $`u_i=x_1`$. Then, by Lemma 4.4, the inclusion $`wK^{\alpha _1}`$ implies that either $`u_{i1}=x_2`$ or $`u_{i+1}=x_2`$. Moreover, we cannot have both identities, $`u_{i1}=x_2`$ and $`u_{i+1}=x_2`$, otherwise, by (1), $`x_3x_2x_1x_2x_3`$ would be a subexpression of $`u_1u_2..u_k`$ (recall that $`n3`$), and then the inclusion $`wK^{\alpha _1}`$ would contradict Lemma 4.4.

(3) Suppose $`u_i=x_n`$. Then, by Lemma 4.4, the inclusion $`wK^{\alpha _{n1}}`$ implies that either $`u_{i1}=x_{n1}`$ or $`u_{i+1}=x_{n1}`$. Moreover, we cannot have both identities, $`u_{i1}=x_{n1}`$ and $`u_{i+1}=x_{n1}`$, otherwise, by (1), $`x_{n2}x_{n1}x_nx_{n1}x_{n2}`$ would be a subexpression of $`u_1u_2..u_k`$, and then the inclusion $`wK^{\alpha _{n1}}`$ would contradict Lemma 4.4.

Clearly, (1), (2), and (3) imply that $`w`$ is a power of $`\delta `$. On the other hand, it is easily verified that $`\delta `$ is indeed fixed by every braid.

(ii) Let $`wK`$ such that $`\alpha _j(w)w`$ for all $`j=1,\mathrm{},n1`$, and let $`u_1u_2..u_k`$ be a cyclically reduced word representing an element of $`[w]`$ (each $`u_i\{x_1,x_2,..,x_n\}`$).

(1) Suppose $`u_i=x_j`$, where $`1<j<n`$. Then, by Lemma 4.4, we have $`u_{i1}u_iu_{i+1}=x_{j1}x_jx_{j+1}`$, or $`x_{j+1}x_jx_{j1}`$. (This time, the indices of the $`u_i`$’s are considered modulo $`k`$. So $`u_0=u_k`$ and $`u_{k+1}=u_1`$.)

(2) Suppose $`u_i=x_1`$. Then, by Lemma 4.4, either $`u_{i1}=x_2`$ or $`u_{i+1}=x_2`$, and we cannot have both identities, $`u_{i1}=x_2`$ and $`u_{i+1}=x_2`$.

(3) Suppose $`u_i=x_n`$. Then, by Lemma 4.4, either $`u_{i1}=x_{n1}`$ or $`u_{i+1}=x_{n1}`$, and we cannot have both identities, $`u_{i1}=x_{n1}`$ and $`u_{i+1}=x_{n1}`$.

Now, (1), (2), and (3) clearly imply that $`u_1u_2..u_k`$ is a power of $`\delta `$ up to a cyclic shift. $`\mathrm{}`$

We will only need to use part (i) of the following lemma, but we state part (ii) anyway for the sake of completeness.

###### Lemma 4.6.

Let $`S`$ denote the set of standard generators of $`_n`$. Choose a sequence $`1i_1<i_2<\mathrm{}<i_k<n`$ and let $`TS`$ be the set $`T=S\{\alpha _j:j=i_1,i_2,..,i_k\}`$. Let $`K^T`$ denote the subgroup of $`K`$ consisting of those elements left fixed by every element of $`T`$. Then:

(i) $`K^T=\delta (1,i_1),\delta (i_1+1,i_2),\delta (i_2+1,i_3),..,\delta (i_k+1,n)`$, where, for $`i<j`$, $`\delta (i,j):=x_ix_{i+1}\mathrm{}x_{j1}x_j`$.

(ii) If $`wK`$ is such that $`\alpha _j(w)w`$ for all $`\alpha _jT`$, then $`w`$ is conjugate to an element of $`K^T`$.

#### Proof.

(i) Write $`i_0=1`$ and $`i_{k+1}=n`$. Consider the decomposition $`K=K_0K_1\mathrm{}K_k`$, where $`K_r`$ is the subgroup of $`K`$ generated by $`x_{i_k+1},\mathrm{},x_{i_{k+1}}`$. Let $`wK^T`$, and let $`w=w_1w_2\mathrm{}w_p`$ be the reduced form of $`w`$ with respect to this decomposition, namely, $`w_iK_{\mu (i)}`$ for some $`\mu (i)\{0,1,\mathrm{},k\}`$, and $`\mu (i+1)\mu (i)`$ for all $`i=1,\mathrm{},p1`$. Now, by exactly the argument of Lemma 4.5 (i), we deduce that, if $`w_iK_r`$ (namely, $`r=\mu (i)`$), then $`w_i`$ is a power of $`\delta (i_r+1,i_{r+1})`$.

(ii) This follows by a similar extension of Lemma 4.5 (ii). $`\mathrm{}`$

We will also make use of the following two lemmas in the proof of Theorem 4.3.

###### Lemma 4.7.

Let $`\phi `$ be an automorphism of the free group $`Fx,y`$ such that $`\phi (y)=y^\nu `$ for some $`\nu \{\pm 1\}`$. Then $`\phi (x)=y^kx^\epsilon y^l`$ for some $`k,l`$ and $`\epsilon \{\pm 1\}`$.

#### Proof.

Write $`\phi (x)=y^kuy^l`$ where $`k,l`$ and $`u`$ is a nontrivial reduced word whose first and last letters are either $`x`$ or $`x^1`$. We will use the fact that, since $`\phi `$ is an automorphism, the group $`Fx,y`$ is generated by $`y`$ and $`u`$. The reduced word $`u`$ is written uniquely in the form $`u_0u_1u_0^1`$ where the subword $`u_1`$ is cyclically reduced and nontrivial. It follows that, for any $`r\{0\}`$, $`u^r`$ has reduced form $`u_0u_1^ru_0^1`$. Thus the reduced form for $`u^r`$ begins and ends in $`x`$ or $`x^1`$ and has length at least $`\text{length}(u)`$.

Let $`w(s,t)`$ be a reduced word in the letters $`s,t`$ involving at least one $`t`$. The above observation shows that the length of $`w(y,u)`$ is greater than or equal to the length of $`u`$. So, $`x`$ can never lie in the subgroup generated by $`y`$ and $`u`$ unless $`u`$ is of length $`1`$. But then $`\phi (x)`$ must be of the form $`\phi (x)=y^kx^\epsilon y^l`$ with $`\epsilon \{\pm 1\}`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

###### Lemma 4.8.

Let $`w(s,t)`$ denote a freely reduced word in the letters $`s,t`$. Then, in the free group $`F_2x,y`$, we have the relation $`w(x,xy).w(y,xy)=1`$ if and only if $`w(s,t)`$ is the trivial word.

#### Proof.

Clearly the relation holds if $`w(s,t)`$ is the trivial word. Suppose then that the relation holds, and let $`u(s,t)`$ be the freely reduced word in $`s,t`$ such that $`u(x,y)=w(x,xy)`$. Then we have

$$u(x,y)y^1u(y,x)y=w(x,xy)y^1w(y,yx)y=w(x,xy)w(y,xy)=1.$$

But then $`u(y,x)y=yu(x,y)^1`$ and, comparing lengths, it is clear that either $`u(x,y)=1`$, or the word $`u(y,x)`$ is obtained from the word $`u(x,y)^1`$ by a cyclic shift involving a single letter (namely a $`y`$ or $`y^1`$). But the latter is impossible. So $`w(x,xy)=u(x,y)=1`$. But since mapping $`sx`$ and $`txy`$ defines an isomorphism $`F_2s,tF_2x,y`$, $`w(x,xy)=1`$ only if $`w(s,t)`$ is the trivial word. $`\mathrm{}`$

#### Proof of Theorem 4.3.

The proof of Theorem 4.3 falls into two cases, depending on whether $`n`$ is even or odd. Observe that the braid $`\zeta `$ acts on $`F_{n1}`$ by conjugation by the element $`\delta ^1`$ where $`\delta :=x_1x_2..x_nK`$, and that $`\delta F_{n1}`$ if and only if $`n`$ is even.

#### Proof of Theorem 4.3, case $`n`$ even.

Let $`\phi :F_{n1}F_{n1}`$ be some $`_n`$-equivariant automorphism. Our objective is to prove that $`\phi `$ is a power of $`\zeta `$. The first observation is that $`\phi `$ (*and* its inverse) must leave invariant the fixed subgroup $`F_{n1}^\mathrm{\Gamma }=K^\mathrm{\Gamma }F_{n1}`$ for any $`\mathrm{\Gamma }<_n`$. That is, $`\phi `$ restricts to an automorphism of $`F_{n1}^\mathrm{\Gamma }`$.

By Lemma 4.5, $`F_{n1}^_n=K^_n=\delta `$. Therefore, by the above observation, $`\phi `$ restricts to an automorphism of $`\delta `$, hence $`\phi (\delta )=\delta `$ or $`\delta ^1`$. We also have, from Lemma 4.6, that the two elements $`g_1`$ and $`\delta `$ freely generate the subgroup $`F_{n1}^T=K^T`$, where $`T=\{\alpha _1\}\{\alpha _3,..,\alpha _{n1}\}`$. Thus $`\phi `$ restricts to an automorphism $`\phi :Fg_1,\delta Fg_1,\delta `$. Lemma 4.7 now applies to show that $`\phi (g_1)=\delta ^kg_1^\epsilon \delta ^l`$ for some $`k,l`$ and $`\epsilon \{\pm 1\}`$.

We now observe that, for each $`i=2,3,..,n1`$, $`g_i=\gamma _i(g_1)`$ for some braid $`\gamma _i_n`$. Thus by equivariance of $`\phi `$ and the fact that $`\delta `$ is fixed by all braids we have

$$\phi (g_i)=\delta ^kg_i^\epsilon \delta ^l\text{ for fixed }k,l\text{ and }\epsilon =\pm 1,\text{ and for all }i\text{.}$$

Now, since $`n`$ is even, we have $`\delta =g_1g_3..g_{n1}F_{n1}`$. Therefore,

$$\phi (\delta )=\delta ^kg_1^\epsilon \delta ^{l+k}g_3^\epsilon \delta ^{l+k}\mathrm{}\delta ^{l+k}g_{n1}^\epsilon \delta ^l=\delta ^\nu \text{ for some }\nu =\pm 1.$$
(1)
Abelianising $`F_{n1}`$ to $`^{n1}`$ the relation (1) becomes $`(m(l+k)+\epsilon \nu )[\delta ]=0`$, where $`n=2m4`$. There are two cases:

(i) $`\epsilon =\nu `$ and therefore $`l+k=0`$, or

(ii) $`\epsilon =\nu `$ and therefore $`m.(l+k)=2\nu `$, so that, necessarily, $`n=4`$ and $`l+k=\nu `$.

In case (i), the possibility $`\epsilon =\nu =1`$ leads to a contradiction, for it implies that $`g_1g_3\mathrm{}g_{n1}=g_{n1}\mathrm{}g_3g_1`$. But then $`\epsilon =1`$, and $`\phi `$ evidently just acts on $`F_{n1}`$ by conjugation by $`\delta ^k`$. That is, $`\phi =\zeta ^k`$ as required.

In case (ii), $`n=4`$, $`\delta =g_1g_3`$, $`l+k=\nu =\epsilon `$, and (1) simplifies to $`g_1^\epsilon (g_1g_3)^\epsilon g_3^\epsilon =1`$, which is possible if and only if $`\epsilon =1`$. But then, $`\zeta ^k\phi `$ is the automorphism $`F_3F_3`$ sending $`g_i`$ to $`g_i^1\delta `$ for $`i=1,2,3`$. That is $`g_1g_3`$, $`g_2g_2^1g_1g_3`$ and $`g_3g_3^1g_1g_3`$. Let $`\beta _0_4`$ denote the braid $`(\alpha _1\alpha _2\alpha _3)^2`$, shown in Figure 7. Then one can easily check that $`\zeta ^k\phi `$ is realised by the action of $`\beta _0`$, which is a contradiction since $`\beta _0`$ does not lie in the centre of $`_4`$ and so is not $`_4`$-equivariant (while $`\zeta ^k\phi `$ is). $`\mathrm{}`$

#### Proof of Theorem 4.3, case $`n`$ odd.

As in the previous case, let $`\phi :F_{n1}F_{n1}`$ be some $`_n`$-equivariant automorphism. Again, we shall prove that $`\phi `$ is a power of $`\zeta `$, using the observation that $`\phi `$ restricts to an automorphism of $`F_{n1}^\mathrm{\Gamma }=K^\mathrm{\Gamma }F_{n1}`$ for any $`\mathrm{\Gamma }<_n`$.

Define $`x:=x_1x_2x_3\mathrm{}x_{n1}`$. Then $`x=g_1g_3\mathrm{}g_{n2}F_{n1}`$ and $`\delta =xx_n`$. Note that this time $`\delta `$ does not lie in $`F_{n1}`$, however the element $`z:=\delta ^2=xx_nxx_n`$ does. Therefore $`F_{n1}^_n=z`$ (since, by Lemma 4.5, $`K^_n=\delta `$). Since $`\phi `$ restricts to an automorphism of this group, we have $`\phi (z)=z`$ or $`z^1`$.

#### Claim 1.

After multiplication of $`\phi `$ by a power of $`\zeta `$ we may suppose that $`\phi (x)=x`$.

#### Proof.

We consider the subset of braid generators $`T=\{\alpha _1,\alpha _2,\mathrm{},\alpha _{n2}\}`$. By Lemma 4.6, $`K^T=xx_nC_2`$, and $`F_{n1}^T`$ is therefore freely generated by the two elements $`x`$ and $`\widehat{x}:=x_nxx_n`$. Note that $`x\widehat{x}=xx_nxx_n=\delta ^2=z`$, so that $`F_{n1}^T`$ is also freely generated by $`x`$ and $`z`$. Thus $`\phi `$ restricts to an automorphism of $`x,zF_2`$. Since $`\phi (z)=z`$ or $`z^1`$, Lemma 4.7 applies to give

$$\phi :\{\begin{array}{cc}xz^kx^\epsilon z^l\hfill & \\ zz^\nu \hfill & \end{array}$$

for some $`k,l`$ and $`\epsilon ,\nu \{\pm 1\}`$.

Notice that $`\zeta (x)=\delta ^1x\delta =\widehat{x}`$ (since $`\delta =xx_n`$). Consequently, by equivariance, we have that $`\phi (\widehat{x})=z^k\widehat{x}^\epsilon z^l`$. Thus

$$\phi (z)=\phi (x\widehat{x})=z^kx^\epsilon z^{l+k}\widehat{x}^\epsilon z^l=z^\nu .$$
(2)
Abelianising $`F_2`$ to $`^2`$, this gives $`(2(k+l)+\epsilon \nu )[z]=0`$. There are two cases:

(i) $`\epsilon =\nu `$ and $`l+k=0`$, or

(ii) $`\epsilon =\nu `$ and $`(l+k)=\epsilon `$.

In case (i) above, (2) becomes $`x^\epsilon \widehat{x}^\epsilon =(x\widehat{x})^\epsilon `$ which is only possible if $`\epsilon =1`$ in which case $`\phi (x)=z^kxz^k=\zeta ^{2k}(x)`$.

In case (ii) above, (2) becomes $`x^\epsilon (x\widehat{x})^\epsilon \widehat{x}^\epsilon =1`$ which is only possible if $`\epsilon =1`$, and so $`l+k=1`$. In this case $`\phi (x)=z^kx^1z^l=\zeta ^{2k}(x^1z)=\zeta ^{2k}(\widehat{x})=\zeta ^{2k+1}(x)`$, since $`\zeta (x)=\widehat{x}`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

We now restrict our attention to the subgroup $`H=g_1,g_2,g_3,\mathrm{},g_{n2}x_nF_{n2}C_2`$ of $`K`$. Let $`\widehat{}:HH`$ denote the involution which is conjugation by $`x_n`$. (This is consistent with the definition of the element $`\widehat{x}`$ already introduced). Then we see that $`HF_{n1}=AB`$ where $`A`$ denotes the group $`g_1,g_2,..,g_{n2}F_{n2}`$ and $`B:=\widehat{A}`$. Thus $`B`$ is freely generated by the elements $`\widehat{g}_1,\widehat{g}_2,\widehat{g}_3,..,\widehat{g}_{n2}`$. (Note: $`AB`$ is just the kernel of the map $`HC_2`$ induced by the quotient $`KK/F_{n1}`$). Given a free product of groups $`G=G_1G_2`$, each element $`gG`$ has a unique expression in *reduced form* with respect to the free product decomposition, namely an expression

$$g=u_1u_2u_3\mathrm{}u_k$$

where each syllable $`u_i`$ is a nontrivial element of either $`G_1`$ or $`G_2`$ and where two consecutive syllables do not belong to the same factor $`G_1`$ or $`G_2`$. The number $`k`$ shall be referred to as the *syllable length* of $`g`$ and written $`g`$.

Consider the set of braid generators $`T=\{\alpha _1\}\{\alpha _3,..,\alpha _{n2}\}`$. By Lemma 4.6

$$K^T=g_1,g_3g_5..g_{n2}x_n=g_1,xx_nF_2C_2.$$

Let $`A_1:=g_1,x`$ and $`B_1:=\widehat{A}_1=\widehat{g}_1,\widehat{x}`$. Then $`K^TF_{n1}=A_1B_1`$, and $`\phi `$ restricts to an automorphism of this group. In particular, $`\phi (g_1)A_1B_1`$. Let

$$W=w_1w_2w_3\mathrm{}w_k$$

be the reduced form for $`\phi (g_1)`$ with respect to $`A_1B_1`$. Thus the syllables $`w_i`$ are nontrivial elements coming alternately from the groups $`A_1`$ and $`B_1`$. Since $`A_1<A`$ and $`B_1<B`$, this is equally a reduced form with respect to $`AB`$. Also $`W`$ is nontrivial since $`\phi (g_1)`$ is nontrivial.

Now let $`\beta _n`$ denote the braid $`\alpha _1\alpha _2\mathrm{}\alpha _{n2}`$ shown in Figure 7. Observe that $`\beta (g_i)=g_{i+1}`$ if $`in3`$ and $`\beta (x)=x`$ (so that $`\beta (g_{n2})=(g_2g_4\mathrm{}g_{n3})^1g_1g_3\mathrm{}g_{n2}`$ using the fact that $`x=g_1g_3\mathrm{}g_{n2}`$). Thus $`\beta `$ leaves the subgroup $`A`$ invariant. Moreover, since $`\beta (x_n)=x_n`$, the braid $`\beta `$ leaves the whole of $`AB`$ invariant respecting the free product structure. Thus, for instance, $`\beta ^r(W)=\beta ^r(w_1)\beta ^r(w_2)\mathrm{}\beta ^r(w_k)`$ is a reduced form with respect to $`AB`$ for the element $`\beta ^r(\phi (g_1))=\phi (g_{r+1})`$, for all $`r`$. Moreover, these reduced forms all have similar structure: a syllable $`\beta ^r(w_i)`$ comes from the factor $`A`$ if and only if $`w_i`$ does.

#### Claim 2.

If $`\phi (x)=x`$, then $`\phi (g_1)A_1`$.

#### Proof.

We continue with the notation introduced in the preceding paragraphs. By the hypothesis $`\phi (x)=x`$, we may use the fact that $`\phi (x)`$ has syllable length 1 with respect to $`AB`$. However, since $`g_j=\beta ^{j1}(g_1)`$, for $`j=1,2,..,n2`$ (this is NOT true for $`j=n1`$), and since $`\phi `$ acts $`_n`$-equivariantly, we have

$$\phi (x)=\phi (g_1g_3g_5\mathrm{}g_{n2})=W\beta ^2(W)\beta ^4(W)\mathrm{}\beta ^{n3}(W).$$

If $`W`$ is even then $`W\beta ^2(W)\beta ^4(W)\mathrm{}\beta ^{n3}(W)`$ is already in reduced form with respect to $`AB`$, and has syllable length at least $`4`$ ($`n5`$ and $`W2`$) which contradicts the uniqueness of reduced forms in a free product.

We may assume therefore that $`W`$ is odd, and let $`m=\frac{W+1}{2}`$. Then $`W`$ is of the form $`U^1w_mV`$ where $`U`$ and $`V`$ are reduced forms of the same syllable length with respect to $`AB`$ and whose first syllables are of the same *type* (i.e: they come from the same factor $`A`$ or $`B`$).

Write $`V=v_1v_2\mathrm{}v_{m1}`$ and $`U=u_1u_2\mathrm{}u_{m1}`$ as reduced forms. If $`V\beta ^2(U)^11`$ then there is a last $`i\{1,2,..,m1\}`$ such that $`v_i\beta ^2(u_i)`$, in which case $`V\beta ^2(U)^1`$ has reduced form

$$M=v_1v_2\mathrm{}v_{i1}.\omega .\beta ^2(u_{i1}^1)\mathrm{}\beta ^2(u_2^1)\beta ^2(u_1^1)$$

where $`\omega =v_i\beta ^2(u_i)^1`$ is a nontrivial element of the same free factor as $`v_i`$. This implies that

$$U^1w_mM\beta ^2(w_m)\beta ^2(M)\mathrm{}\beta ^{n5}(M)\beta ^{n3}(w_m)\beta ^{n3}(V)$$

is a reduced form for $`\phi (x)`$ of syllable length at least $`3`$ ($`n5`$). But this again contradicts uniqueness of the reduced form. Thus we may suppose that $`V=\beta ^2(U)`$.

Both $`V`$ and $`U`$ represent elements of $`A_1B_1`$. Thus $`V=\beta ^2(U)`$ represents an element of $`(A_1B_1)\beta ^2(A_1B_1)`$ which may also be written $`g_1,\widehat{g}_1,x,\widehat{x}g_3,\widehat{g}_3,x,\widehat{x}`$. Except in the case $`n=5`$ where $`x=g_1g_3`$, the elements $`g_1,g_3,x,\widehat{g}_1,\widehat{g}_3,\widehat{x}`$ form a free system. Therefore, in the case $`n7`$, the intersection of these two rank 4 free groups is just $`x,\widehat{x}F_2`$ and is therefore fixed elementwise by $`\beta `$. Since $`V`$ lies in this intersection, we now have $`U=\beta ^2(V)=V`$. Thus $`\phi (x)`$ has reduced form $`U^1\omega U`$ with middle syllable $`\omega :=w_m\beta ^2(w_m)\mathrm{}\beta ^{n3}(w_m)`$. Note that $`\omega 1`$ since it is conjugate to $`\phi (x)1`$. But since $`\phi (x)=1`$ we must have $`U=1`$. Therefore $`m=1`$ and $`\phi (g_1)=Uw_mU^1=w_1`$ and clearly lies in $`A_1`$ since otherwise we would have $`\omega B`$ contradicting the fact that $`\omega =\phi (x)=xA`$. This completes the proof of the Claim in the case $`n7`$.

In the case $`n=5`$, we have $`\phi (x)=U^1w_m\beta ^2(w_m)\beta ^2(V)`$ (since $`V=\beta ^2(U)`$). Since it is a syllable, $`w_m`$ is a nontrivial element of either $`A_1`$ or $`B_1`$. Suppose that $`w_mA_1\{1\}`$. Then, there is a nontrivial freely reduced word $`w(s,t)`$ in the letters $`s,t`$, such that $`w_m\beta ^2(w_m)=w(g_1,x)w(g_3,x)`$, where in this case $`x=g_1g_3`$. But then, by Lemma 4.8, $`\omega :=w_m\beta ^2(w_m)1`$ and $`U^1\omega \beta ^2(V)`$ is therefore a reduced form for $`\phi (x)`$. The fact that $`\phi (x)=1`$ then tells us that $`U=V=1`$, so that $`\phi (g_1)=w_mA_1`$, as required. If, however, $`w_mB_1`$, then the same argument shows that $`\phi (g_1)=w_mB_1`$ and $`\phi (x)=w_m\beta ^2(w_m)B`$, which would contradict $`\phi (x)=x`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

By Claim 1, we may suppose that $`\phi (x)=x`$. In that case, by Claim 2, $`\phi (A_1)<A_1`$. But, since $`\phi ^1(x)=x`$, applying Claim 2 to $`\phi ^1`$ also gives $`\phi ^1(A_1)<A_1`$, and so $`\phi `$ restricts to an automorphism of $`A_1`$. Lemma 4.7 now applies to give $`\phi (g_1)=x^kg_1^\epsilon x^l`$ for some $`k,l`$ and $`\epsilon =\pm 1`$. By equivariance of $`\phi `$ with respect to $`\beta `$, we in fact have $`\phi (g_j)=x^kg_j^\epsilon x^l`$ for all $`j=1,2,..,n2`$ (but NOT necessarily for $`j=n1`$). But then

$$x=\phi (x)=x^kg_1^\epsilon x^{l+k}g_3^\epsilon x^{l+k}\mathrm{}x^{l+k}g_{n2}^\epsilon x^l$$

Abelianising $`F_{n1}`$ to $`^{n1}`$ yields the equation $`\frac{(n1)}{2}(l+k)+\epsilon =1`$. We either have

(i) $`\epsilon =1`$ and $`l+k=0`$, in which case $`\phi (g_i)=x^kg_ix^k`$ for $`in2`$, or

(ii) $`n=5`$, $`l+k=1`$ and $`\epsilon =1`$, in which case $`\phi (g_i)=x^kg_i^1x^{1k}`$ for $`i=1,2,3`$.

Now let $`y=g_2g_4\mathrm{}g_{n1}`$. By a similar analysis (labelling the $`x_i`$ in the reverse order.) we arrive at the conclusion that there exist $`m,l`$ such that either

(iii) $`\zeta ^m\phi (g_i)=y^lg_iy^l`$ for all $`i=2,3,..,n1`$, or

(iv) $`\zeta ^m\phi (g_i)=y^lg_i^1y^{1l}`$ for all $`i=2,3,4`$ (and $`n=5`$).

Consider the possibilities (i)–(iv) for $`g_2`$. Since no two of $`g_2`$, $`g_2^1x`$ and $`g_2^1y`$ can be conjugate in $`K`$ we must have (i) and (iii). Then $`g_2=(x^k\delta ^my^l)g_2(y^l\delta ^mx^k)`$. The element $`y^l\delta ^mx^k`$ of $`K`$ commutes with $`g_2`$, thus it must be a power of $`g_2`$. That is to say $`\delta ^m=y^lg_2^qx^k`$ for some $`q`$. In particular, since $`\delta ^2,x,y,g_1F_{n1}`$, but $`\delta F_{n1}`$, we must have $`m`$ even. Now, take $`x,g_2,g_3,\mathrm{},g_{n2},y`$ as a free basis for $`F_{n1}`$. With respect to these generators, $`z=\delta ^2`$ has a reduced form

$$z=xy^1g_2g_4\mathrm{}g_{n3}(g_2g_3\mathrm{}g_{n1}g_{n2})^1g_3g_5\mathrm{}g_{n2}x^1y.$$

Therefore, $`\delta ^m=z^{\frac{m}{2}}`$ cannot have the form $`y^lg_2^qx^k`$ unless $`k=l=q=m=0`$. So, $`\phi `$ must be the identity on $`F_{n1}`$. This completes the proof of Theorem 4.3. $`\mathrm{}`$

We shall now work with the presentation $`A(D_n)=F_{n1}\rho _D_n`$ of Section 2. Note that $`A(D_n)`$ is an index 2 normal subgroup of $`K_{\rho ^+}_n\pi _1N^+`$, where $`N^+`$ was introduced in Section 3. (In fact $`K_nA(D_n)C_2`$ where the section sends the generator of $`C_2`$ to $`x_1`$). For notational convenience, we shall identify elements of $`_n<A(D_n)`$ with the corresponding elements of $`\text{Inn}(A(D_n))`$ via their action by conjugation (and using the fact that $`\rho _D`$ is faithful). We call these elements *braid automorphisms*. As with the $`B_n`$ case, it is easily seen that $`\zeta `$ acts on $`K_n`$, and so on $`A(D_n)`$, by conjugation by $`\delta ^1`$, where $`\delta =x_1x_2\mathrm{}x_n`$. It is also a straightforward exercise to check that the centre of $`K_n`$ is generated by the element $`\delta \zeta `$, and that the centre of $`A(D_n)`$ is generated by $`\delta \zeta `$ if $`n`$ is even, and $`\delta ^2\zeta ^2`$ if $`n`$ is odd.

#### Special automorphisms.

We define the automorphism $`ϵ_n\text{Aut}(K_n)`$ such that $`ϵ_n(\alpha _i)=\alpha _i^1`$ for $`i=1,2,..,n1`$, and $`ϵ_n(x_1)=x_1`$. It is a short exercise to show that $`ϵ_n`$ is well-defined. Moreover, $`ϵ_n`$ induces the automorphism of $`A(D_n)`$ which, by abuse of notation, we shall also call $`ϵ_n`$, and which is defined by $`ϵ_n(\delta _i)=\delta _i^1`$ for every $`i=1,2,..,n`$.

We also define the so-called *graph automorphism* $`\tau _n\text{Aut}(A(D_n))`$ induced by the involution of the Coxeter graph of type $`D_n`$, namely $`\tau _n(\delta _1)=\delta _2`$, $`\tau _n(\delta _2)=\delta _1`$, and $`\tau _n(\delta _i)=\delta _i`$ if $`i3`$.

Note that, since $`A(D_n)`$ is a normal subgroup of $`K_n`$, every inner automorphism of $`K_n`$ induces an automorphism of $`A(D_n)`$. These constitute a subgroup of $`\text{Aut}(A(D_n))`$ which is generated by the inner automorphisms of $`A(D_n)`$ and conjugation by $`x_1`$ in the larger group. The latter automorphism of $`A(D_n)`$ is precisely the graph automorphism $`\tau _n`$.

Finally, we note that the automorphism $`\tau _n`$ is an inner automorphism of $`A(D_n)`$ if and only if $`n`$ is odd. This is a straightforward consequence of . Alternatively, one can observe that if $`\tau _n`$ is an inner automorphism, i.e: conjugation by some element $`k\beta `$, say, where $`kF_{n1}`$ and $`\beta _n`$, then the element $`x_1k\beta K_n`$ centralizes $`A(D_n)`$. But that is to say that conjugation by $`x_1k`$ in $`K`$ agrees with the action of $`\beta ^1`$, and so fixes $`\delta `$. But then $`x_1kKF_{n1}`$ is a power of $`\delta `$, which is only possible if $`n`$ is odd. On the other hand, if $`n`$ is odd, $`x_1`$ differs from $`\delta `$ by an element of $`F_{n1}`$, and conjugation by $`\delta `$ is realised by the braid automorphism $`\zeta `$, so $`\tau _n`$ is an inner automorphism of $`A(D_n)`$.

###### Theorem 4.9.

Let $`n4`$. The group $`\text{Aut}(A(D_n),F_{n1})`$ of automorphisms of $`A(D_n)`$ leaving invariant the subgroup $`F_{n1}`$ is generated by the inner automorphisms, the graph automorphism $`\tau _n`$, and the automorphism $`ϵ_n`$. More precisely ,

$$\text{Aut}(A(D_n),F_{n1})=\{\begin{array}{cc}\text{Inn}(A(D_n))ϵ_n,\tau _n\left(A(D_n)/Z(A(D_n))\right)(C_2\times C_2)\hfill & \text{ if }n\text{ is even}\hfill \\ \text{Inn}(A(D_n))ϵ_n\left(A(D_n)/Z(A(D_n))\right)C_2\hfill & \text{ if }n\text{ is odd}\hfill \end{array}$$

where $`Z(A(D_n))`$ denotes the centre of $`A(D_n)`$. In particular, $`\text{Out}(A(D_n),F_{n1})C_2\times C_2`$ if $`n`$ is even, and $`\text{Out}(A(D_n),F_{n1})C_2`$ if $`n`$ is odd.

#### Proof.

Let $`\phi `$ be an arbitrary automorphism of $`A(D_n)=F_{n1}_n`$ such that $`\phi (F_{n1})=F_{n1}`$. Then $`\phi `$ induces an automorphism $`\overline{\phi }`$ of the quotient group $`_n=A(D_n)/F_{n1}`$. Using the theorem of Dyer and Grossman , we may suppose, up to a multiplication of $`\phi `$ by a braid automorphism, and by $`ϵ_n`$ if necessary, that $`\overline{\phi }`$ is the trivial automorphism of $`_n`$. In other words, there exists some function $`k:_nF_{n1}`$, written $`\gamma k_\gamma `$, such that

$$\phi (\gamma )=k_\gamma \gamma ,\text{ for all }\gamma _n.$$

We now consider the element $`zK`$ which generates the subgroup of fixed points in $`F_{n1}`$ under the braid action. That is $`z=\delta `$, if $`n`$ is even, and $`\delta ^2`$ if $`n`$ is odd. For any $`\gamma _n`$ we have

$$\phi (z)=\phi (\gamma z\gamma ^1)=k_\gamma \gamma \phi (z)\gamma ^1k_\gamma ^1.$$
(3)
That is to say, $`\gamma (\phi (z))\phi (z)`$ for all $`\gamma _n`$, where $``$ denotes conjugacy in $`K`$. But then Lemma 4.5, plus the fact that $`z`$ is not a proper power in $`F_{n1}`$, implies that $`\phi (z)`$ is conjugate in $`K`$ to $`z^\nu `$, for $`\nu \{\pm 1\}`$.

Now, multiplying $`\phi `$ by an inner automorphism from $`F_{n1}`$ and by $`\tau _n`$ if necessary (that is by some automorphism which is induced by conjugation, in the bigger group $`K_n`$, by an element of $`K`$), we may suppose, in fact, that $`\phi (z)=z^\nu `$. Note that this modification of $`\phi `$ does not change the induced automorphism $`\overline{\phi }`$, but it does modify the function $`k`$. In any case, the equation (3) together with the fact that braid automorphisms fix $`z`$, gives simply $`z^\nu =k_\gamma z^\nu k_\gamma ^1`$. But then $`k_\gamma `$ must be a power of $`z`$ for every $`\gamma _n`$. In fact, $`k:_nz`$ must be a homomorphism, since $`\phi (\gamma \beta )=k_\gamma \gamma k_\beta \beta =k_\gamma k_\beta \gamma \beta `$. Moreover, in view of the braid relations $`\alpha _i\alpha _{i+1}\alpha _i=\alpha _{i+1}\alpha _i\alpha _{i+1}`$, the only homomorphisms $`_n`$ are multiples of the length homomorphism $`\mathrm{}:_n`$ which sends each standard generator to 1. In other words, there exists an $`m`$ such that $`\phi (\gamma )=z^{m\mathrm{}(\gamma )}\gamma `$, for all $`\gamma _n`$.

Finally, we observe that the centre of $`A(D_n)`$ is generated by the element $`z\zeta `$ if $`n`$ is even, and $`z\zeta ^2`$ if $`n`$ is odd, and is left invariant by any automorphism of $`A(D_n)`$. For instance, if $`n5`$ is odd, $`\phi (z\zeta )=(z\zeta )^{\pm 1}`$. Since $`\phi (z\zeta )=z^\nu z^{m\mathrm{}(\zeta )}\zeta `$ we deduce that $`m\mathrm{}(\zeta )=1\nu `$. But, since $`\mathrm{}(\zeta )=n(n1)20`$, we must have $`m=0`$. Similarly, when $`n`$ is even we deduce that $`m=0`$, and in both cases the action of $`\phi `$ on $`F_{n1}`$ is therefore $`_n`$-equivariant. By Theorem 4.3, we now have that $`\phi `$ agrees on $`F_{n1}`$ with a central braid automorphism $`\zeta ^k`$ for some $`k`$. But then, $`\zeta ^k\phi `$ fixes both subgroups $`F_{n1}`$ and $`_n`$, so is trivial, and $`\phi `$ is an inner automorphism. $`\mathrm{}`$

### 4.3 Automorphisms of $`K_n`$

We continue with the same notations as in the previous subsection. Recall that $`K=_n(C_2)`$ denotes the free product of $`n`$ copies of $`C_2`$, and $`_n`$ acts on $`K`$ via the representation $`\rho ^+`$ define in Section 2. We proceed now to determine the automorphism group of $`K_{\rho ^+}_n`$ following the same strategy as in the previous subsections. First, we establish the following result which is analogous to Proposition 4.1 for the group $`A(B_n)`$ and to Theorem 4.3 for the group $`A(D_n)`$.

###### Proposition 4.10.

Let $`n3`$, and identify $`_n`$ with a subgroup of $`\text{Aut}(K)`$ via the representation $`\rho ^+`$. Then the group of $`_n`$-equivariant automorphisms of $`K`$ is the cyclic subgroup of $`\text{Aut}(K)`$ generated by $`\zeta `$.

#### Proof.

Let $`\phi :KK`$ be a $`_n`$-equivariant automorphism. By Lemma 4.5, $`K^_n`$ is the infinite cyclic subgroup generated by $`\delta =x_1x_2\mathrm{}x_n`$, thus $`\phi (\delta )=\delta ^\nu `$ where $`\nu \{\pm 1\}`$. Let $`T=\{\alpha _2,\alpha _3,\mathrm{},\alpha _{n1}\}`$. By Lemma 4.6, we have $`K^T=x_1,x_2x_3\mathrm{}x_n=x_1\delta C_2`$, thus $`\phi `$ restricts to an automorphism $`x_1\delta x_1\delta `$. The element $`\phi (x_1)`$ is of order $`2`$ and $`\phi (x_1)K^T`$, thus $`\phi (x_1)`$ is conjugate to $`x_1`$ in $`K^T`$, namely, there exists $`wK^T`$ such that $`\phi (x_1)=wx_1w^1`$. Now, $`\phi (\delta )=\delta ^{\pm 1}`$ and $`\phi (x_1)=wx_1w^1`$ generate $`K^T=x_1\delta `$, and this is possible only if $`w`$ is of the form $`w=\delta ^kx_1^\mu `$ with $`k`$ and $`\mu \{0,1\}`$, thus $`\phi (x_1)=\delta ^kx_1\delta ^k`$ for some $`k`$. Observe that, for $`i=1,2,\mathrm{},n`$, there exists a braid $`\gamma _i_n`$ such that $`\gamma _i(x_1)=x_i`$. By equivariance, it follows that $`\phi (x_i)=\delta ^kx_i\delta ^k`$ for all $`i=1,\mathrm{},n`$, and therefore $`\phi =\zeta ^k`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

Recall that $`ϵ_n`$ denotes the automorphism of $`K_n`$ determined by $`ϵ_n(x_1)=x_1`$ and $`ϵ_n(\alpha _i)=\alpha _i^1`$ for $`i=1,\mathrm{},n1`$.

###### Theorem 4.11.

Let $`n2`$. The group $`\text{Aut}(K_n)`$ is generated by the inner automorphisms and the automorphism $`ϵ_n`$. Thus

$$\text{Aut}(K_n)=\text{Inn}(K_n)ϵ_n\left((K_n)/Z(K_n)\right)C_2,$$

where $`Z(K_n)`$ denotes the centre of $`K_n`$. In particular, $`\text{Out}(K_n)C_2`$.

#### Proof.

The case $`n=2`$ is special and should be treated separately. We leave this case to the reader, and assume from now on that $`n3`$.

Let $`\phi :K_nK_n`$ be an automorphism. Note that $`K`$ is the smallest subgroup of $`K_n`$ which contains every element of order $`2`$, and therefore is a characteristic subgroup. Let $`\overline{\phi }`$ be the automorphism of $`_n`$ induced by $`\phi `$. Using the theorem of Dyer and Grossman , we may suppose, up to a multiplication of $`\phi `$ by a braid automorphism and by $`ϵ_n`$ if necessary, that $`\overline{\phi }`$ is the trivial automorphism of $`_n`$. So, there exists a function $`k:_nK`$, $`\gamma k_\gamma `$, such that $`\phi (\gamma )=k_\gamma \gamma `$ for all $`\gamma _n`$.

Recall that every braid fixes $`\delta =x_1x_2\mathrm{}x_n`$. For any $`\gamma _n`$, we have

$$\phi (\delta )=\phi (\gamma \delta \gamma ^1)=k_\gamma \gamma \phi (\delta )\gamma ^1k_\gamma ^1.$$
(4)
This shows that $`\gamma (\phi (\delta ))\phi (\delta )`$ for all $`\gamma _n`$, thus, by Lemma 4.5, $`\phi (\delta )`$ is conjugate to $`\delta ^\nu `$ for some $`\nu \{\pm 1\}`$. Multiplying $`\phi `$ by an inner automorphism from $`K`$, we may suppose that $`\phi (\delta )=\delta ^\nu `$. This modification does not change the induced automorphism $`\overline{\phi }`$, but it does modify the function $`k:_nK`$.

The equation (4) together with the fact that braid automorphisms fix $`\delta `$, gives $`\delta ^\nu =k_\gamma \delta ^\nu k_\gamma ^1`$, thus $`k_\gamma `$ is a power of $`\delta `$. It follows that the function $`k:_n\delta `$ is a homomorphism since, for $`\gamma ,\beta _n`$, $`k_\beta `$ being a power of $`\delta `$, we have $`\phi (\gamma \beta )=k_\gamma \gamma k_\beta \beta =k_\gamma k_\beta \gamma \beta `$. The only homomorphisms $`_n`$ are multiples of the length function $`\mathrm{}:_n`$, thus there exists $`m`$ such that $`k_\gamma =\delta ^{m\mathrm{}(\gamma )}`$ for all $`\gamma _n`$.

Recall that the centre of $`K_n`$ is the infinite cyclic subgroup generated by $`\delta \zeta `$. In particular, we have $`\phi (\delta \zeta )=(\delta \zeta )^{\pm 1}`$. Since $`\phi (\delta \zeta )=\delta ^\nu \delta ^{m\mathrm{}(\zeta )}\zeta `$, it follows that $`m\mathrm{}(\zeta )=1\nu `$, thus $`m=0`$ (since $`\mathrm{}(\zeta )6`$). This shows that $`\phi (\gamma )=\gamma `$ for all $`\gamma _n`$, and therefore that the action of $`\phi `$ on $`K`$ is $`_n`$-equivariant. By Proposition 4.10, $`\phi `$ agrees on $`K`$ with a central braid automorphism $`\zeta ^k`$ for some $`k`$. But then, $`\zeta ^k\phi `$ fixes both subgroups $`K`$ and $`_n`$, so it is trivial, and $`\phi `$ is an inner automorphism. $`\mathrm{}`$

## 5 Automorphisms of Artin groups of rank 2

Let $`m`$ be a positive integer, $`m3`$. The aim of this section is to determine the group of automorphisms of the Artin group

$$A=\alpha ,\beta |w(\alpha ,\beta :m)=w(\beta ,\alpha :m).$$

We start by describing some automorphisms.

#### Special automorphisms.

We define the automorphism $`ϵ\text{Aut}(A)`$ by $`ϵ(\alpha )=\alpha ^1`$ and $`ϵ(\beta )=\beta ^1`$. We also define the so-called graph automorphism $`\tau \text{Aut}(A)`$ by $`\tau (\alpha )=\beta `$ and $`\tau (\beta )=\alpha `$. Note that $`\tau `$ is inner if and only if $`m`$ is odd, and $`\tau `$ commutes with $`ϵ`$. If $`m`$ is odd, then $`\tau `$ is simply the conjugation by the element $`\mathrm{\Delta }=w(\alpha ,\beta :m)A`$.

Assume $`m`$ is even. It is an easy exercise to show that the mapping $`\alpha \beta ^1`$, $`\beta \beta \alpha \beta `$, determines an automorphism $`\eta :AA`$ of infinite order. Moreover, $`\eta `$ and $`ϵ`$ commute, and $`\tau \eta \tau =\eta ^1`$.

###### Theorem 5.1.

(i) Let $`m`$ be odd. Then $`\text{Aut}(A)`$ is generated by the inner automorphisms and the automorphism $`ϵ`$. Thus

$$\text{Aut}(A)=\text{Inn}(A)ϵ(A/Z(A))C_2,$$

and, in particular, $`\text{Out}(A)C_2`$.

(ii) Let $`m`$ be even. Then $`\text{Aut}(A)`$ is generated by the inner automorphisms and the automorphisms $`ϵ,\tau ,\eta `$. Thus

$$\text{Aut}(A)=\text{Inn}(A)ϵ,\tau ,\eta (A/Z(A))((C_2)\times C_2),$$

and, in particular, $`\text{Out}(A)(C_2)\times C_2`$.

In order to prove Theorem 5.1, we first need to determine the automorphisms of the groups $`C_2C_m`$ and $`C_k`$ ($`k2`$). These are laid out in the following two Lemmas.

Let $`G`$ be a group. For $`gG`$, we denote by $`\iota _g:GG`$ the inner automorphism which sends $`h`$ to $`ghg^1`$ for all $`hG`$. Let $`\phi _1,\phi _2:GG`$ be two automorphisms. We say that $`\phi _1`$ and $`\phi _2`$ are conjugate and denote $`\phi _1\phi _2`$ if there exists $`gG`$ such that $`\phi _2=\phi _1\iota _g`$.

Let $`u`$ and $`v`$ be the standard generators of $`C_2C_m`$. That is, $`C_2C_m=u,v|u^2=v^m=1`$. For any $`r\{1,2,\mathrm{},m1\}`$ such that $`r`$ and $`m`$ are coprime, we define the automorphism $`\nu _r:C_2C_mC_2C_m`$ by $`\nu _r(u)=u`$ and $`\nu _r(v)=v^r`$.

###### Lemma 5.2.

Let $`m3`$. Let $`\phi `$ be an automorphism of $`C_2C_m`$. Then there exists $`r\{1,2,\mathrm{},m1\}`$ such that $`r`$ and $`m`$ are coprime and $`\phi \nu _r`$.

#### Proof.

The element $`\phi (u)`$ is of order two, thus it is conjugate to $`u`$. So, up to multiplication of $`\phi `$ by an inner automorphism, we may suppose that $`\phi (u)=u`$. On the other hand, $`\phi (v)`$ is of order $`m3`$, thus it is conjugate to some $`v^r`$, where $`r\{1,2,\mathrm{},m1\}`$ and $`r`$ and $`m`$ are coprime. Write $`\phi (v)=wv^rw^1`$, where $`wC_2C_m`$. Now the inclusion $`v\text{Im}\phi `$ is possible only if $`w`$ is of the form $`w=u^\epsilon v^p`$, where $`\epsilon \{0,1\}`$ and $`p`$. So, $`\phi (v)=u^\epsilon v^ru^\epsilon `$, and therefore $`\phi =\iota _u^\epsilon \nu _r=\nu _r\iota _u^\epsilon `$. $`\mathrm{}`$

Let $`u,v`$ be the standard generators of $`C_k`$. That is, $`C_k=u,v|u^k=1`$. Choose $`\epsilon \{\pm 1\}`$ and $`r,s\{0,1,\mathrm{},k1\}`$ such that $`r`$ and $`k`$ are coprime, and define the automorphism $`\nu _{\epsilon ,r,s}:C_kC_k`$ by $`\nu _{\epsilon ,r,s}(u)=u^r`$ and $`\nu _{\epsilon ,r,s}(v)=v^\epsilon u^s`$.

###### Lemma 5.3.

Let $`k2`$. Let $`\phi `$ be an automorphism of $`C_k`$. Then there exist $`\epsilon \{\pm 1\}`$ and $`r,s\{0,1,\mathrm{},k1\}`$ such that $`r`$ and $`k`$ are coprime and $`\phi \nu _{\epsilon ,r,s}`$.

#### Proof.

The element $`\phi (u)`$ is of order $`k`$, thus it is conjugate to some $`u^r`$ where $`r\{1,2,\mathrm{},k1\}`$ and $`r`$ and $`k`$ are coprime. So, up to multiplication of $`\phi `$ by an inner automorphism, we may assume that $`\phi (u)=u^r`$. The element $`\phi (v)`$ is of infinite order. It can be written

$$\phi (v)=u^{n_0}v^{m_1}u^{n_1}\mathrm{}v^m_{\mathrm{}}u^n_{\mathrm{}},$$

where $`0n_0,n_{\mathrm{}}k1`$, $`1n_ik1`$ for $`i=1,\mathrm{},\mathrm{}1`$, $`m_i\{0\}`$ for $`i=1,\mathrm{},\mathrm{}`$, and $`\mathrm{}1`$. Now, by exactly the same argument as in the proof of Lemma 4.7, one easily verifies that $`v`$ is in the subgroup generated by $`\phi (u)=u^r`$ and $`\phi (v)`$ only if $`\mathrm{}=1`$ and $`m_1\{\pm 1\}`$. It follows that $`\phi =\iota _u^{n_0}\nu _{\epsilon ,r,s}`$, where $`\epsilon =m_1`$ and $`sn_0+n_1(k)`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

#### Proof of Theorem 5.1, case $`m`$ odd.

Write $`m=2k+1`$. Then

$$A=\alpha ,\beta |(\alpha \beta )^k\alpha =\beta (\alpha \beta )^k.$$

Let $`a=\alpha \beta `$ and $`b=(\alpha \beta )^k\alpha =\beta (\alpha \beta )^k`$. The elements $`a`$ and $`b`$ generate $`A`$ and a presentation for $`A`$ with respect to these generators is

$$A=a,b|a^m=b^2.$$

Note also that $`\tau ϵ`$ is the automorphism of $`A`$ which sends $`a`$ to $`a^1`$ and $`b`$ to $`b^1`$. Let $`c=a^m=b^2`$. A straightforward consequence of the above presentation is that the centre of $`A`$, denoted by $`Z(A)`$, is the infinite cyclic subgroup of $`A`$ generated by $`c`$. Let $`\overline{A}=A/Z(A)`$. Then $`\overline{A}=\overline{a},\overline{b}|\overline{a}^m=\overline{b}^2=1C_mC_2`$.

Let $`\phi :AA`$ be an automorphism. Let $`\overline{\phi }`$ be the automorphism of $`\overline{A}`$ induced by $`\phi `$. By Lemma 5.2, up to multiplication of $`\phi `$ by an inner automorphism if necessary, we may assume that $`\overline{\phi }(\overline{a})=\overline{a}^r`$ and $`\overline{\phi }(\overline{b})=\overline{b}`$ where $`r\{1,2,\mathrm{},m1\}`$ (and where $`r`$ and $`m`$ are coprime, although we will not need to use this fact). In other words, there exists $`p,q`$ such that

$$\phi (a)=a^rc^p=a^{r+mp}\text{ and }\phi (b)=bc^q=b^{1+2q}.$$

Recall that the centre of $`A`$ is the infinite cyclic subgroup generated by $`c`$. In particular, $`\phi (c)=c`$ or $`c^1`$. Replacing $`\phi `$ by $`(\tau ϵ)\phi `$ if necessary we may assume that $`\phi (c)=c`$. Then the equality $`c=\phi (c)=\phi (a)^m=a^{m(r+mp)}=c^{r+mp}`$ implies that $`r+mp=1`$, and therefore $`\phi (a)=a`$. Similarly we observe that $`\phi (b)=b`$, and so $`\phi `$ must be the trivial automorphism of $`A`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

#### Proof of Theorem 5.1, case $`m`$ even.

Write $`m=2k`$. Then

$$A=\alpha ,\beta |(\alpha \beta )^k=(\beta \alpha )^k.$$

Let $`a=\alpha \beta `$ and $`b=\beta `$. Then the elements $`a`$ and $`b`$ generate $`A`$ and a presentation for $`A`$ with respect to these generators is

$$A=a,b|a^kb=ba^k.$$

Note also that $`(\eta \tau ϵ)`$ is the automorphism of $`A`$ which sends $`a`$ to $`a^1`$ and $`b`$ to $`b`$, $`(\iota _\beta ^1\eta \tau )`$ is the automorphism which sends $`a`$ to $`a`$ and $`b`$ to $`b^1`$, and $`\eta `$ is the automorphism which sends $`a`$ to $`a`$ and $`b`$ to $`ba`$. Let $`c=a^k`$. It follows from the above presentation that the centre of $`A`$ is the infinite cyclic subgroup generated by $`c`$. Let $`\overline{A}=A/Z(A)`$. Then $`\overline{A}=\overline{a},\overline{b}|\overline{a}^k=1C_k`$.

Let $`\phi :AA`$ be an automorphism. Let $`\overline{\phi }`$ be the automorphism of $`\overline{A}`$ induced by $`\phi `$. By Lemma 5.3, up to multiplication of $`\phi `$ by an inner automorphism, we may assume that $`\overline{\phi }(\overline{a})=\overline{a}^r`$ and $`\overline{\phi }(\overline{b})=\overline{b}^\epsilon \overline{a}^s`$, where $`\epsilon \{\pm 1\}`$, $`r,s\{0,1,\mathrm{},k1\}`$, and $`r`$ and $`k`$ are coprime. It follows that there exist $`p,q`$ such that

$$\phi (a)=a^rc^p=a^{r+kp},\phi (b)=b^\epsilon a^sc^q=b^\epsilon a^{s+kq}.$$

Recall that the centre of $`A`$ is generated by $`c=a^k`$. Thus $`\phi (c)=c`$ or $`c^1`$. Replacing $`\phi `$ by $`(\eta \tau ϵ)\phi `$ if necessary, we may assume that $`\phi (c)=c`$. In this case, the equality $`c=\phi (c)=\phi (a)^k=c^{r+kp}`$ implies that $`r+kp=1`$, so that $`\phi (a)=a`$. Now replacing $`\phi `$ by $`(\iota _\beta ^1\eta \tau )\phi `$ if necessary, we may assume $`\epsilon =1`$. But then $`\phi (a)=a`$ and $`\phi (b)=ba^{s+kq}`$, so $`\phi =\eta ^{s+kq}`$. $`\mathrm{}`$