Fully irreducible Automorphisms of the Free Group via Dehn twisting in $\sharp_k(S^2 \times S^1)$

Abstract

By using a notion of a geometric Dehn twist in $\sharp_k(S^2 \times S^1)$, we prove that when projections of two $\mathbb{Z}$-splittings to the free factor complex are far enough from each other in the free factor complex, Dehn twist automorphisms corresponding to the $\mathbb{Z}$-splittings generate a free group of rank $2$. Moreover, every element from this free group is either conjugate to a power of one of the Dehn twists or it is a fully irreducible outer automorphism of the free group. We also prove that, when projected to the intersection graph, the same group of Dehn twists produce atoroidal fully irreducible automorphisms.