A generating set for the Johnson kernel

Abstract

For a connected orientable hyperbolic surface $S$ without boundary and of finite topological type, the Johnson kernel ${\mathcal K}(S)$ is the subgroup of the mapping class group of $S$ generated by Dehn twists about separating simple closed curves on $S$. We prove that ${\mathcal K}(S)$ is generated by the Dehn twists about separating simple closed curves on $S$ bounding either: a closed subsurface of genus $1$ or $2$; a closed subsurface of genus $1$ minus one point; a closed disc minus two points.