Small Sets of Generators for Handlebody Groups

Abstract

The mapping class group of a $3$-dimensional handlebody of genus $g$, denoted by $\mathcal{M}(V_g)$, is a fundamental object of study in geometric topology. Building upon the initial generators introduced by Suzuki and their explicit formulation by Takahashi, Wajnryb established that $\mathcal{M}(V_g)$ is generated by exactly five elements for $g \ge 2$. Motivated by recent minimality results in related subgroups we investigate further reductions to this generating set. Through the use of the relations in Wajnryb's presentation, we show that for $g \geq 5$, the handlebody group $\mathcal{M}(V_g)$ is generated by three elements, and for $g \geq 3$, $\mathcal{M}(V_g)$ is generated by four elements, reducing Wajnryb's generating set of five elements by two and one respectively.