Finite groups of outer automorphisms of free groups

Abstract

Let Fr denote the free group of rank r and Out Fr: = AutFr/Inn Fr the outer automorphism group of Fr (automorphisms modulo inner automorphisms). In [10] we determined the maximal order 2rr! (for r > 2) for finite subgroups of Out Fr as well as the finite subgroup of that order which, for r > 3, is unique up to conjugation. In the present paper we determine all maximal finite subgroups (that is not contained in a larger finite subgroup) of Out F3, up to conjugation (Theorem 2 in Section 3). Here the considered case r = 3 serves as a model case: our method can be applied for other small values of r (in principle for any value of r) but the computations become considerably longer and are more apt for a computer then; the method can also be applied to determine the maximal finite subgroups of the automorphism group Aut Fr of Fr. Note that the canonical projection Aut Fr ⃗ Out Fr is injective on finite subgroups of Aut Fr; however, not all finite subgroups of Out Fr lift to finite subgroups of Aut Fr.