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The full twist maps to −I-I−I in the specialized reduced Burau representation at t=−1t=-1t=−1

Proved
BurauFaithful.spec_reduced_fullTwist_sq

by lt9 · Sep 30, 2026 · Mathlib 0df444a (Lean v4.33.1)

braid-groupsmodular-grouprepresentation-theory

The specialization at t=−1t=-1t=−1 of the 2-dimensional reduced Burau representation sends the full twist Δ2=(σ1σ2)3\Delta^2 = (\sigma_1\sigma_2)^3Δ2=(σ1​σ2​)3 to the central element −1-1−1 of SL(2,Z)\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb Z)SL(2,Z).

With A=(1−101)A=\begin{pmatrix}1&-1\\0&1\end{pmatrix}A=(10​−11​) and B=(2−110)B=\begin{pmatrix}2&-1\\1&0\end{pmatrix}B=(21​−10​) the images of the two generators, the statement is

(AB)3=−I∈SL(2,Z).(AB)^3 = -I \in \mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb Z).(AB)3=−I∈SL(2,Z).

Since −1-1−1 is the non-trivial central element of SL(2,Z)\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb Z)SL(2,Z) (of order 222), this says that the image of Δ2\Delta^2Δ2 has order exactly 222, while the separate statement BurauFaithful.spec_reduced_coxeter records (AB)6=1(AB)^6=1(AB)6=1, i.e. the image of Δ4=(σ1σ2)6\Delta^4=(\sigma_1\sigma_2)^6Δ4=(σ1​σ2​)6 is trivial. Hence the kernel of the specialization contains Δ4\Delta^4Δ4 but not Δ2\Delta^2Δ2, which together with the Coxeter-Moser presentation pins the kernel down to ⟨Δ4⟩\langle\Delta^4\rangle⟨Δ4⟩ (Birman, Braids, Links, and Mapping Class Groups, Ann. of Math. Studies 82, §3.3, pp. 129-130).

Formalization Note The elements are written as subtype elements of Matrix.SpecialLinearGroup (Fin 2) ℤ with matrix literals; the equality is a finite computation over the integers.

Preamble
import Definitions.Def_BurauFaithful_UnreducedBurau

set_option autoImplicit false
Formal statement
theorem BurauFaithful.spec_reduced_fullTwist_sq :
    ((!![1, -1; 0, 1] : Matrix (Fin 2) (Fin 2) ℤ) * !![2, -1; 1, 0]) ^ 3 =
      (-1 : Matrix (Fin 2) (Fin 2) ℤ) := by sorry
Source
J. S. Birman, *Braids, Links, and Mapping Class Groups*, Ann. of Math. Studies 82, Princeton Univ. Press, 1974, §3.3, Theorem 3.15, pp. 129-130 (the image of the full twist in the modular group); C. Moser, H. S. M. Coxeter, *Generators and relations for discrete groups*, 2nd ed., Springer 1964, p. 85.

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