Virtual algebraic fibrations of surface-by-surface groups and orbits of the mapping class group

Abstract: We show that a conjecture of Putman--Wieland, which posits the nonexistence of finite orbits for higher Prym representations of the mapping class group, is equivalent to the existence of surface-by-surface and surface-by-free groups which do not virtually algebraically fiber. While the question about the existence of such groups remains open, we will show that there exist free-by-free and free-by-surface groups which do not algebraically fiber (hence fail to be virtually RFRS).