Periodicity of the pure mapping class group of non-orientable surfaces

Abstract: We show that the pure mapping class group $\mathcal{N}{g}^{k}$ of a non-orientable closed surface of genus $g\geqslant 2$ with $k\geqslant 1$ marked points has $p$-periodic cohomology for each odd prime $p$ for which $\mathcal{N}{g}^{k}$ has $p$-torsion. Using the Yagita invariant and the cohomology classes obtained by the representation of subgroups of order $p$, we obtain that the $p$-period is less than or equal to $4$ when $g\geqslant 3$ and $k\geqslant 1$. Moreover, combining the Nielsen realization theorem and a characterization of the $p$-period given in terms of normalizers and centralizers of cyclic subgroups of order $p$, we show that the $p$-period of $\mathcal{N}{g}^{k}$ is bounded below by $4$, whenever $\mathcal{N}{g}^{k}$ has $p$-periodic cohomology, $g\geqslant 3$ and $k\geqslant 0$. These results provide partial answers to questions proposed by G. Hope and U. Tillmann.