On the mapping class groups of simply-connected smooth 4-manifolds

Abstract: The mapping class group $M(X)$ of a smooth manifold $X$ is the group of smooth isotopy classes of orientation preserving diffeomorphisms of $X$. We prove a number of results about the mapping class groups of compact, simply-connected, smooth $4$-manifolds. We prove that $M(X)$ is non-finitely generated for $X = 2n \mathbb{CP}^2 # 10n \overline{\mathbb{CP}^2}$, where $n \ge 3$ is odd. Let $\Gamma(X)$ denote the group of automorphisms of the intersection lattice of $X$ that can be realised by diffeomorphisms. Then $M(X)$ is an extension of $\Gamma(X)$ by $T(X)$, the Torelli group of isotopy classes of diffeomorphisms that act trivially in cohomology. We prove that this extension is split for connected sums of $\mathbb{CP}^2$, but is not split for $2\mathbb{CP}^2 # n \overline{\mathbb{CP}^2}$, where $n \ge 11$. We prove that the Nielsen realisation problem fails for certain finite subgroups of $M( p \mathbb{CP}^2 # q \overline{\mathbb{CP}^2} )$ whenever $p+q \ge 4$. Lastly we study the extension $M_1(X) \to M(X)$, where $M_1(X)$ is the group of isotopy classes of diffeomorphisms of $X$ which fix a neighbourhood of a point. When $X = K3$ or $K3 # (S^2 \times S^2)$ we prove that $M_1(X) \to M(X)$ is a non-trivial extension of $M(X)$ by $\mathbb{Z}_2$. Moreover, we completely determine the extension class of $M_1(K3) \to M(K3)$.