Fatgraph Algorithms and the Homology of the Kontsevich Complex

Abstract

Fatgraphs are multigraphs enriched with a cyclic order of the edges incident to a vertex. This paper presents algorithms to: (1) generate the set of all fatgraphs having a given genus and number of boundary cycles; (2) compute automorphisms of any given fatgraph; (3) compute the homology of the fatgraph complex. The algorithms are suitable for effective computer implementation. In particular, this allows us to compute the rational homology of the moduli space of Riemann surfaces with marked points. We thus compute the Betti numbers of $M_{g,n}$ with $(2g + n) \leq 6$, corroborating known results.