The Alexander method for infinite-type surfaces

Abstract

We prove that for any infinite-type orientable surface S there exists a collection of essential curves {\Gamma} in S such that any homeomorphism that preserves the isotopy classes of the elements of {\Gamma} is isotopic to the identity. The collection {\Gamma} is countable and has infinite complement in C(S), the curve complex of S. As a consequence we obtain that the natural action of the extended mapping class group of S on C(S) is faithful.