On the cohomology of Torelli groups

Abstract

We completely describe the algebraic part of the rational cohomology of the Torelli groups of the manifolds $\#^g S^n \times S^n$ relative to a disc in a stable range, for $2n \geq 6$. Our calculation is also valid for $2n=2$ assuming that the rational cohomology groups of these Torelli groups are finite dimensional in a stable range.