ALLEN HATCHER a1andKAREN VOGTMANN a1 a1 Department of Mathematics, Cornell University, Ithaca,
NY 14853-7901, USA
Abstract
We develop a deformation theory for k-parameter
families of pointed marked graphs with fixed
fundamental group Fn. Applications
include a simple geometric proof of stability of the rational homology
of Aut(Fn), computations of the rational
homology in small dimensions, proofs that various natural
complexes of free factorizations of Fn are highly
connected, and an improvement on the stability range for
the integral homology of Aut(Fn).
(Received February 20 1996) (Revised November 12 1996)
