Nielsen’s theorem for model aspherical manifolds

The main issue of this paper is the discussion of Nielsen’s realisation-problem for aspherical manifolds arising from (generalised) Seifert fiber space constructions. We present sufficient conditions on such “model” aspherical manifoldsM to have that a finite abstract kernel ψ:G → Out (π₁ (M)) can be (effectively) geometrically realised by a group of fiber preserving homeomorphisms ofM if and only if ψ can be realised by an (admissible) group extension 1 → (π₁ (M)) →E’ →G → 1. Then an algebraic approach to a (partial) study of the symmetry ofM is possible. Our result covers all situations already described in literature and we show with an example that we also deal with other types of Seifert fiber space constructions which were not yet treated before. Research Assistant of the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (N.F.W.O.)