Towards representation stability for the second homology of the Torelli group

Abstract: We show for g > 6 that the second homology group of the Torelli group of a surface of genus g and 1 boundary component is generated as an Sp(2g,Z)-module by the image under the stabilization map of the second homology group of the Torelli group of a surface of genus 6 and 1 boundary component. In the process we also show that the quotient of the complex of arcs with identity permutation by the Torelli group is (g-2)-connected, for one or two boundary components.