Quotients of the braid group that are extensions of the symmetric group

Abstract: We consider normal subgroups $N$ of the braid group $B_n$ such that the quotient $B_n/N$ is an extension of the symmetric group by an abelian group. We show that, if $n\geq 4$, then there are exactly 8 commensurability classes of such subgroups. We define a Specht subgroup to be a subgroup of this form that is maximal in its commensurability class. We give descriptions of the Specht subgroups in terms of winding numbers and in terms of infinite generating sets. The quotient of the pure braid group by a Specht subgroup is a module over the symmetric group. We show that the modules arising this way are closely related to Specht modules for the partitions $(n-1,1)$ and $(n-2,2)$, working over the integers. We compute the second cohomology of the symmetric group with coefficients in both of these Specht modules, working over an arbitrary commutative ring. Finally, we determine which of the extensions of the symmetric group arising from Specht subgroups are split extensions.