Serre-Taubes duality for pseudoholomorphic curves

According to Taubes, the Gromov invariants of a symplectic four-manifold X with b₊>1 satisfy the duality Gr(α)=±Gr(κ−α), where κ is Poincaré dual to the canonical class. Extending joint work with Simon Donaldson, we interpret this result in terms of Serre duality on the fibres of a Lefschetz pencil on X, by proving an analogous symmetry for invariants counting sections of associated bundles of symmetric products. Using similar methods, we give a new proof of an existence theorem for symplectic surfaces in four-manifolds with b₊=1 and b₁=0. This reproves another theorem due to Taubes: two symplectic homology projective planes with negative canonical class and equal volume are symplectomorphic.     

Symplectic tori in rational elliptic surfaces

Let E(1)_p denote the rational elliptic surface with a single multiple fiber f_p of multiplicity p. We construct an infinite family of homologous non-isotopic symplectic tori representing the primitive 2-dimensional homology class [f_p] in E(1)_p when p>1. As a consequence, we get infinitely many non-isotopic symplectic tori in the fiber class of the rational elliptic surface . We also show how these tori can be non-isotopically embedded as homologous symplectic submanifolds in other symplectic 4-manifolds.     

Bounded cohomology and non-uniform perfection of mapping class groups

Using the existence of certain symplectic submanifolds in symplectic 4-manifolds, we prove an estimate from above for the number of singular fibers with separating vanishing cycles in minimal Lefschetz fibrations over surfaces of positive genus. This estimate is then used to deduce that mapping class groups are not uniformly perfect, and that the map from their second bounded cohomology to ordinary cohomology is not injective. Oblatum 8-IX-2000 & 20-X-2000?Published online: 29 January 2001     

Induced Hamiltonian maps on the symplectic quotient

Let (M,ω) be a symplectic manifold and G a compact Lie group that acts on M. Assume that the action of G on M is Hamiltonian. Then a G-equivariant Hamiltonian map on M induces a map on the symplectic quotient of M by G. Consider an autonomous Hamiltonian H with compact support on M, with no non-constant closed trajectory in time less than 1 and time-1 map fH. If the map fH descends to the symplectic quotient to a map Φ(fH) and the symplectic manifold M is exact and Ham(M,ω) has no short loops, we prove that the Hofer norm of the induced map Φ(fH) is bounded above by the Hofer norm of fH.     

The geography of spin symplectic 4-manifolds

In this paper we construct a family of simply connected spin non-complex symplectic 4-manifolds which cover all but finitely many allowed lattice points () lying in the region . Furthermore, as a corollary, we prove that there exist infinitely many exotic smooth structures on for all n large enough. Received: 29 August 2000 / in final form: 15 August 2001 / Published online: 28 February 2002     

Examples of isolated surface singularities whose links have infinitely many symplectic fillings

For certain classes of isolated complex surface singularities, it is shown that there exist infinitely many distinct topological types of minimal symplectic fillings of the link of the singularity.     

Constructing infinitely many smooth structures on $3\mathbb{CP}^2 \# n\overline{\mathbb{CP}}^2$

Using Seiberg-Witten theory and rational blow-down procedures of R. Fintushel and R.J. Stern, we construct infinitely many irreducible smooth structures, both symplectic and non-symplectic, on the four-manifold for each integer n lying in the interval . Received: 17 January 2000 / Published online: 18 January 2002     

Signatures of foliated surface bundles and the symplectomorphism groups of surfaces

For any closed oriented surface Σ_g of genus g?3, we prove the existence of foliatedΣ_g-bundles over surfaces such that the signatures of the total spaces are non-zero. We can arrange that the total holonomy of the horizontal foliations preserve a prescribed symplectic form ω on the fiber. We relate the cohomology class represented by the transverse symplectic form to a crossed homomorphism which is an extension of the flux homomorphism from the identity component to the whole group of symplectomorphisms of Σ_g with respect to the symplectic form ω.     

Symplectic Calabi–Yau 6-manifolds

In this article, we construct simply connected symplectic Calabi–Yau 6-manifolds by applying Gompf's symplectic fiber sum operation along T⁴${\mathbb{T}}^4$. Using our method, we also construct symplectic non-Kähler Calabi–Yau 6-manifolds with fundamental group Z$\mathbb{Z}$. This paper also produces the first examples of simply connected and non-simply connected symplectic Calabi–Yau 6-manifolds with fundamental groups _Zp×_Zq${\mathbb{Z}}_p\times {\mathbb{Z}}_q$, and Z×_Zq$\mathbb{Z}\times {\mathbb{Z}}_q$ for any p≥1$p\ge 1$ and q≥2$q\ge 2$via co-isotropic Luttinger surgery.     

Homotopy decomposition of a group of symplectomorphisms of S×S

We continue the analysis started by Abreu, McDuff and Anjos of the topology of the group of symplectomorphisms of S²×S² when the ratio of the area of the two spheres lies in the interval (1,2]. We express the group, up to homotopy, as the pushout (or amalgam) of certain of its compact Lie subgroups. We use this to compute the homotopy type of the classifying space of the group of symplectomorphisms and the corresponding ring of characteristic classes for symplectic fibrations.     

On symplectic cobordisms

In this note we make several observations concerning symplectic cobordisms. Among other things we show that every contact 3-manifold has infinitely many concave symplectic fillings and that all overtwisted contact 3-manifolds are “symplectic cobordism equivalent”. Received: 26 March 2001 / Revised version: 1 May 2001 / Published online: 28 February 2002     

On extensions of a symplectic class

Let F be a fibration on a simply-connected base with symplectic fiber (M,ω). Assume that the fiber is nilpotent and T2k-separable for some integer k or a nilmanifold. Then our main theorem, Theorem 1.8, gives a necessary and sufficient condition for the cohomology class [ω] to extend to a cohomology class of the total space of F. This allows us to describe Thurston?s criterion for a symplectic fibration to admit a compatible symplectic form in terms of the classifying map for the underlying fibration. The obstruction due to Lalond and McDuff for a symplectic bundle to be Hamiltonian is also rephrased in the same vein. Furthermore, with the aid of the main theorem, we discuss a global nature of the set of the homotopy equivalence classes of fibrations with symplectic fiber in which the class [ω] is extendable.     

Restrictions on symplectic fibrations

Moduli spaces of stable pseudoholomorphic curves can be defined parametrically, i.e., over total spaces of symplectic fibrations. This imposes several restrictions on the spectral sequence of a symplectic fibration. We prove, among others, that under certain assumptions the spectral sequence collapses at E₂. In the appendix, we prove nontriviality of certain Gromov-Witten invariant for blow-ups. As an application we obtain that any Hamiltonian fibration with the blow-up of  along four dimensional submanifold as a fibre c-splits. That is its spectral sequence collapses.     

Contact topology and holomorphic invariants via elementary combinatorics

In recent times a great amount of progress has been achieved in symplectic and contact geometry, leading to the development of powerful invariants of 3-manifolds such as Heegaard Floer homology and embedded contact homology. These invariants are based on holomorphic curves and moduli spaces, but in the simplest cases, some of their structure reduces to some elementary combinatorics and algebra which may be of interest in its own right. In this note, which is essentially a light-hearted exposition of some previous work of the author, we give a brief introduction to some of the ideas of contact topology and holomorphic curves, discuss some of these elementary results, and indicate how they arise from holomorphic invariants.     

On the geography of symplectic 6-manifolds

The article investigates the geography of closed, connected and simply connected, six-dimensional manifolds. It is proved that any triple of integers satisfying some necessary arithmetical restrictions occurs as the Chern triple of such a manifold. The main tools used for producing the examples are the symplectic connected sum and the symplectic blow-up. Received: 28 May 1998 / Revised version: 22 January 1999     

Diffeomorphism classification of finite group actions on disks

In this paper we discuss the diffeomorphism classification of finite group actions on disks. We answer the question when an action on a space M can be extended to an action on a disk such that the action is free away from M. Let the singular set consist of the points with nontrivial isotropy group. We show (under some dimension assumptions) that disks with diffeomorphic neighborhoods of the singular set can be imbedded into each other. As a consequence we find a classification of group actions on disks in terms of the neighborhood of the singular set and an element in the Whitehead group of G.     

Submersions on open symplectic manifolds

Let M be an open manifold with a symplectic form Ω, and N a manifold with dimN<dimM. We prove that submersions with symplectic fibres satisfy the h-principle. Such submersions define Dirac manifold structures on the given manifold. As an application to this result we show that CPn?CPk−1 admits a submersion into R2(2k−n) with symplectic fibres for n/2<k?n.     

On the topological classification of pseudofree group actions on 4-manifolds: II

This paper is concerned with the algebraic aspects of the classification of pseudofree, locally linear group actions on a simply connected 4-manifold, particularly with the splitting and stability properties of the associated Hermitian intersection module and its isometry group. Our main result is the proof of stability of the equivariant intersection form for a large class of pseudofree actions. We also prove a topological rigidity theorem stating that two locally linear, pseudofree actions on a closed, oriented, simply connected 4-manifold, with the equivariant intersection forms indefinite and of rank at least 3 at each irreducible character, are topologically conjugate by an orientation preserving homeomorphism if and only if their oriented local representations at the corresponding fixed points are linearly equivalent.Partially supported by the N.S.F.     

Handle attaching in symplectic homology and the Chord Conjecture

Arnold conjectured that every Legendrian knot in the standard contact structure on the 3-sphere possesses a characteristic chord with respect to any contact form. I confirm this conjecture if the know has Thurston-Bennequin invariant −1. More generally, existence of chords is proved for a standard Legendrian unknot on the boundary of a subcritical Stein manifold of any dimension. There is also a multiplicity result which implies in some situations existence of infinitely many chords.?The proof relies on the behaviour of symplectic homology under handle attaching. The main observation is that symplectic homology only changes in the presence of chords. Received July 14, 2000 / final version received June 1, 2001?Published online August 1, 2001