The complete splitting number of a lassoed link

In this paper we define a lassoing on a link, a local addition of a trivial knot to a link. Let K be an s-component link with the Conway polynomial non-zero. Let L be a link which is obtained from K by r-iterated lassoings. The complete splitting number split(L) is greater than or equal to r+s−1, and less than or equal to r+split(K). In particular, we obtain from a knot by r-iterated component-lassoings an algebraically completely splittable link L with split(L)=r. Moreover, we construct a link L whose unlinking number is greater than split(L).     

Positive open book decompositions of Stein fillable 3-manifolds along prescribed links

It is known by Loi and Piergallini that a closed, oriented, smooth 3-manifold is Stein fillable if and only if it has a positive open book decomposition. In the present paper we will show that for every link L in a Stein fillable 3-manifold there exists an additional knot L^′ to L such that the link L∪L^′ is the binding of a positive open book decomposition of the Stein fillable 3-manifold. To prove the assertion, we will use the divide, which is a generalization of real morsification theory of complex plane curve singularities, and 2-handle attachings along Legendrian curves.     

Ropelengths of closed braids

For a link K, let L(K) denote the ropelength of K and let Cr(K) denote the crossing number of K. An important problem in geometric knot theory concerns the bound on L(K) in terms of Cr(K). It is well known that there exist positive constants c₁, c₂ such that for any link K, c₁⋅(Cr(K))^3/4?L(K)?c₂⋅(Cr(K))^3/2. In this paper, we show that any closed braid with n crossings can be realized by a unit thickness rope of length at most of the order O(n6/5). Thus, if a link K admits a closed braid representation in which the number of crossings is bounded by a(Cr(K)) for some constant a?1, then we have L(K)?c⋅(Cr(K))^6/5 for some constant c>0 which only depends on a. In particular, this holds for any link that admits a reduced alternating closed braid representation, or any link K that admits a regular projection in which there are at most O(Cr(K)) crossings and Seifert circles.     

Voisinages dérivés ε-barycentriques

Let Y be a finite full subcomplex of a simplicial complex X. For any subdivision X′ of X keeping Y invariant, and for ε small enough relatively to X′, we define the ε-barycentric derived neighbourhood V_ε(X′,Y) of Y in X′. Theorem: for small enoughε, and for any simplexKofY, the transverse stars ofKinV_ε(X,Y) andV_ε(X′,Y) have the same support. As a consequence, we derive at the end of the paper a decomposition theorem for p.l. homeomorphisms of a polyhedron keeping a finite subpolyhedron invariant. Keywords: Polyhedron; Simplicial complex; Derived neighbourhood; p.l. homeomorphism     

The Weyl functional near the Yamabe invariant

For a compact manifold M ofdim M=n≥4, we study two conformal invariants of a conformal class C on M. These are the Yamabe constant Y_C(M) and the L^n/2-norm W_C(M) of the Weyl curvature. We prove that for any manifold M there exists a conformal class C such that the Yamabe constant Y_C(M) is arbitrarily close to the Yamabe invariant Y(M), and, at the same time, the constant W_C(M) is arbitrarily large. We study the image of the mapYW:C→(Y_C(M), W_C(M))∈R ² near the line {(Y(M), w)|w∈R}. We also apply our results to certain classes of 4-manifolds, in particular, minimal compact Kähler surfaces of Kodaira dimension 0, 1 or 2.     

Simple homotopy types and finite spaces

We present a new approach to simple homotopy theory of polyhedra using finite topological spaces. We define the concept of collapse of a finite space and prove that this new notion corresponds exactly to the concept of a simplicial collapse. More precisely, we show that a collapse X↘Y of finite spaces induces a simplicial collapse K(X)↘K(Y) of their associated simplicial complexes. Moreover, a simplicial collapse K↘L induces a collapse X(K)↘X(L) of the associated finite spaces. This establishes a one-to-one correspondence between simple homotopy types of finite simplicial complexes and simple equivalence classes of finite spaces. We also prove a similar result for maps: We give a complete characterization of the class of maps between finite spaces which induce simple homotopy equivalences between the associated polyhedra. This class describes all maps coming from simple homotopy equivalences at the level of complexes. The advantage of this theory is that the elementary move of finite spaces is much simpler than the elementary move of simplicial complexes: It consists of removing (or adding) just a single point of the space.     

Filtered ends of infinite covers and groups

Let f:A→B be a covering map. We say that A has e filtered ends with respect to f (or B) if, for some filtration {K_n} of B by compact subsets, A−f⁻¹(K_n) “eventually” has e components. The main theorem states that if Y is a (suitable) free H-space, if K<H has infinite index, and if Y has a positive finite number of filtered ends with respect to H?Y, then Y has one filtered end with respect to K?Y. This implies that if G is a finitely generated group and K<H<G are subgroups each having infinite index in the next, then implies that , where is the number of filtered ends of a pair of groups in the sense of Kropholler and Roller.     

A non-separable Christensen's theorem and set tri-quotient maps

For every space X let K(X) be the set of all compact subsets of X. Christensen [J.P.R. Christensen, Necessary and sufficient conditions for measurability of certain sets of closed subsets, Math. Ann. 200 (1973) 189-193] proved that if X,Y are separable metrizable spaces and F:K(X)→K(Y) is a monotone map such that any L∈K(Y) is covered by F(K) for some K∈K(X), then Y is complete provided X is complete. It is well known [J. Baars, J. de Groot, J. Pelant, Function spaces of completely metrizable space, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 340 (1993) 871-879] that this result is not true for non-separable spaces. In this paper we discuss some additional properties of F which guarantee the validity of Christensen's result for more general spaces.     

Proper smooth G-manifolds have complete G-invariant Riemannian metrics

Assume G is a Lie group, K is a compact subgroup of G and M is a proper smooth G-manifold. Using properties of the regular representations L²(G) and L²(K), we first prove results about extending certain representations and embedding homogeneous spaces smoothly into Hilbert G-spaces. We then prove that M can be embedded as a closed smooth G-invariant submanifold of some Hilbert G-space. It follows that M admits a complete G-invariant smooth Riemannian metric.     

Orders and actions of branched coverings of hyperbolic links

Let M, M^′ be compact oriented 3-manifolds and L^′ a link in M^′ whose exterior has positive Gromov norm. We prove that the topological types of M and (M^′,L^′) determine the degree of a strongly cyclic covering branched over L^′. Moreover, if M^′ is a homology sphere then these topological types determine also the covering up to conjugacy.     

M(r, s)-ideals of compact operators

We study the position of compact operators in the space of all continuous linear operators and its subspaces in terms of ideals. One of our main results states that for Banach spaces X and Y the subspace of all compact operators K (X, Y) is an M(r ₁ r ₂, s ₁ s ₂)-ideal in the space of all continuous linear operators L(X, Y) whenever K (X,X) and K (Y, Y) are M(r ₁, s ₁)- and M(r ₂, s ₂)-ideals in L(X,X) and L(Y, Y), respectively, with r ₁ + s ₁/2 > 1 and r ₂ +s ₂/2 > 1. We also prove that the M(r, s)-ideal K (X, Y ) in L(X, Y ) is separably determined. Among others, our results complete and improve some well-known results on M-ideals.     

Ideal semigroups of noetherian domains and Ponizovski decompositions

Let R be an integral domain with quotient field K and L⊃K a finite extension field. By an R-lattice in L we mean a finitely generated R-module containing a basis of L over K. The set of all R-lattices is a commutative multiplicative semigroup. If R is one-dimensional and noetherian, we determine the structure of this semigroup and of the corresponding class semigroup by means of its partial Ponizovski factors. If moreover R is a Dedekind domain and L⊃K is separable, we give criteria for the partial Ponizovski factors to be groups in terms of the different and the conductor of their endomorphism rings.     

Immersion extension-lift over a Morse function

Let V be a compact connected oriented surface with boundary and f:∂V×[0,1)→R a non-singular function such that f|∂V×{0} is a Morse function. Let ι:∂V×[0,1)→V be a collaring of ∂V and π:R²→R an orthogonal projection. In this paper, we study existence of an orientation preserving immersion F:V→R² such that π°F°ι=f. We also study image homotopy classes of F when we fix f and study relation between two image homotopy classes when f is deformed under a Morse homotopy.     

Scaling group flow and Lefschetz trace formula for laminated spaces with p-adic transversal

In his approach to analytic number theory C. Deninger has suggested that to the Riemann zeta function (resp. the zeta function ζY(s) of a smooth projective curve Y over a finite field Fq, q=pf)) one could possibly associate a foliated Riemannian laminated space (SQ,F,g,?t) (resp. (SY,F,g,?t)) endowed with an action of a flow ?t whose primitive compact orbits should correspond to the primes of Q (resp. Y). Precise conjectures were stated in our report [E. Leichtnam, An invitation to Deninger's work on arithmetic zeta functions, in: Geometry, Spectral Theory, Groups, and Dynamics, in: Contemp. Math. vol. 387, Amer. Math. Soc., Providence, RI, 2005, pp. 201-236] on Deninger's work. The existence of such a foliated space and flow ?t is still unknown except when Y is an elliptic curve (see Deninger [C. Deninger, On the nature of explicit formulas in analytic number theory, a simple example, in: Number Theoretic Methods, Iizuka, 2001, in: Dev. Math., vol. 8, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, 2002, pp. 97-118]). Being motivated by this latter case, we introduce a class of foliated laminated spaces () where L is locally , D being an open disk of C. Assuming that the leafwise harmonic forms on L are locally constant transversally, we prove a Lefschetz trace formula for the flow ?t acting on the leafwise Hodge cohomology (0?j?2) of (S,F) that is very similar to the explicit formula for the zeta function of a (general) smooth curve over Fq. We also prove that the eigenvalues of the infinitesimal generator of the action of ?t on have real part equal to .Moreover, we suggest in a precise way that the flow ?t should be induced by a renormalization group flow “à la K. Wilson”. We show that when Y is an elliptic curve over Fq this is indeed the case. It would be very interesting to establish a precise connection between our results and those of Connes (p. 553 in [A. Connes, Noncommutative Geometry Year 2000, in: Special Volume GAFA 2000 Part II, pp. 481-559], p. 90 in [A. Connes, Symétries Galoisiennes et Renormalisation, in: Séminaire Bourbaphy, Octobre 2002, pp. 75-91]) and Connes-Marcolli [A. Connes, M. Marcolli, Q-lattices: quantum statistical mechanics and Galois theory, in: Frontiers in Number Theory, Physics and Geometry, vol. I, Springer-Verlag, 2006, pp. 269-350; A. Connes, M. Marcolli, From physics to number theory via noncommutative geometry. Part II: renormalization, the Riemann-Hilbert correspondence, and motivic Galois theory, in: Frontiers in Number Theory, Physics and Geometry, vol. II, Springer-Verlag, 2006, pp. 617-713] on the Galois interpretation of the renormalization group.     

Genera, band sum of knots and Vassiliev invariants

Recently Stoimenow showed that for every knot K and any n∈N and u₀?u(K) there is a prime knot Kn,uo which is n-equivalent to the knot K and has unknotting number u(Kn,uo) equal to u₀. The similar result has been obtained for the 4-ball genus gs of a knot. Stoimenow also proved that any admissible value of the Tristram-Levine signature σξ can be realized by a knot with the given Vassiliev invariants of bounded order. In this paper, we show that for every knot K with genus g(K) and any n∈N and m?g(K) there exists a prime knot L which is n-equivalent to K and has genus g(L) equal to m.     

On the height of 2-component links

Let p be a prime and let L be a 2-component link in S³. We define a numerical invariant, called p-height of L, using a tower of successive p-fold branched cyclic coverings of L, and show, in particular, 2-height is algorithmically determined for any 2-component link. Some relationships between p-height and known link type invariants are also established.     

The missing boundary problem for smooth manifolds of dimension greater than or equal to six

Let M be a non-compact differentiable manifold of dimension ?6. Suppose both M and ?M are 1-ended spaces. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for M to be diffeomorphic to the complement of a compact subset of the boundary of a compact manifold. There are four conditions: two geometric conditions and two algebraic obstructions. We give examples to show that these obstructions are not always trivial. In particular, an example of a manifold is constructed which does not have a completion but any tubular neighborhood of codimension ?3 has a completion. We also classify the different ways to complete a given manifold.     

Embedding solenoids in foliations

In this paper we find smooth embeddings of solenoids in smooth foliations. We show that if a smooth foliation F of a manifold M contains a compact leaf L with H¹(L;R) not equal to 0 and if the foliation is a product foliation in some saturated open neighborhood U of L, then there exists a foliation F^′ on M which is C¹-close to F, and F^′ has an uncountable set of solenoidal minimal sets contained in U that are pairwise non-homeomorphic. If H¹(L;R) is 0, then it is known that any sufficiently small perturbation of F contains a saturated product neighborhood. Thus, our result can be thought of as an instability result complementing the stability results of Reeb, Thurston and Langevin and Rosenberg.     

Amalgamated products and properly 3-realizable groups

In this paper, we show that the class of all properly 3-realizable groups is closed under amalgamated free products (and HNN-extensions) over finite groups. We recall that G is said to be properly 3-realizable if there exists a compact 2-polyhedron K with π₁(K)≅G and whose universal cover has the proper homotopy type of a 3-manifold (with boundary).     

How strange can an attractor for a dynamical system in a 3-manifold look?

The aim of this paper is to characterise those compact subsets K of 3-manifolds M that are (stable and not necessarily global) attractors for some flow on M. We will show that it is the topology of M−K, rather than that of K, the one that plays a relevant role in this problem.A necessary and sufficient condition for a set K to be an attractor is that it must be an “almost tame” subset of M in a sense made precise under the equivalent notions of “weakly tame” and “tamely embedded up to shape”, defined in the paper. These are complemented by a further equivalent condition, “algebraic tameness”, which has the advantage of being checkable by explicit computation.A final section of the paper is devoted to a partial analysis of the same question when one replaces flows by discrete dynamical systems.