Topological complexity, fibrations and symmetry

We show how locally smooth actions of compact Lie groups on a manifold X can be used to obtain new upper bounds for the topological complexity TC(X), in the sense of Farber. We also obtain new bounds for the topological complexity of finitely generated torsion-free nilpotent groups.     

On A(X) → TC(X) for some X

Let X be a connected based space and p be a two-regular prime number. If the fundamental group of X has order p, we compute the two-primary homotopy groups of the homotopy fiber of the trace map A(X) → TC(X) relating algebraic K-theory of spaces to topological cyclic homology. The proof uses a theorem of Dundas and an explicit calculation of the cyclotomic trace map K(ℤ[C_p])→ TC(ℤ[C_p]).     

Topological Complexity of Motion Planning

   Abstract. In this paper we study a notion of topological complexity TC (X) for the motion planning problem. TC (X) is a number which measures discontinuity of the process of motion planning in the configuration space X . More precisely, TC (X) is the minimal number k such that there are k different "motion planning rules," each defined on an open subset of X× X , so that each rule is continuous in the source and target configurations. We use methods of algebraic topology (the Lusternik—Schnirelman theory) to study the topological complexity TC (X) . We give an upper bound for TC (X) (in terms of the dimension of the configuration space X ) and also a lower bound (in terms of the structure of the cohomology algebra of X ). We explicitly compute the topological complexity of motion planning for a number of configuration spaces: spheres, two-dimensional surfaces, products of spheres. In particular, we completely calculate the topological complexity of the problem of motion planning for a robot arm in the absence of obstacles.     

Topological Complexity of Motion Planning

Abstract. In this paper we study a notion of topological complexity TC (X) for the motion planning problem. TC (X) is a number which measures discontinuity of the process of motion planning in the configuration space X . More precisely, TC (X) is the minimal number k such that there are k different "motion planning rules," each defined on an open subset of X× X , so that each rule is continuous in the source and target configurations. We use methods of algebraic topology (the Lusternik—Schnirelman theory) to study the topological complexity TC (X) . We give an upper bound for TC (X) (in terms of the dimension of the configuration space X ) and also a lower bound (in terms of the structure of the cohomology algebra of X ). We explicitly compute the topological complexity of motion planning for a number of configuration spaces: spheres, two-dimensional surfaces, products of spheres. In particular, we completely calculate the topological complexity of the problem of motion planning for a robot arm in the absence of obstacles.     

On the dimension of global sections of adjoint bundles for polarized 3-folds and 4-folds

Let (X,L) be a polarized manifold of dimension n defined over the field of complex numbers. In this paper, we treat the case where n=3 and 4. First we study the case of n=3 and we give an explicit lower bound for h⁰(K_X+L) if κ(X)≥0. Moreover, we show the following: if κ(K_X+L)≥0, then h⁰(K_X+L)>0 unless κ(X)=−∞ and h¹(O_X)=0. This gives us a partial answer of Effective Non-vanishing Conjecture for polarized 3-folds. Next for n=4 we investigate the dimension of H⁰(K_X+mL) for m≥2. If n=4 and κ(X)≥0, then a lower bound for h⁰(K_X+mL) is obtained. We also consider a conjecture of Beltrametti-Sommese for 4-folds and we can prove that this conjecture is true unless κ(X)=−∞ and h¹(O_X)=0. Furthermore we prove the following: if (X,L) is a polarized 4-fold with κ(X)≥0 and h¹(O_X)>0, then h⁰(K_X+L)>0.     

The disconnection number of a graph

The disconnection number d(X) is the least number of points in a connected topological graph X such that removal of d(X) points will disconnect X (Nadler, 1993 [6]). Let Dn denote the set of all homeomorphism classes of topological graphs with disconnection number n. The main result characterizes the members of Dn+1 in terms of four possible operations on members of Dn. In addition, if X and Y are topological graphs and X is a subspace of Y with no endpoints, then d(X)?d(Y) and Y obtains from X with exactly d(Y)−d(X) operations. Some upper and lower bounds on the size of Dn are discussed.The algorithm of the main result has been implemented to construct the classes Dn for n?8, to estimate the size of D₉, and to obtain information on certain subclasses such as non-planar graphs (n?9) and regular graphs (n?10).     

Topological entropy of maps on regular curves

In [G.T. Seidler, The topological entropy of homeomorphisms on one-dimensional continua, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 108 (1990) 1025-1030], G.T. Seidler proved that the topological entropy of every homeomorphism on a regular curve is zero. Also, in [H. Kato, Topological entropy of monotone maps and confluent maps on regular curves, Topology Proc. 28 (2) (2004) 587-593] the topological entropy of confluent maps on regular curves was investigated. In particular, it was proved that the topological entropy of every monotone map on any regular curve is zero. In this paper, furthermore we investigate the topological entropy of more general maps on regular curves. We evaluate the topological entropy of maps f on regular curves X in terms of the growth of the number of components of f−n(y) (y∈X).     

o-Boundedness of free topological groups

Assuming the absence of Q-points (which is consistent with ZFC) we prove that the free topological group F(X) over a Tychonov space X is o-bounded if and only if every continuous metrizable image T of X satisfies the selection principle fin_?(O,Ω) (the latter means that for every sequence 〈un〉_n∈ω of open covers of T there exists a sequence 〈vn〉_n∈ω such that vn∈[un]^<ω and for every F∈[X]^<ω there exists n∈ω with F⊂?vn). This characterization gives a consistent answer to a problem posed by C. Hernándes, D. Robbie, and M. Tkachenko in 2000.     

On the existence of continuous (approximate) roots of algebraic equations

The present paper considers the existence of continuous roots of algebraic equations with coefficients being continuous functions defined on compact Hausdorff spaces. For a compact Hausdorff space X, C(X) denotes the Banach algebra of all continuous complex-valued functions on X with the sup norm ∥⋅_∥∞. The algebra C(X) is said to be algebraically closed if each monic algebraic equation with C(X) coefficients has a root in C(X). First we study a topological characterization of a first-countable compact (connected) Hausdorff space X such that C(X) is algebraically closed. The result has been obtained by Countryman Jr, Hatori-Miura and Miura-Niijima and we provide a simple proof for metrizable spaces.Also we consider continuous approximate roots of the equation zn−f=0 with respect to z, where f∈C(X), and provide a topological characterization of compact Hausdorff space X with dimX?1 such that the above equation has an approximate root in C(X) for each f∈C(X), in terms of the first ?ech cohomology of X.     

On the symmetric hyperspace of the circle

By X(n), n?1, we denote the n-th symmetric hyperspace of a metric space X as the space of non-empty finite subsets of X with at most n elements endowed with the Hausdorff metric. In this paper we shall describe the n-th symmetric hyperspace S¹(n) as a compactification of an open cone over ΣDn−2, here Dn−2 is the higher-dimensional dunce hat introduced by Andersen, Marjanovi? and Schori (1993) [2] if n is even, and Dn−2 has the homotopy type of Sn−2 if n is odd (see Andersen et al. (1993) [2]). Then we can determine the homotopy type of S¹(n) and detect several topological properties of S¹(n).     

Fixed point property on symmetric products

For a metric continuum X, let Fn(X)={A⊂X:A is nonempty and has at most n points}. In this paper we show a continuum X such that F₂(X) has the fixed point property while X does not have it.     

Power integral bases for Selmer-like number fields

The Selmer trinomials are the trinomials f(X)∈{Xn−X−1,Xn+X+1|n>1 is an integer} over Z. For these trinomials we show that the ideal C=(f(X),f^′(X))Z[X] has height two and contains the linear polynomial (n−1)X+n. We then give several necessary and sufficient conditions for D[X]/(f(X)D[X]) to be a regular ring, where f(X) is an arbitrary polynomial over a Dedekind domain D such that its ideal C has height two and contains a product of primitive linear polynomials. We next specialize to the Selmer-like trinomials bXn+cX+d and bXn+cXn−1+d over D and give several more such necessary and sufficient conditions (among them is that C is a radical ideal). We then specialize to the Selmer trinomials over Z and give quite a few more such conditions (among them is that the discriminant Disc(Xn−X−1)=±(nn−(1−n)ⁿ⁻¹) of Xn−X−1 is square-free (respectively Disc(Xn+X+1)=±(nn+(1−n)ⁿ⁻¹) of Xn+X+1 is square-free)). Finally, we show that nn+(1−n)ⁿ⁻¹ is never square-free when n≡2 (mod 3) and n>2, but, otherwise, both are very often (but not always) square-free.     

Zero cycles on homogeneous varieties

In this paper we study the group A₀(X) of zero-dimensional cycles of degree 0 modulo rational equivalence on a projective homogeneous algebraic variety X. To do this we translate rational equivalence of 0-cycles on a projective variety into R-equivalence on symmetric powers of the variety. For certain homogeneous varieties, we then relate these symmetric powers to moduli spaces of étale subalgebras of central simple algebras which we construct. This allows us to show A₀(X)=0 for certain classes of homogeneous varieties for groups of each of the classical types, extending previous results of Swan/Karpenko, of Merkurjev, and of Panin.     

Algorithms for finding connected separators between antipodal points

A set (or a collection of sets) contained in the Euclidean space Rm is symmetric if it is invariant under the antipodal map. Given a symmetric unicoherent polyhedron X (like an n-dimensional cube or a sphere) and an odd real function f defined on vertices of a certain symmetric triangulation of X, we algorithmically construct a connected symmetric separator of X by choosing a subcollection of the triangulation. Each element of the subcollection contains the vertices v and u such that f(v)f(u)?0.     

Normal systems over ANR’s, rigid embeddings and nonseparable absorbing sets

Most of results of Bestvina and Mogilski [Characterizing certain incomplete infinite-di-mensional absolute retracts. Michigan Math. J., 33, 291-313 (1986)] on strong Z-sets in ANR's and absorbing sets is generalized to nonseparable case. It is shown that if an ANR X is locally homotopy dense embeddable in infinite-dimensional Hilbert manifolds and w(U ) = w(X ) (where "w"is the topological weight) for each open nonempty subset U of X , then X itself is homotopy dense embeddable in a Hilbert manifold. It is also demonstrated that whenever X is an AR, its weak product W (X, ) = {(x n ) ∞ n=1 ∈ X ω : x n = for almost all n} is homeomorphic to a pre-Hilbert space E with E ～ = ΣE. An intrinsic characterization of manifolds modelled on such pre-Hilbert spaces is given.     

Localization of André-Quillen-Goodwillie towers, and the periodic homology of infinite loopspaces

Let K(n) be the nth Morava K-theory at a prime p, and let T(n) be the telescope of a v_n-self map of a finite complex of type n. In this paper we study the K(n)_*-homology of Ω^∞X, the 0th space of a spectrum X, and many related matters.We give a sampling of our results.Let PX be the free commutative S-algebra generated by X: it is weakly equivalent to the wedge of all the extended powers of X. We construct a natural map

s_n(X):L_T(n)P(X)→L_T(n)Σ^∞(Ω^∞X)₊     

Minimal sets in compact connected subspaces

Let X be a topological space, f:X→X be a continuous map, and Y be a compact, connected and closed subset of X. In this paper we show that, if the boundary X_∂Y contains exactly one point v and f(v)∈Y, then Y contains a minimal set of f.     

QN-spaces, wQN-spaces and covering properties

The main results of the paper are as follows: covering characterizations of wQN-spaces, covering characterizations of QN-spaces and a theorem saying that Cp(X) has the Arkhangel'ski?ˇ property (α₁) provided that X is a QN-space. The latter statement solves a problem posed by M. Scheepers [M. Scheepers, Cp(X) and Arhangel'ski?ˇ's αi-spaces, Topology Appl. 89 (1998) 265-275] and for Tychonoff spaces was independently proved by M. Sakai [M. Sakai, The sequence selection properties of Cp(X), Preprint, April 25, 2006]. As the most interesting result we consider the equivalence that a normal topological space X is a wQN-space if and only if X has the property S₁(Γshr,Γ). Moreover we show that X is a QN-space if and only if Cp(X) has the property (α₀), and for perfectly normal spaces, if and only if X has the covering property (β₃).     

Separated Lie models and the homotopy Lie algebra

A simply connected topological space X has homotopy Lie algebra π_∗(ΩX)⊗Q. Following Quillen, there is a connected differential graded free Lie algebra (dgL) called a Lie model, which determines the rational homotopy type of X, and whose homology is isomorphic to the homotopy Lie algebra. We show that such a Lie model can be replaced with one that has a special property that we call being separated. The homology of a separated dgL has a particular form which lends itself to calculations.     

Oscillation in the initial segment complexity of random reals

We study oscillation in the prefix-free complexity of initial segments of 1-random reals. For upward oscillations, we prove that _∑n∈ω²−g(n) diverges iff (^∃∞n)K(X?n)>n+g(n) for every 1-random X∈ω². For downward oscillations, we characterize the functions g such that (^∃∞n)K(X?n)<n+g(n) for almost every X∈ω². The proof of this result uses an improvement of Chaitin's counting theorem—we give a tight upper bound on the number of strings σ∈n² such that K(σ)<n+K(n)−m.The work on upward oscillations has applications to the K-degrees. Write XK_?Y to mean that K(X?n)?K(Y?n)+O(1). The induced structure is called the K-degrees. We prove that there are comparable () 1-random K-degrees. We also prove that every lower cone and some upper cones in the 1-random K-degrees have size continuum.Finally, we show that it is independent of ZFC, even assuming that the Continuum Hypothesis fails, whether all chains of 1-random K-degrees of size less than ℵ₀² have a lower bound in the 1-random K-degrees.