Inductive Detection for Homotopy Equivalences of Manifolds

Let f:M N be a homotopy equivalence of CAT manifolds M and N (CAT := PL, TOP or DIFF) with finite fundamental groups. Each subgroup H 1(M) determines a homotopy equivalence fH:MH NH of the corresponding covering spaces. Suppose now that for each subgroup H in some particular class C (for example: elementary, hyperelementary or solvable) fH is homotopic to a CAT isomorphism. The general problem studied in this paper can be formulated as follows: If each map fH as above is homotopic to a CAT isomorphism, under what additional conditions on M, C and CAT is f itself (or f × idR) homotopic (properly homotopic) to a CATisomorphism?