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Sam Nead
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Yes, the surface is orientable. To simplify the LaTex and the exposition, I will change the notation and setting a small amount.


Suppose that $F$ is a compact connected embedded surface in three-sphere. Suppose that the image of $\pi_1(F)$ in $\pi_1(S^3 - \partial F)$ is trivial. We must show that $F$ is orientable.

In the base case, where $F$ has no boundary, this follows from Alexander's theorem.

Suppose that $\alpha$ is a boundary component of $F$. Let $\alpha'$ be a curve embedded in $F$ which is disjoint from, but is isotopic to (in $F$), the boundary component $\alpha$. Thus $\alpha$ and $\alpha'$ cobound an annulus in $F$. Since the image of $\pi_1(F)$ is trivial in $\pi_1(S^3 - \partial F)$, we have that $\alpha'$ bounds an immersed disk in $S^3 - \partial F$. By Dehn's lemma (that is, by a version of the Disk Theorem) $\alpha'$ bounds an embedded disk $D$ in $S^3 - \partial F$. Thus $\alpha$ is an unknot.

This holds for all boundary components of $F$. In fact, since all of the boundary components bound disks in $S^3 - \partial F$, we deduce that $\partial F$ is a split link. Surgering along separating spheres reduces us to the case where $F$ has only one boundary component. [There is some work here.]

Now consider the annulus $A$ between $\alpha$ and $\alpha'$. Note that $A$ is two-sided. So we may and do isotope $D$ slightly to make it transverse to $F$ and disjoint from the interior of $A$. Suppose that $\beta$ (perhaps equal to $\alpha'$) is an innermost curve of $F \cap D$. Let $D' \subset D$ be the subdisk bounded by $\beta$. Let $B \subset F$ be a small annulus neighbourhood of $\beta$.

We surger $F$ along $D'$ to obtain a new surface $F'$. That is, we form $F - B$ and glue on a pair of disks, both parallel to $D'$. If $F'$ is non-orientable, then it still has trivial $\pi_1$--image and has lower complexity (either has no boundary, has lower genus, or meets $D$ in a simpler way) than $F$. This is a contradiction.

We deduce that $F'$ is orientable and so is two-sided. We also deduce that the two boundaries of $B$ are attached to opposite sides of $F'$. Thus there is a (orientation reversing) curve $\gamma$ in $F$ that meets $\beta$ exactly once. We deduce that $\gamma$ has linking number one with $\alpha$. Thus $\gamma$ is non-trivial in the image of $\pi_1(F)$, a contradiction.


I think that the condition can be reduced to "$H_1$-image is trivial". The above argument does not immediately work (because surgery along an orientable surface can cause genus to increase).

Yes, the surface is orientable. To simplify the LaTex and the exposition, I will change the notation and setting a small amount.


Suppose that $F$ is a compact connected embedded surface in three-sphere. Suppose that the image of $\pi_1(F)$ in $\pi_1(S^3 - \partial F)$ is trivial. We must show that $F$ is orientable.

In the base case, where $F$ has no boundary, this follows from Alexander's theorem.

Suppose that $\alpha$ is a boundary component of $F$. Let $\alpha'$ be a curve embedded in $F$ which is disjoint from, but is isotopic to (in $F$), the boundary component $\alpha$. Thus $\alpha$ and $\alpha'$ cobound an annulus in $F$. Since the image of $\pi_1(F)$ is trivial in $\pi_1(S^3 - \partial F)$, we have that $\alpha'$ bounds an immersed disk in $S^3 - \partial F$. By Dehn's lemma (that is, by a version of the Disk Theorem) $\alpha'$ bounds an embedded disk $D$ in $S^3 - \partial F$. Thus $\alpha$ is an unknot.

This holds for all boundary components of $F$. In fact, since all of the boundary components bound disks in $S^3 - \partial F$, we deduce that $\partial F$ is a split link. Surgering along separating spheres reduces us to the case where $F$ has only one boundary component. [There is some work here.]

Now consider the annulus $A$ between $\alpha$ and $\alpha'$. Note that $A$ is two-sided. So we may and do isotope $D$ slightly to make it transverse to $F$ and disjoint from the interior of $A$. Suppose that $\beta$ (perhaps equal to $\alpha'$) is an innermost curve of $F \cap D$. Let $D' \subset D$ be the subdisk bounded by $\beta$. Let $B \subset F$ be a small annulus neighbourhood of $\beta$.

We surger $F$ along $D'$ to obtain a new surface $F'$. That is, we form $F - B$ and glue on a pair of disks, both parallel to $D'$. If $F'$ is non-orientable, then it still has trivial $\pi_1$--image and has lower complexity (either has no boundary, has lower genus, or meets $D$ in a simpler way) than $F$. This is a contradiction.

We deduce that $F'$ is orientable and so is two-sided. We also deduce that the two boundaries of $B$ are attached to opposite sides of $F'$. Thus there is a (orientation reversing) curve $\gamma$ in $F$ that meets $\beta$ exactly once. We deduce that $\gamma$ has linking number one with $\alpha$. Thus $\gamma$ is non-trivial in the image of $\pi_1(F)$, a contradiction.

Yes, the surface is orientable. To simplify the LaTex and the exposition, I will change the notation and setting a small amount.


Suppose that $F$ is a compact connected embedded surface in three-sphere. Suppose that the image of $\pi_1(F)$ in $\pi_1(S^3 - \partial F)$ is trivial. We must show that $F$ is orientable.

In the base case, where $F$ has no boundary, this follows from Alexander's theorem.

Suppose that $\alpha$ is a boundary component of $F$. Let $\alpha'$ be a curve embedded in $F$ which is disjoint from, but is isotopic to (in $F$), the boundary component $\alpha$. Thus $\alpha$ and $\alpha'$ cobound an annulus in $F$. Since the image of $\pi_1(F)$ is trivial in $\pi_1(S^3 - \partial F)$, we have that $\alpha'$ bounds an immersed disk in $S^3 - \partial F$. By Dehn's lemma (that is, by a version of the Disk Theorem) $\alpha'$ bounds an embedded disk $D$ in $S^3 - \partial F$. Thus $\alpha$ is an unknot.

This holds for all boundary components of $F$. In fact, since all of the boundary components bound disks in $S^3 - \partial F$, we deduce that $\partial F$ is a split link. Surgering along separating spheres reduces us to the case where $F$ has only one boundary component. [There is some work here.]

Now consider the annulus $A$ between $\alpha$ and $\alpha'$. Note that $A$ is two-sided. So we may and do isotope $D$ slightly to make it transverse to $F$ and disjoint from the interior of $A$. Suppose that $\beta$ (perhaps equal to $\alpha'$) is an innermost curve of $F \cap D$. Let $D' \subset D$ be the subdisk bounded by $\beta$. Let $B \subset F$ be a small annulus neighbourhood of $\beta$.

We surger $F$ along $D'$ to obtain a new surface $F'$. That is, we form $F - B$ and glue on a pair of disks, both parallel to $D'$. If $F'$ is non-orientable, then it still has trivial $\pi_1$-image and has lower complexity (either has no boundary, has lower genus, or meets $D$ in a simpler way) than $F$. This is a contradiction.

We deduce that $F'$ is orientable and so is two-sided. We also deduce that the two boundaries of $B$ are attached to opposite sides of $F'$. Thus there is a (orientation reversing) curve $\gamma$ in $F$ that meets $\beta$ exactly once. We deduce that $\gamma$ has linking number one with $\alpha$. Thus $\gamma$ is non-trivial in the image of $\pi_1(F)$, a contradiction.


I think that the condition can be reduced to "$H_1$-image is trivial". The above argument does not immediately work (because surgery along an orientable surface can cause genus to increase).

Source Link
Sam Nead
  • 28.1k
  • 5
  • 72
  • 131

Yes, the surface is orientable. To simplify the LaTex and the exposition, I will change the notation and setting a small amount.


Suppose that $F$ is a compact connected embedded surface in three-sphere. Suppose that the image of $\pi_1(F)$ in $\pi_1(S^3 - \partial F)$ is trivial. We must show that $F$ is orientable.

In the base case, where $F$ has no boundary, this follows from Alexander's theorem.

Suppose that $\alpha$ is a boundary component of $F$. Let $\alpha'$ be a curve embedded in $F$ which is disjoint from, but is isotopic to (in $F$), the boundary component $\alpha$. Thus $\alpha$ and $\alpha'$ cobound an annulus in $F$. Since the image of $\pi_1(F)$ is trivial in $\pi_1(S^3 - \partial F)$, we have that $\alpha'$ bounds an immersed disk in $S^3 - \partial F$. By Dehn's lemma (that is, by a version of the Disk Theorem) $\alpha'$ bounds an embedded disk $D$ in $S^3 - \partial F$. Thus $\alpha$ is an unknot.

This holds for all boundary components of $F$. In fact, since all of the boundary components bound disks in $S^3 - \partial F$, we deduce that $\partial F$ is a split link. Surgering along separating spheres reduces us to the case where $F$ has only one boundary component. [There is some work here.]

Now consider the annulus $A$ between $\alpha$ and $\alpha'$. Note that $A$ is two-sided. So we may and do isotope $D$ slightly to make it transverse to $F$ and disjoint from the interior of $A$. Suppose that $\beta$ (perhaps equal to $\alpha'$) is an innermost curve of $F \cap D$. Let $D' \subset D$ be the subdisk bounded by $\beta$. Let $B \subset F$ be a small annulus neighbourhood of $\beta$.

We surger $F$ along $D'$ to obtain a new surface $F'$. That is, we form $F - B$ and glue on a pair of disks, both parallel to $D'$. If $F'$ is non-orientable, then it still has trivial $\pi_1$--image and has lower complexity (either has no boundary, has lower genus, or meets $D$ in a simpler way) than $F$. This is a contradiction.

We deduce that $F'$ is orientable and so is two-sided. We also deduce that the two boundaries of $B$ are attached to opposite sides of $F'$. Thus there is a (orientation reversing) curve $\gamma$ in $F$ that meets $\beta$ exactly once. We deduce that $\gamma$ has linking number one with $\alpha$. Thus $\gamma$ is non-trivial in the image of $\pi_1(F)$, a contradiction.