All Questions
Tagged with dg.differential-geometry at.algebraic-topology
639 questions
147
votes
21
answers
23k
views
Are there examples of non-orientable manifolds in nature?
Whilst browsing through Marcel Berger's book "A Panoramic View of Riemannian Geometry" and thinking about the Klein bottle, I came across the sentence:
"The unorientable surfaces are never discussed ...
122
votes
7
answers
15k
views
Topology and the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics
I was very happy to learn that the work which led to the award of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics (shared between David J. Thouless, F. Duncan M. Haldane and J. Michael Kosterlitz) uses Topology. In ...
73
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Does $\Bbb{CP}^{2n} \# \Bbb{CP}^{2n}$ ever support an almost complex structure?
This question has been crossposted from Math.SE in the hopes that it reaches a larger audience here.
$\Bbb{CP}^{2n+1} \# \Bbb{CP}^{2n+1}$ supports a complex structure: $\Bbb{CP}^{2n+1}$ has an ...
- 9,580
64
votes
1
answer
4k
views
A dictionary of Characteristic classes and obstructions
I apologize in advance as this is not a research level question but rather one which could benefit from expert attention but is potentially useful mainly to novice mathematicians.
In an effort to ...
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63
votes
0
answers
2k
views
Are there periodicity phenomena in manifold topology with odd period?
The study of $n$-manifolds has some well-known periodicities in $n$ with period a power of $2$:
$n \bmod 2$ is important. Poincaré duality implies that odd-dimensional compact oriented manifolds ...
- 118k
62
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Atiyah-Singer theorem-a big picture
So far I made several attempts to really learn Atiyah-Singer theorem. In order
to really understand this result a rather broad background is required: you need
to know analysis (pseudodifferential ...
- 9,330
58
votes
10
answers
9k
views
de Rham cohomology and flat vector bundles
I was wondering whether there is some notion of "vector bundle de Rham cohomology".
To be more precise: the k-th de Rham cohomology group of a manifold $H_{dR}^{k}(M)$ is defined as the set of closed ...
- 1,939
50
votes
0
answers
12k
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Atiyah's paper on complex structures on $S^6$
M. Atiyah has posted a preprint on arXiv on the non-existence of complex structure on the sphere $S^6$.
https://arxiv.org/abs/1610.09366
It relies on the topological $K$-theory $KR$ and in ...
- 9,870
48
votes
3
answers
9k
views
Connected sum of topological manifolds
A definition of the connected sum of two $n$-manifolds $M$ and $M'$ begins by considering two $n$-balls $B$ in $M$, $B'$ in $M'$, and glueing the varieties $M\setminus \mathring B$ and $M'\setminus \...
- 12.9k
48
votes
0
answers
17k
views
What is the current understanding regarding complex structures on the 6-sphere?
In October 2016, Atiyah famously posted a preprint to the arXiv, "The Non-Existent Complex 6-Sphere" containing a very brief proof $S^6$ admits no complex structure, which I immediately read and ...
- 2,995
45
votes
13
answers
9k
views
Motivating the de Rham theorem
In grad school I learned the isomorphism between de Rham cohomology and singular cohomology from a course that used Warner's book Foundations of Differentiable Manifolds and Lie Groups. One thing ...
- 82.7k
41
votes
4
answers
4k
views
When is a submanifold of $\mathbf R^n$ given by global equations?
Let $M \subset \mathbf R^n$ be a (smooth) submanifold of dimension $d$. Under which conditions does there exist global equations defining $M$? By global equations I mean : does there exist a smooth ...
- 2,521
38
votes
4
answers
8k
views
Relative De Rham cohomologies
as far as I know, there are two main ways to have a relative version of De Rham Cohomology for a pair (M,N), where M and N are smooth manifolds and N is a closed (as a topological subspace) ...
- 830
35
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Finding the octonionic analog of the K3 surface, via (almost) hyperkahler geometry?
The K3 manifold is an amazing object in mathematics which plays an important role in several fields ranging from the study of smooth 4-manifolds to algebraic geometry to differential geometry and ...
- 27.5k
34
votes
8
answers
6k
views
Applications of super-mathematics to non-super mathematics
Supergeometry and more broadly supermathematics has been around for few decades. Since its introduction by physicists, there has been an some mathematical interest in them.
Although interesting in its ...
33
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What are the "correct" conventions for defining Clifford algebras?
I have three related questions about conventions for defining Clifford algebras.
1) Let $(V, q)$ be a quadratic vector space. Should the Clifford algebra $\text{Cliff}(V, q)$ have defining ...
- 118k
32
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Complex projective manifolds are homeomorphic if homotopy equivalent
If two complex projective manifolds are homotopy equivalent are they homeomorphic?
user164740
32
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Converse to Stokes' Theorem
Does satisfying Stokes' Theorem imply that a form is linear?
Let $M$ be an $n$-manifold. A differential $k$-form $\omega \in \Omega^k M$ assigns to each point $x \in M$ a function $\omega_x : \Lambda^...
- 63.9k
31
votes
9
answers
5k
views
Why should I prefer bundles to (surjective) submersions?
I hope this question isn't too open-ended for MO --- it's not my favorite type of question, but I do think there could be a good answer. I will happily CW the question if commenters want, but I also ...
- 54.6k
31
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What results about the topology of manifolds depend on the dimension mod 3?
There are a lot of interesting results about the topology of manifolds that depend on the dimension of the manifold mod 2, mod 4, or mod 8. The simplest ones involve the cup product
$$ \smile \colon ...
- 22.3k
29
votes
7
answers
4k
views
Why does the group act on the right on the principal bundle?
In many textbooks, in fact all textbooks I've seen, the fiberwise group action on the principal bundle is on the right. It seems to me that left actions and right actions are essentially the same. ...
- 1,398
29
votes
2
answers
2k
views
A simple proof that parallelizable oriented closed manifolds are oriented boundaries?
So let $M$ be a smooth closed orientable real manifold such that $M$ is parallelizable, i.e., the tangent space $TM$ of $M$ is trivial. From the triviality of $TM$ we get that the Stiefel-Whitney and ...
- 7,609
29
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Conceptual proof of classification of surfaces?
Every compact surface is diffeomorphic to $S^2$, $\underbrace{T^2\#\ldots \#T^2}_n$, or $\underbrace{RP^2\#\ldots \#RP^2}_n$ for some $n\ge 1$.
Is there a conceptual proof of this classification ...
- 43.2k
29
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Is the moduli space of unorientable Riemann surfaces with $pin^+$ structure orientable?
By a non-orientable Riemann surface ${\cal C}$, I mean a compact non-orientable two-manifold without boundary that is endowed with a conformal structure.
Such objects have a moduli space that is ...
- 1,369
29
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Does the Gauss-Bonnet theorem apply to non-orientable surfaces?
I hesitated for a long time to ask such an elementary-seeming question on Math Overflow, but when I asked and bountied it on Math SE, I found that a few experts seem to disagree on the answer, and I ...
- 1,311
28
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Example of 4-manifold with $\pi_1=\mathbb Q$
This might be well known for algebraic topologist. So I am looking for an explicit example of a 4 dimensional manifold with fundamental group isomorphic to the rationals $\mathbb Q$.
- 2,623
26
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Loop Spaces as Generalized Smooth spaces or as Infinite dimensional Manifolds?
There are two ways to define smooth mapping spaces and I want to know how they compare.
Let's take the concrete special case of free loops spaces. I think this is the most studied example so will ...
- 27.5k
26
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Euler characteristic and universal cover
Let $M$ be a compact manifold, let $\tilde{M}$ be its universal cover, and suppose that the Euler characteristic $\chi(\tilde{M})=0$.
My question is: does this imply that $\chi(M)=0$?
This is clear if ...
- 1,452
25
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Interplay between Loop Quantum Gravity and Mathematics
It is known that there are many interesting connections between String Theory and modern Mathematics, with a rich feedback going on in both directions: there have been advances in mathematics thanks ...
- 2,816
25
votes
1
answer
1k
views
When are fiber bundles reversible?
My question, in its most general form is this:
Given a fiber bundle $F\rightarrow E\rightarrow B$, when is there a fiber bundle $B\rightarrow E\rightarrow F$?
Here, F,E, and B can lie in whichever ...
- 6,546
24
votes
1
answer
1k
views
All fiber bundles over $S^2$ extendable to $\mathbb{C}P^\infty$?
I ran into the following sanity check. Is the following statement true?
Every smooth fiber bundle (with compact fiber) over $S^2$ can be extended to a smooth fiber bundle over $\mathbb{C}P^\infty$ (...
- 707
24
votes
3
answers
5k
views
A list of machineries for computing cohomology
This is not a question, but I just hope to hear more from everyone here on it.
A list of ready-to-use machineries to compute the de Rham / Cech cohomology of a manifold / variety. As far as I know, I ...
24
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Are there topological obstructions to the existence of almost quaternionic structures on compact manifolds?
$\DeclareMathOperator\End{End}\newcommand\Id{\mathrm{Id}}\DeclareMathOperator\Sp{Sp}\DeclareMathOperator\SO{SO}$I start with some background, but people familiar with the subject may jump directly to ...
- 2,140
24
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Combinatorial spin structures
I would like to know how to define spin structures combinatorially, for an oriented smooth manifold equipped with a triangulation. In the case of a 2d manifold, spin structures correspond to ...
- 1,579
23
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Uniqueness of compactification of an end of a manifold
Let $M$ be an $n$-dimensional manifold (smooth or topological). I call $\bar{M}$ a compactification of $M$ if it is an $n$-dimensional compact manifold with boundary $\partial \bar{M}$, an $(n-1)$-...
- 21.5k
23
votes
4
answers
5k
views
De Rham decomposition theorem, generalisations and good references
De Rham decomposition theorem states that every simply-connected Riemannian manifold $M$
that admits complementary sub-bundles $T'(M)$ and $T''(M)$ of its tangent bundle parallel with respect to the ...
- 28.9k
23
votes
2
answers
1k
views
fake $S^{2k}\times S^{2k}$
Let $X$ be a fixed closed manifold,$S(X)$ the structure set and $Aut(X)$ the group of self homotopy equivalence of $X$.
surgery theory tells us that $\mathcal{M}(X):=S(X)/Aut(X)$ is in bijection ...
- 593
23
votes
1
answer
4k
views
The Dedekind eta function in physics
This interesting little fellow (a nice introduction is the video "Mock Modular Forms are Everywhere" by Cheng and Felder) popped up in some operator algebra (Witt / Virasoro Lie algebra) I ...
22
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Applications of topological and diferentiable stacks
What are some examples of theorems about topology or differential geometry that have been proven using topological/differentiable stacks, or, some examples of proofs made easier by them? I'm well ...
- 15.5k
22
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Eversion of the 6-sphere in 7-space
Say that $S^n$ "admits eversion" if the inclusion $S^n \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^{n+1}$ is regularly homotopic to the antipodal map (where a "regular" homotopy is a continuous path through immersions).
...
- 732
22
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Does $\mathrm{E}_7/(\mathrm{SU}_8/(\mathbb{Z}/2))$ carry an almost complex structure?
Recall the list of irreducible simply connected inner symmetric spaces of compact type in dimension $4k+2$:
Hermitian symmetric spaces (one can write them down explicitly);
Grassmannians of oriented ...
- 2,140
21
votes
5
answers
7k
views
Maps inducing zero on homotopy groups but are not null-homotopic
Today my fellow grad student asked me a question, given a map f from X to Y, assume $f_*(\pi_i(X))=0$ in Y, when is f null-homotopic?
I search the literature a little bit, D.W.Kahn
Link
And M....
- 1,160
20
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Non-stably trivial bundle with trivial characteristic classes
Though it's relatively clear that the characteristic classes do not characterise a vector bundle (and after looking through some books) I could not find an example of a vector bundle which is not ...
- 4,432
20
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Integral cohomology of $SU(n)$ - looking for constants
I am interested in explicit generators of the cohomology $H^\bullet(SU(n),\mathbb{Z})$. Let $\omega = g^{-1} dg$ be the Maurer-Cartan form on $SU(n)$. The forms $\alpha_3,\alpha_5,\dots,\alpha_{2n-1}$,...
- 653
20
votes
1
answer
683
views
Super-cobordisms
One can construct the $d$-dimensional bordism category by declaring the objects to be the $(d-1)$-dimensional compact manifolds without boundary and the morphisms the $d$-dimensional bordisms between ...
- 865
20
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Does the holonomy map define a homomorphism $\pi_k(X)\to\pi_{k-1}(Hol(\nabla))$?
Consider a vector bundle $V\to E\to X$ with fiber $V$, with structure group $G$, and $X$ path-connected. Consider a connection $\nabla$ on $E$. Then for any loop $L$ in $X$, based at $p$, we have a ...
- 2,129
20
votes
0
answers
789
views
Is the determinant of cohomology a TQFT?
If $M$ is an oriented $d$-manifold, let $D(M)$ denote the top exterior power of $H^*(M,\mathbf{C})$. Then $D(M_1 \amalg M_2) = D(M_1) \otimes D(M_2)$. Is there a good recipe for a map $D(M) \to D(N)$...
- 4,949
19
votes
8
answers
2k
views
Theorems that led to very successful research programs in Geometry and Topology [closed]
In the recent times I have heard a lot about the following:
The Atiyah-Singer Index theorem
H-principle of Gromov ( and others )
It seems to me that these results led to decades of successful ...
19
votes
3
answers
3k
views
When does the tangent bundle of a manifold admit a flat connection?
Let $M$ be a smooth manifold, and let $TM$ denote its tangent bundle. Under what conditions does $TM$ admit a flat connection $\omega$?
Edit: Formerly, I asked about a flat connection on the frame ...
- 8,512
19
votes
1
answer
989
views
Can the product of a 3-dimensional lens space with a circle be diffeomorphic to another such product when the lens spaces aren't diffeomorphic?
This is a question that I need to answer in order to resolve an issue for my dissertation and I am looking for a reference. Here is the precise statement of the question.
Suppose we have two three-...
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