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8 votes
0 answers
232 views
+300

Maps with small fibers between manifolds of equal dimension

The following question is an attempt to revise this one into what I intended. Important revisions are shown in bold. Are there any known examples of a compact Riemannian manifold $M$ with (possibly ...
5 votes
1 answer
282 views

Codimension zero embeddings and maps with small fibers

Edit: as explained in my comment on alesia's answer, I mistakenly did not ask below the question I intended (due to my misguided efforts to simplify it). Thus, I revised and reposted my question here. ...
3 votes
1 answer
351 views

How to define relative orientation in terms of (co)homology?

Let $f\colon X\to Y$ be a smooth surjective map of smooth manifolds of dimension $n$ which are not necessarily orientable. A relative orientation of $X$ over $Y$ consists of an isomorphism $\psi\colon ...
5 votes
1 answer
380 views

Proving the Cork Theorem

I am reading Kirby's paper paper "Akbulut's corks and h-cobordisms of smooth simply connected 4-manifolds" and I have a question about how to actually prove the cork theorem from the results ...
14 votes
0 answers
326 views

When can we extend a diffeomorphism from a surface to its neighborhood as identity?

Let $M$ be a closed and simply-connected 4-manifold and let $f: M^4 \to M^4$ be a diffeomorphism such that $f^*: H^*(M;\mathbb{Z})\to H^*(M;\mathbb{Z})$ is the identity map. Moreover, let $\Sigma \...
1 vote
0 answers
177 views

If $X$ is a strong deformation retract of $\mathbb{R}^n$, then is $X$ simply connected at infinity?

Let $X \subseteq \mathbb{R}^n$, and assume there is a strong deformation retract from $\mathbb{R}^n$ to $X$. Is $X$ necessarily simply connected at infinity? (Edit) Follow up question: if there is a ...
0 votes
1 answer
135 views

Local embedding and disk in domain perturbation

Consider say $M=(\mathbb{S}^1\times\dotsb\times \mathbb{S}^1)-q$ ($n$-times). Assume that $B$ is an $n$ disk in $M$ (for instance, thinking of $\mathbb{S}^1$ as gluing $-1$ and $1$, the cube $B=[-\...
1 vote
0 answers
131 views

Can we construct a general counterexample to support the weak whitney embedding theorm?

The weak Whitney embedding theorem states that any continuous function from an $n$-dimensional manifold to an $m$-dimensional manifold may be approximated by a smooth embedding provided $m > 2n$. ...
2 votes
1 answer
163 views

Homological restrictions on certain $4$-manifolds

I am not very familiar with the non-compact $4$-manifold theory. So I apologize if the following question is very silly. Let $X$ be a non-compact, orientable $4$ manifold that is homotopic to an ...
2 votes
1 answer
130 views

Gluing isotopic smoothings

Let $M$ be a topological manifold which can be written as $M = U \cup V$ where $U$ and $V$ are open. Suppose both $U$ and $V$ admit smooth structures. Also assume that on the overlap $U \cap V$ the ...
1 vote
0 answers
200 views

Question regarding affine fibre bundles

Let $f:X\to Y$ be a morphism of affine varieties such that it is a fibre bundle with fibre $F$. Let $\pi_1(Y)=\Gamma$ be a free group (non abelian) of finite rank and $\pi_1(F)$ is a finite group $G$ ...
25 votes
1 answer
1k views

Is there a $4$-manifold which Immerses in $\mathbb{R}^6$ but doesn't Embed in $\mathbb{R}^7$?

I'm interested in both version of the question in the title, i.e. in the topological category and in the smooth category. By a topological immersion I mean a local embedding. I was asking in ...
6 votes
0 answers
297 views

Regarding homology of fiber bundle

Let $f: X\to Y$ be a smooth map between smooth manifolds, both connected. Let $Y=\cup_{i=1}^k Y_i$ be a finite union of disjoint locally closed submanifold $Y_i$ such that $f^{-1}(Y_i)\to Y_i$ is ...
40 votes
2 answers
2k views

Can the nth projective space be covered by n charts?

That is, is there an open cover of $\mathbb{R}P^n$ by $n$ sets homeomorphic to $\mathbb{R}^n$? I came up with this question a few years ago and I´ve thought about it from time to time, but I haven´t ...
1 vote
0 answers
217 views

How to check a fiber bundle is trivial

Given a smooth fiber bundle $X \to S^1,$ such that the fiber, $F$, is homotopic to $S^2 \vee S^2.$ Is it true that this is always a trivial fiber bundle? In general, how to check a fiber bundle is ...
1 vote
3 answers
660 views

How can I construct a closed manifold from a finite CW complex?

If I start with a, say, 3-CW complex $X$ which can be embedded in $\mathbb{R}^5$, I can get a neighbourhood $U$ of $X$ which has the same homotopy type of $X$. Then $U$ is a $5-$ dimensional open ...
5 votes
1 answer
738 views

Characteristic classes of a fibered sum

I will phrase this question in terms of attaching smooth manifolds along a submanifold, though it is certainly more general. Let $M_1$ and $M_2$ be smooth $n$-manifolds (maybe closed, for simplicity),...
0 votes
1 answer
554 views

Is the meaning of "irreducible manifold", "not reducible to other manifold"?

This is a cross post of MSE. Q1: What does "irreducible manifold" mean (not definition)? My understanding of "irreducible manifold" is "is not reducible (homotopic or ...
0 votes
1 answer
177 views

Existence of certain continuous curves

Let $\mathbb{S}^n$ be the $n$-sphere. I would like to know if anyone knows of the following result in the literature (or whether anyone knows a proof/counterexample). Let $f\colon\mathbb{S}^1\times[0,...
17 votes
3 answers
954 views

Can an oriented closed $n(\geq 2)$-dimensional manifold be smoothly embedded in $\mathbb{R}^{2n-1}$?

Can anyone provide me with an example of an orientable closed manifold $M$ of dimension $n\geq 2$, which cannot be smoothly embedded in $\mathbb R^{2n-1}$? I know these cannot exist for $n=1$, i.e. $S^...
5 votes
2 answers
308 views

Is this subset of matrices contractible inside the space of non-conformal matrices?

Set $\mathcal{F}:=\{ A \in \text{SL}_2(\mathbb{R}) \, | \, Ae_1 \in \operatorname{span}(e_1) \, \, \text{ and } \, \, A \, \text{ is not conformal} \,\}$, and $\mathcal{NC}:=\{ A \in M_2(\mathbb{R}) \...
140 votes
7 answers
34k views

Is the boundary $\partial S$ analogous to a derivative?

Without prethought, I mentioned in class once that the reason the symbol $\partial$ is used to represent the boundary operator in topology is that its behavior is akin to a derivative. But after ...
9 votes
3 answers
1k views

Link of a singularity

I would like to understand the topological type of a link of a singularity in a simple example. Consider for instance the cone ${xy-z^2=0}\subset\mathbb{C}^3$. If we set $x = x_1+ix_2, y = y_1+iy_2, z ...
4 votes
0 answers
452 views

Finite good covers on smooth manifolds

Let $M$ be a connected smooth manifold that is not necessarily compact but has the homotopy type of a finite CW complex. Does $M$ admit a finite good cover? (i.e. a finite cover by contractible ...
3 votes
2 answers
410 views

A question on continuous maps from Möbius to itself

Let $M$ denotes the Möbius strip. Then is it true that For every continuous map $f:M\to M$ there is $x\in M^\circ$ ($x\notin\partial M$) such that $f(f(x))=x$?
4 votes
0 answers
133 views

Equivalence of Flat Fiber Bundles vs Equivalence of Group Actions on the Fiber

Let's consider all flat fiber bundles with base space $B$ and fiber $F$, where $B$ and $F$ are compact and at least CW-complexes. (perhaps even topological/smooth manifolds if that helps) All those ...
7 votes
1 answer
614 views

Compactification of open manifolds in the form of a manifold( with zero Euler characteristic)

Edit: According to the interesting comments of Michael Albanese and Nick L we revise the question as follows: By manifold compactification of a manifold $M$ we mean a compact manifold $\tilde{M}$ ...
8 votes
2 answers
793 views

Does there exist a Haken manifold where all its incompressible surfaces are non-separating?

Every non-zero element in $H_2(M,\mathbb Z)$ corresponds to an incompressible surface. So these surfaces are non-separating. But I'm interested in knowing about separating incompressible surfaces. A ...
30 votes
2 answers
2k views

Does there exist any non-contractible manifold with fixed point property?

Does there exist any non-trivial space (i.e not deformation retract onto a point) in $\mathbb R^n$ such that any continuous map from the space onto itself has a fixed point. I highly suspect that the ...
2 votes
0 answers
138 views

Does any smooth oriented closed orbifold have a fundamental class

This thread:triangulation of orbifolds has shown that any smooth closed orbifold has a triangulation. My further question is: if the difference of any two triangulations $P$ and $Q$ is a boundary of a ...
2 votes
1 answer
308 views

Does any smooth orbifold can be triangulated by orbi-simplex(triangulation of orbifolds)

every smooth manifold can be triangulated, is it true for orbifold? Is it a known result? If yes, is there any reference? reply to the comment : G does not need to be any subgroup of Sn , any ...
2 votes
0 answers
305 views

Are homotopy equivalent manifolds with homeomorpic boundaries themselves homeomorphic?

Let $f:M \to M′$ be a homotopy equivalence of topological manifolds with boundary such that $dim(M)=dim(M′)$ and $f:\partial M \to \partial M′$ is a homeomorphism. Does this imply the existence of a ...
7 votes
1 answer
692 views

Homotopically trivial vs isotopically trivial diffeomorphisms

Let $M$ be a manifold. Let's say $M$ is smooth, connected, oriented. We can also assume that $M$ is closed if that makes things easier. Let $\mathit{Diff}(M)$ denote the group of diffeomorphisms of $...
4 votes
2 answers
619 views

Is it true that all sphere bundles are some double of disk bundle?

Let's consider a smooth sphere bundle over a smooth manifold with structure group is equal to the diffeomorphism group of sphere. Then, can we say that this is a double of some disk bundle? Thank you ...
3 votes
1 answer
270 views

Holonomic splitting

I am reading the book "Introduction to the h-Principle" by Eliashberg and Mishachev. At the moment I try to understand the Section 1.7 Holonomic splitting on page 12 but without success. I do not ...
2 votes
0 answers
652 views

Surjectivity of maps between spheres [closed]

I am wondering how to prove that a non-zero degree map from $S^n \to S^n$ is surjective. For example, identifying $S^1 \subset \mathbb{C}$, we can take $f:S^1 \to S^1$ via $f(z) = z^k$ with $k\neq 0$. ...
2 votes
0 answers
224 views

cross-sections of a sphere bundle

Let $M$ be a $m$-manifold and $M_0$ a submanifold of $M$. Let $X$ be a pointed topological space. In the paper On the homology of configuration spaces, Bodigheimer-Cohen-Taylor, Topology 1989, ...
-3 votes
1 answer
330 views

Loop space of manifold [closed]

Question A: The free loop space of a manifold is also a manifold? Question B: The free loop space of an algebraic variety is also a algebraic variety ? Are these questions asked or answered anywhere ...
7 votes
4 answers
10k views

Studying topology: which first, algebraic or differential? [closed]

I have recently studying the basics of topology (ideas in point set, connectedness compactness) and I want to continue my studies but i'm interested in both differential and algebraic topology. which ...
3 votes
1 answer
99 views

cartesian product rigidity for the punctured open disc

Q1: Let $D^n$ ($n\geq 1$) be the n-dimensional open disk. If $D^n-\{0\}$ is homeomorphic to $X\times (0,1)$, for some topological space $X$, does it necessarily follow that $X$ is homeomorphic to $S^{...
4 votes
2 answers
273 views

Question about lower homology class of cobordism

Assume there are three differential oriented manifold $M_0$, $M_1$, $W$ with $\partial W= M_0 \coprod -M_1$. Denote dim $M_0$=dim $M_1$=n, and dim W=n+1. We know that for the highest homology class, ...
2 votes
1 answer
407 views

Endomorphisms of degree d on a sphere with infinite fibers on a dense subset

Let $S^n$ be the sphere of dimension $n$. In order to construct a map $f:S^n\rightarrow S^n$ of degree $d\geq 2$ one has the following construction: Let $K$ be the complement of $d$ disjoint n-...
1 vote
1 answer
479 views

Homology and homotopy of a surface

Suppose $S$ be a closed orientable genous $g$ surface. Let $f$,$g$ be homeomorphis from $S$ to itself. Assume they induce the same map on 1st homology $H_1(S, \mathbb Z).$ My question is; does this ...