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Questions tagged [euler-characteristics]

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Partial sums of Möbius function and Euler characteristic of a simplicial complex for closed sets of a topology on the prime powers?

In A cell complex in number theory by Anders Björner, 2011 a number theoretic cell complex is described which has the property that the Euler characteristic is related to the Mertens function: $$M(n) =...
mathoverflowUser's user avatar
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Noether's formula for real algebraic surfaces

Is there a version of Noether's formula for the Euler characteristic of a surface for Real algebraic surfaces? Specifically, given $X$ a real algebraic compact smooth surface, what is the relationship ...
Serge the Toaster's user avatar
4 votes
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202 views

Possible Euler characteristics of manifolds with tangential structures

Let $p:B\to BO$ be a fibration. We say that a manifold has a $B$-structure if its stable tangent bundle lifts to $B$. I am interested in the question of whether there exists, for a given even ...
Simona Vesela's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
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Is it known whether a homeomorphism close to the identity of a compact manifold with nonzero Euler characteristic necessarily has a fixed point?

I recently saw in Kirby's list of open problems that it isn't known if two commuting homeomorphisms of a compact manifold close to the identity necessarily share a common fixed point, when the ...
Ahmad Rafiqi's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
586 views

When are bundles of odd and even differential forms isomorphic?

Let $M$ be a compact oriented $n$-manifold. Denote $\Omega^k := {\bigwedge}^k T^*M$ the vector bundle of differential $k$-forms, and let $\Omega^{\text{odd}} := \bigoplus_{\text{$k$ odd}} \Omega^k$ ...
Ceka's user avatar
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Fibrations and Euler characteristics with bad fundamental group

Consider a fibration $F\to E\to B$ where $H^i(F;\mathbb{Q})$ and $H^i(B;\mathbb{Q})$ are finite-dimensional, and they vanish for $i\gg 0$, and $B$ is connected. However, we do not assume that $B$ is ...
Neil Strickland's user avatar
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Grothendieck ring of varieties in positive characteristic, away from the characteristic

In "The universal Euler characteristic for varieties of characteristic zero", Bittner shows that over a field $k$ of characteristic zero, the Grothendieck ring $K_{0}(Var_{k})$ of varieties ...
Piotr Pstrągowski's user avatar
32 votes
3 answers
4k views

Did ancient mathematicians know Euler's characteristic for convex polyhedra?

The formula $V-E+F=2$ is so simple that I can't believe that it was really Euler (or perhaps Descartes) who first observed it (I mean the formula itself in some generality, not necessarily a valid ...
Jochen Wengenroth's user avatar
4 votes
0 answers
100 views

When can the trace on cohomology be computed as the Euler characteristic of fixed points?

In this question all groups are finite, and all spaces are nice (eg, simplicial sets). Given a $G$ space $X$, which we assume has finitely many nonzero cohomology groups, we can compute the trace of ...
Chris H's user avatar
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Polynomiality of the equivariant Euler characteristic of a sheaf tensored with a standard line bundle on the flag variety

Let ${\mathcal B}=Fl(V)$ be the variety of complete flags in an $(m+2n)$-dimensional vector space $V$ over $\mathbb C$. Then we have the standard line bundles $\mathcal{O}(\lambda)$ on $\mathcal B$ ...
IntegrableSystemsEnthusiast's user avatar
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Does the (Poincare) dual complex represent the same topology?

To start with, consider some abstract $3$-dimensional simplicial complex $\Delta$ representing a manifold without boundary, for simplicity. Then, there is this well-known construction of the "(...
B.Hueber's user avatar
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Signed number of pieces in a decomposition in the Grothendieck ring of varieties

Let $X/k$ be a (geometrically integral and connected) variety over $k$ either a field of characteristic $0$ or a finite field. Let $[X] = \sum_{i\in I}[Y_i] - \sum_{j\in J}[Z_j]$ be a decomposition ...
Asvin's user avatar
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12 votes
1 answer
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Source of a quote by Ferdinand Rudio

I am looking for the source and context of this quote, found e.g. at St Andrews: Only with the greatest difficulty is one able to follow the writings of any author preceding Euler, because it was ...
Francois Ziegler's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
539 views

Euler characteristic of pseudomanifolds with boundary

It is a well-known fact that for every compact oriented odd-dimensional manifold $\mathcal{M}$ with boundary it holds that $$\chi(\mathcal{M})=\frac{1}{2}\chi(\partial\mathcal{M}).$$ In particular, if ...
G. Blaickner's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
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Euler characteristic of the simplicial complex of sets of elements in a semilattice with non-zero meet

In a combinatorial computation, I came across the following quantity: Consider a finite meet semilattice $L$, that is, a finite poset which is closed under $\min$. Denote the least element of $L$ by $...
Christian Gorski's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
500 views

Refined Euler characteristic

Is there a refinement of Euler characteristic that distinguishes between the torus $S^1 \times S^1$ and the cylinder $S^1 \times [0,1]$? (The intuition here is that $\chi$ is multiplicative, so that $...
James Propp's user avatar
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11 votes
0 answers
629 views

Can this be interpreted as one Euler characteristic?

Let $[n]:=\{1,\cdots,n\}$. It is known that $\{\log(p) \mid p \text{ is prime }\}$ is linearly independent over $\mathbb{Q}$. For a subset $A \subset [n]$ we can consider the matrix $L(A):=(\log(x) \...
user avatar
7 votes
0 answers
181 views

In what sense do the real and complex places correspond to setting q equal to 1 or -1?

It often happens that if we have a scheme $X/\mathbb Z$ (or an open subset thereof) and we denote by $p(q) = X(\mathbb F_q)$, then $p(1)$ and $p(-1)$ compute the euler characteristic of $X(\mathbb C)$ ...
Asvin's user avatar
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32 votes
4 answers
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Spectrum of the Grothendieck ring of varieties

Here's a problem that may ultimately require just simple algebraic-geometry skills to be solved, or perhaps it's very deep and will never be solved at all. From the comments, some literature and my ...
Ilya Nikokoshev's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
417 views

Variation of Euler characteristic when the sheaf is not flat

Let $f:X \to Y$ be a flat, projective morphism with $Y$ integral and every fiber of $f$ normal and integral. Let $F$ be a torsion-free, coherent sheaf on $X$ (not necessarily flat over $Y$). Then, is ...
user45397's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
468 views

Euler Characteristic of $SL_m(\mathbb{C})/SO_m(\mathbb{C})$

As described in the title, what is the (topological) Euler characteristic of the homogeneous space $SL_m(\mathbb{C})/SO_m(\mathbb{C})$?
Winnie_XP's user avatar
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11 votes
3 answers
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In Gromov-Witten theory, why is the string coupling constant weighted by $2g-2$?

Let $X$ be a Calabi-Yau threefold and let us fix a homology class $\beta\in H_2(X,\mathbb Z)$, just for simplicity. The generating series of Gromov-Witten invariants of $X$ in class $\beta$, $$\mathsf ...
Brenin's user avatar
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3 votes
0 answers
145 views

Is the secondary Euler characteristic a categorical trace?

Context: The ordinary Euler characteristic of a complex (satisfying appropriate finiteness conditions so that all cohomology groups are finite-dimensional over some field ''k'', say, and only finitely ...
Jakob's user avatar
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23 votes
6 answers
2k views

Is there a topological description of combinatorial Euler characteristic?

There are a collection of definitions of "combinatorial Euler characteristic", which is different from the "homotopy Euler characteristic". I will describe a few of them and give some references, and ...
Theo Johnson-Freyd's user avatar
16 votes
3 answers
3k views

Multiplicativity of Euler characteristic for non-orientable fibrations

Let $E\to B$ be a fibration with fiber F, and assume for simplicity that B is connected. Suppose moreover that B and F have Euler characteristics (perhaps they are manifolds). Then often, one can ...
Mike Shulman's user avatar
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18 votes
4 answers
2k views

Spaces that are both homotopically and cohomologically finite

Is it true that every connected space with 1) just finitely many nontrivial homotopy groups, all finite, and 2) just finitely many nontrivial rational cohomology groups, all finite rank, is ...
John Baez's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
243 views

Compact simply-connected homogeneous symplectic manifold

I was reading a paper in which the authors use the fact that any compact simply-connected homogeneous symplectic manifold has non-zero Euler characteristic. They prove it by quoting a theorem by ...
Valentino's user avatar
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Is this line of thought (using linear algebra to get number theoretic results) already being pursued in the literature?

Let $Log(n) = \sum_{i=1}^r \alpha_i \cdot e_i$, where $n = \prod_{i=1}^r p_i^{\alpha_i}$ and $p_i$ is the $i$-th prime, $\alpha_i \ge 0$, $e_i$ is the $i$-th standard basis vector. For example $6 = 2\...
user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
276 views

Intuition for the Euler form in a finitary category

Suppose that $\mathcal{C}$ is a finitary category, so for any two objects $A$ and $B$ we have that $|\mathrm{Ext}^i(A,B)| < \infty$ for $i\geq 0$, suppose $\mathcal{C}$ has finite global dimension, ...
Mike Pierce's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
690 views

What is the Euler characteristic of a mapping space?

Suppose that $A$ and $B$ are topological spaces homotopy equivalent to finite cell complexes, and let $B^A = \mathrm{maps}(A,B)$ denote the space of maps from $A$ to $B$. Is it there a formula for ...
Theo Johnson-Freyd's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
615 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 $\tilde{M}$ ...
Ali Taghavi's user avatar
14 votes
4 answers
4k views

Is the Euler characteristic a birational invariant

Suppose that $X$ and $Y$ are smooth projective varieties which are birationally equivalent. I would like to have that $$\textrm{deg} \ \textrm{td}(X) = \textrm{deg} \ \textrm{td}(Y).$$ Invoking the ...
Ariyan Javanpeykar's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
427 views

On Lefschetz theorem and sum of Betti numbers as lower bounds for fixed points

Let $M$ be a closed manifold with holomorphic cell decomposition (if it is complex), or at least with only even cohomology. In particular, its Euler characteristic is equal to the sum of its Betti ...
BrianT's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
98 views

Compact $G$-ENR's and Euler characteristic computed with Alexander-Spanier cohomology with compact support

Let $(Z,A)$ a compact ENR pair, then $$\chi(Z)=\chi_c(Z-A)+\chi(A)$$ where $\chi_c$ is the Euler characteristic taken in Alexander-Spanier cohomology with compact support (ENR means euclidean ...
Victor TC's user avatar
  • 795
17 votes
3 answers
2k views

Is Euler characteristic of a simplicial complex upper bounded by a polynomial in the number of its facets ?

What is the best upper bound known on the (absolute value of) the Euler characteristic of a simplicial complex in terms of the number of its facets ? In particular, I am interested in proving or ...
Raghav Kulkarni's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
126 views

Properties of a generalization (regularization) of the Euler characteristic?

Intro: This question is about a version of the Euler characteristic for infinite dimensional chain complexes. I have no idea if this is a pre-existing concept, that's essentially what my query is ...
Julian Chaidez's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
72 views

A version of Hurwitz' theorem in terms of Euler characteristic

Page 203 of Farb and Margalit's Primer on Mapping Class Groups contains the result: Let $g ≥ 2$. The order of any finite subgroup of $MCG(S_g)$ is at most $84(g − 1)$. I've been told by my ...
Alex Townsend-Teague's user avatar
27 votes
2 answers
3k views

Euler Characteristic of a manifold with non-vanishing vector field,

A friend of mine recently asked me if I knew any simple, conceptual argument (even one that is perhaps only heuristic) to show that if a triangulated manifold has a non-vanishing vector field, then ...
Dick Palais's user avatar
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12 votes
1 answer
818 views

Does the Grothendieck ring of varieties contain torsion?

Let $K_0(Var_k)$ be the abelian group generated by the isomorphism classes of varieties over the field $k$ with the relations $$[X]=[U]+[X\setminus U]$$ for every variety $X$ and open subvariety $U$. ...
Dominik's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
302 views

On the notion of multiplicity of a fixed point [closed]

I am trying to understand the notion of multiplicity of a fixed point of a map $f: M \to M$, say, $M$ being a smooth closed manifold, and $f$ being a smooth diffeomorphism. There is a notion of ...
BrianT's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
797 views

Euler characteristic of local system depends only on rank?

Let $X$ be a proper variety over a finite field $k$ of characteristic $p>0$, and let $\mathcal F$ be a finite rank $\mathbb F_\ell$ local system on (the etale site of) $X$. Is it true (and, if so, ...
John Pardon's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
2k views

For which classes of topological spaces Euler characteristics is defined?

I would like to know something more than what is written on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler_characteristic What would be some large (largest?) class of topological spaces for which $\chi$...
Dmitri Panov's user avatar
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3 votes
0 answers
368 views

Integral of Gaussian curvature multiplied by mean curvature

Let $M$ be a 3-manifold with positive definite metric $g$, and let $S\subset M$ be an oriented 2-surface. For $x\in S$ let $K(x)$ be the Gaussian curvature and $H(x)$ be the mean curvature of $S$ at ...
Josh Kirklin's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
982 views

The Gauss-Bonnet theorem for Sheaves

Euler Characteristic of Sheaves and the Generalized Gauss-Bonnet Theorem Consider a sheaf $\mathscr{F}$ over a site $\mathscr{(C,J)}$, where $\mathscr{C}$ is a small category with a coverage $\mathscr{...
user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
703 views

When does an even-dimensional manifold fiber over an odd-dimensional manifold?

Are there simple necessary and sufficient conditions for an (oriented) even-dimensional compact smooth manifold to fiber over an (oriented) odd-dimensional manifold (with oriented fibers)? For ...
Theo Johnson-Freyd's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
3k views

Euler Characteristic of a Variety

Let $Y$ be a "nice" scheme. I am thinking projective varieties over an algebraically closed field, for now, but I am open to more general results. In terms of singular homology (...
Jesko Hüttenhain's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
1k views

Euler characteristic, Gauss-Bonnet, and a product formula

I know very little about the Pfaffian or how it works, and I'm new at Riemannian geometry in general. But I was wondering if there is some way to make this "intuitive" argument for the fact that a ...
Dylan Wilson's user avatar
  • 13.5k
20 votes
2 answers
1k views

What's the cell structure of K(Z/nZ, 1)? Does it let me sum this divergent series? What about other finite groups?

The Eilenberg-Maclane space $K(\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}, 1)$ has a particularly simple cell structure: it has exactly one cell of each dimension. This means that its "Euler characteristic" should be ...
Qiaochu Yuan's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
483 views

Generalized Euler characteristics of non-motivic origin

By a generalized Euler characteristic $\chi$, I mean an isomorphism invariant $\chi(V)$ inside some abelian group $A$, defined for every varietiy $V$ over a field $k$, with the property that, for all ...
Dominik's user avatar
  • 3,017
0 votes
1 answer
195 views

Triviality of certain vector bundles

Let $M$ be a smooth manifold and let $SM$ be the bundle of symmetric bi-linear forms on $TM.$ Riemannian metrics are a particular kind of sections in this bundle. Since any manifold admits a global ...
Mike Cocos's user avatar