Skip to main content

Questions tagged [fundamental-group]

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
66 votes
4 answers
6k views

Is $\mathbb{R}^3 \setminus \mathbb{Q}^3$ simply connected?

Similarly is the complement of any countable set in $\mathbb R^3$ simply connected? Reading around I found plenty of articles discussing the path connectedness $\mathbb R^2 \setminus \mathbb Q^2$ and ...
Nick R's user avatar
  • 1,187
7 votes
1 answer
362 views

Does there exist an algebraic space with large fundamental group but no finite etale covers by schemes

Does there exits a smooth proper algebraic space $X$ over $\mathbb C$ with "large" fundamental group such that no finite etale cover of $X$ is a scheme? By "large" fundamental group I mean that $X$ ...
John Koal's user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
951 views

Relationship between étale and topological $K(\pi,1)$s

I was trying to find a proof, or a counterexample to the claim that if $X/\mathbb{C}$ is connected smooth projective, then $X$ is a $K(\pi^{\mathrm{\acute{e}t}},1)$ if and only if $X^\mathrm{an}$ is a ...
Alex Youcis's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
278 views

Trying to relate the fundamental groupoid to vector bundles

Fix a topological space $X$. Now consider a functor from the fundamental groupoid of $X$ to the category $Vect$. In other words, we assign a vector space to each point of $X$, we allow ourselves to ...
GraduateStudent's user avatar
23 votes
3 answers
2k views

How bad can $\pi_1$ of a linear group orbit be?

Let $G$ be a simply connected Lie group and $\mathcal O= G(v)=G/G_v$ a $G$-orbit in some finite-dimensional $G$-module $V$. By the homotopy exact sequence, its fundamental group $\Gamma$ is the ...
Francois Ziegler's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
449 views

Etale Fundamental group of an algebraic group

I want to calculate the algebraic fundamental group of a an algebraic group over a riemann surface over $\mathbb C$ (or a smooth algebraic projective curve). Let me state the first case where $\...
Z.A.Z.Z's user avatar
  • 1,891
2 votes
0 answers
317 views

A homomorphism in the long exact sequence of a fibration for a homogeneous space of a Lie group

Let $G$ be a connected Lie group, and let $H\subset G$ be a (closed) Lie subgroup, not necessarily connected. Set $X=G/H$. The fibration $j\colon G\to X$ with fiber $H$ induces an exact sequence $$ \...
Mikhail Borovoi's user avatar
4 votes
0 answers
216 views

How do we see the rank of the braid group?

The only presentation of the braid group that most people ever see is the standard Artin presentation $$B_n=\langle σ_1,\cdots,σ_{n−1}|\ σ_iσ_j=σ_jσ_i\ \ (|i−j|>1),\ σ_iσ_{i+1}σ_i=σ_{i+1}σ_i σ_{i+...
dvitek's user avatar
  • 1,723
27 votes
1 answer
1k views

Nonabelian topological fundamental group of a conjugate variety

Let $X$ be a pointed algebraic variety over the field of complex numbers $\mathbb{C}$. Let $\pi_1^{\rm top}(X)$ and $\pi_1^{\mathrm{\acute{e}t}}(X)$ denote the topological and the étale fundamental ...
Mikhail Borovoi's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
205 views

Double coset separability and the existence of vanishing sequences for surface group

Definition: Let $G$ be a group. $G$ is said to be double coset separable if given any finitely generated subgroups $H$ and $K$ in $G$, given any $g\in G$ and $h\not\in HgK$, there exists a finite ...
Cusp's user avatar
  • 1,713
8 votes
0 answers
220 views

Does the fundamental group identify group structure on subvarieties of products of curves?

Let $C_1,\dots, C_n$ be smooth curves over $\overline{\mathbb F}_p$, not necessarily proper. Let $X$ be a subvariety of $C_1 \times \dots \times C_n$. I'm interested in the natural map: $$ \pi_1^{ab}(...
Will Sawin's user avatar
  • 149k
4 votes
1 answer
573 views

A lower-dimensional algebraic topology problem between homology group and fundamental group

Let \begin{equation} A\stackrel{\alpha}{\longrightarrow}B\stackrel{\beta}{\longrightarrow}C\quad\quad (1) \end{equation} be a short sequence of (abelian or nonabelian) groups and homomorphisms. We say ...
Changyu Guo's user avatar
  • 1,881
33 votes
1 answer
4k views

Is there a manifold with fundamental group $\mathbb{Q}$?

It is known that the fundamental group of a locally path connected, path connected compact metric space is finitely presented or uncountable. Furthermore the fundamental group of every manifold is ...
123...'s user avatar
  • 683
8 votes
2 answers
615 views

Are profinite groups of cardinality $|\mathbb{R}|$ determined by their finite quotients?

Question: Let $G,H$ be profinite groups of cardinality $|\mathbb{R}|$, with the same finite quotients (here I only consider quotients by normal, open subgroups). Then are $G$ and $H$ isomorphic? ...
jacob's user avatar
  • 2,834
20 votes
0 answers
2k views

Etale fundamental group of a curve in characteristic $p$

Let $C$ be a connected, smooth, proper curve of genus $g$ over an algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $p>0$. Let $\pi_1(C)$ be the etale fundamental group of $C$ - I only care about ...
jacob's user avatar
  • 2,834
3 votes
1 answer
294 views

Is the fundamental group of an open arithmetic Riemann surface contained in $\Gamma(2)$

Let $X$ be a non-compact Riemann surface with universal covering $\mathbb H$ and suppose that the fundamental group of $X$ is an arithmetic subgroup of $\mathrm{Aut}(\mathbb H) = \mathrm{PSL}_2(\...
Stephan29's user avatar
27 votes
2 answers
3k views

Teaching the fundamental group via everyday examples

This question is a "prequel" to a similar question about homology. Both questions were inspired by seeing a talk, by Tadashi Tokieda, about the interesting physics that appears in toys. What ...
1 vote
1 answer
422 views

Algebraic topology, Dynamical systems [closed]

Let $T^2$ be a 2-torus and $f:T^2\rightarrow T^2$ a smooth map. Let $f_*:\pi_1(T^2)\rightarrow\pi_1(T^2)$ be the induced map on the fundamental group $\pi_1$. If $f_*$ has no eigenvalue greater than 1,...
Jose Santana's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
176 views

which sections of elliptic curves are conjugate?

Suppose you have a relative elliptic curves $f : E\rightarrow S$ (say $S$ is connected). Then suppose you have two sections $g,g' : S\rightarrow E$, corresponding to two sections $g_*,g'_*$ to the map ...
Will Chen's user avatar
  • 10.7k
5 votes
0 answers
199 views

Algebraic fundamental group without regularity at infinity

Suppose $X$ is a smooth (connected) variety over $\mathbb{C}$. Let $\mathscr{C}$ be the category of finite rank vector bundles on $X$ equipped with an integrable connection, and let $\mathscr{C}'$ be ...
Julian Rosen's user avatar
  • 9,061
2 votes
0 answers
880 views

Question about the specialization map for Etale Fundamental Groups

Let $A$ be a complete, discrete valuation ring, and let $s$ (resp $\eta$) be the special (resp. generic) point of $S=Spec(A)$. Let $\phi:X \rightarrow S$ be a proper morphism and fix geometric base ...
KristianJS's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
651 views

question about the induced homomorphism of etale fundamental groups

Background/Setup For any connected scheme $S$, let $\text{FEt}_S$ denote the category of finite etale $S$-schemes. Let $f : X\rightarrow Y$ be a morphism of connected schemes, then for any finite ...
Will Chen's user avatar
  • 10.7k
27 votes
3 answers
7k views

Why are we interested in the Fundamental Groupoid of a Space?

The classical version of the van Kampen theorem is concerned about the fundamental group of a based space. In fact, it says that the functor $\pi_1$ preserves certain types of pushouts in $Top_*$. ...
Jorge António's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

Question about the fundamental group of rational homology 3-spheres

By a rational homology 3-sphere, I mean a compact oriented manifold three-manifold $Y$ with $H_1(Y)$ finite. My question is whether there exists a reasonable classification of such manifolds such that ...
Daniel Pomerleano's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

On the fundamental group of closed 3-manifolds

I know that every finitely presented group can be realized as the fundamental group of a compact, connected, smooth manifold of dimension 4 (or higher). In dimension 2 there are strong restriction on ...
Dario's user avatar
  • 683
4 votes
2 answers
583 views

a question on rank of fundamental group

Assume $G$ be the fundamental group of a closed orientable hyperbolic 3-manifold. Let $G_{1} = \langle a_{1},...,a_{k} \rangle$ be a free subgroup of $G$, and let $G_{2}=\langle a_{k+1} \rangle$ be a ...
yanqing 's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
264 views

Isomorphism étale fundamental group

Given a birational proper morphism $f\colon X \rightarrow Y$ ( Assume $X$ and $Y$ irreducible ) of complex algebraic varieties. It is always true that $f^* \colon \pi^{et}_1 (X)\rightarrow \pi^{et}_1(...
Joaquín Moraga's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
595 views

Fundamental group of a manifold with an $S^1$-action

Let $M$ be a compact connected manifold with an $S^1$-action. Suppose that $S^1$ has a fixed point in $M$. Is it true that $\pi_1(M)=\pi_1(M/S^1)$? I is there some reference or a short proof of this ...
aglearner's user avatar
  • 14.3k
4 votes
0 answers
517 views

Exact sequence of the fundamental group of the general fiber

Let $f\colon X\rightarrow Y$ be a morphism of complex algebraic varieties. Let $y\in Y$ be a general point, then we have a sequence of homomorphisms of fundamental groups induced by the inclusion of ...
Joaquín Moraga's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
136 views

algebraic varieties whose fundamental group is subgroup separable wrt subvariety subgroups

Call an algebraic variety $\pi_1$-subgroup separable iff, for every $Y\subseteq X$ a closed subvariety and $\hat Y\xrightarrow{i} Y$ a normalisation of $Y$, and subgroup $\Gamma=Im(\pi_1(\hat Y,y)\...
mmm 's user avatar
  • 1,299
4 votes
0 answers
152 views

local systems with cyclic monodromy

In their book "Lectures on vanishing theorems", Esnault and Viehweg used finite cyclic covering of varieties constructed as follows: Let $X$ be a smooth projective variety over some field $k$ of ...
cyc83's user avatar
  • 41
2 votes
1 answer
368 views

fundamental group and torus action

Let $T$ be the complex torus acting on a complex connected algebraic variety $X$ and let $p \colon X\rightarrow Y$ be a good quotient for this action. For any $y\in Y$ we have a sequence $p^{-1}(y) \...
Joaquín Moraga's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Computing the fundamental group of a flag variety

Let $G$ be a compact and connected and simply connected Lie group and $\mathfrak{g}$ be its Lie algebra and $x\in\mathfrak{g}^*$. How can we compute the fundamental group of $G/G_x$ where $G_x$ is ...
user avatar
20 votes
0 answers
617 views

On a homological finiteness condition

Assumption: $X$ is a connected CW complex, and $H_{\ast}(X;\mathbb{Z})=\bigoplus_{n \geq 0} H_n (X; \mathbb{Z})$ is finitely generated. Question: does there exist a finite CW complex $Y$ and a map $f:...
Johannes Ebert's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
379 views

Finding the 2nd homotopy group $\pi_2(G^\mathbb{C}/P)$

Let $G$ be a compact connected and simply connected Lie group and $G^\mathbb{C}$ be the complexification of Lie group (with is diffeomorphic with $G^\mathbb{C}\cong T^*G$) then I am looking for ...
user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
151 views

A formula for isotropy group $\pi_1(G_a)$

Let $G$ be a compact Lie group and $T$ be its maximal tours, and $a\in \mathfrak{g}^*$. and $G_a$ be the isotropy group of $G$ then $T\subset G_a$ and we know that $\pi_1(T)=\mathbb{Z}^n$. My ...
user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
287 views

Nori fundamental group and etale fundamental group in positive characteristic

Let $X$ be a smooth projective surface over an algebraically closed field of char $p > 0$. Suppose that $\pi_{1}^{et}(X) = \{1\}$. Can Nori fundamental group scheme of $X$ be non-trivial?
AlekseiG's user avatar
  • 163
13 votes
0 answers
863 views

About maps inducing bijections on homotopy classes

Let us assume that $f:X \to Y$ is a map of connected CW complexes, having the following property: if $K$ is a finite CW complex, then the induced map $f_{\ast}:[K,X] \to [K,Y]$ on \emph{free} homotopy ...
Johannes Ebert's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
436 views

Find a simple closed curve in $S$ which represents a commutator in $\pi_1 S$

I am interested in the following problem : decide if a certain element of the fundamental group can be represented by a simple closed curve. The general case has already been asked and answered on MO (...
Selim G's user avatar
  • 2,696
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

Computing fundamental groups of the complement of plane curves

This paper of Zariski contains this statement: If $C$ is a curve in $\mathbb{CP}^2$, and $L$ is a generic line, then the injection $L\setminus C \hookrightarrow \mathbb{CP}^2\setminus C$ induces an ...
pinaki's user avatar
  • 5,359
3 votes
2 answers
2k views

homotopy exact sequence for the étale fundamental group

I have been trying to understand the homotopy exact sequence for the étale fundamental group which says $$ 1 \rightarrow \pi_1 (\bar{X},\bar{x_0})\rightarrow \pi_1 (X,x_0)\rightarrow Gal(k)\...
ozheidi's user avatar
  • 319
9 votes
1 answer
627 views

Do all varieties have only finitely many etale covers of fixed degree

I've been wondering about the following "finiteness statement" concerning etale covers for a while. Let $K$ be a field of characteristic zero, not necessarily algebraically closed. A variety over $K$ ...
Theaux G.'s user avatar
  • 123
8 votes
1 answer
573 views

Do elements of the fundamental group give rise to isometries

Let $X$ be a complex algebraic variety, and let $\tilde X\to X$ be its universal cover. Suppose that there exists a Kahler-Einstein metric on $\tilde X$. Note that $\pi_1(X) \subset Aut(\tilde X)$. ...
Leertje's user avatar
  • 103
8 votes
3 answers
943 views

Smooth projective varieties with infinite abelian fundamental group and finite $\pi_2$

Let $X$ be a smooth projective complex algebraic variety of general type. Suppose that the (topological) fundamental group of $X$ is an infinite abelian group and that $\pi_2(X^{an})$ is finite. What ...
Uiterloo's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

The fundamental group of a $3$-manifold with a boundary of genus $>0$

Let $M$ be an orientable $3$-manifold with connected boundary $\Sigma_g$, a surface of genus $g>0$. I would like to find a reference to the following two statements. 1) $\pi_1(M)\ne 0$. 2) $\...
aglearner's user avatar
  • 14.3k
1 vote
1 answer
307 views

The fundamental group of an $S^1$-quotient

Let $M$ be a compact manifold with an $\mathbb S^1$-action that fixes a point on $M$. Is it correct that $\pi_1(M/S^1)=\pi_1(M)$? I believe this is correct and is a corollary of some well-known ...
aglearner's user avatar
  • 14.3k
4 votes
1 answer
369 views

Structure of fundamental groups arising from smooth projective morphisms

Let $f:X\to B$ be a smooth projective morphism of complex algebraic varieties. If $f$ is of relative dimension zero, i.e., $f$ is a finite etale cover, then the image of the topological fundamental ...
123's user avatar
  • 41
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

Algebraic numbers and the complex projective line minus three points

Deligne's monograph “Le Groupe Fondamental de la Droite Projective Moins Trois Points” begins by remarking that when X is the projective line over the complex numbers, minus three points: "every ...
Colin McLarty's user avatar
16 votes
2 answers
3k views

The fundamental group of a closed surface without classification of surfaces?

The fundamental group of a closed oriented surface of genus $g$ has the well-known presentation $$ \langle x_1,\ldots, x_g,y_1,\ldots ,y_g\vert \prod_{i=1}^{g} [x_i,y_i]\rangle. $$ The proof I know ...
Johannes Ebert's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

Fundamental group of an hyperbolic $4$-manifold

Good afternoon everyone, I have a very general question about hyperbolic manifolds and their fundamental groups in high dimension (at least $4$). If the theory of surfaces and $3$-manifolds provide ...
Selim G's user avatar
  • 2,696