Questions tagged [surfaces]

A surface is a two-dimensional topological manifold. The term can also be used to describe a smooth surface, depending on the context.

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Let K be a compact set in a surface, U component of S-K, K'=S-U. K has finitely many components. Does every component of K' contains a component of K?

Let $S$ be a compact connected surface. Let $K$ be a compact subset of $S$ and suppose that $K$ has a finite number of connected components. Let $U$ be a connected component of $S \setminus K$ and ...
Fernando Oliveira's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
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Let $G$ be a graph of genus $g$. Is the number of (non necessarily disjoint) 5-clique subgraphs at most $f(g)$ for some function $f$?

For a graph of genus $g$, it holds that it cannot have too many disjoint 5-cliques, as each clique requires a new handle. It feels that given a graph of genus $g$, it cannot have an unbounded number ...
master bob's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
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Can every surface be realized as a mean convex hypersurface in $\mathbb{R}^3$?

I'm wondering if every closed surface can be realized as a mean convex hypersurface in $\mathbb{R}^3$, i.e. the mean curvature vanishes or points inward. Categorizing by genus: for $S^2$ ($g = 0$) ...
JMK's user avatar
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Instantaneous rotation field in relation to a developable surface

I have a ruled surface, let it be given by $\Sigma: U \subset \mathbb{R}^2 \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^3$ parametrized by $(u,v)$ with the rulings along the $u$-lines. Now, let $X: U \subset \mathbb{R}^2 \...
RWien's user avatar
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2 votes
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Fundamental group of a quotient by a group action

Suppose I have a quotient $X \to S$ by a finite abelian group $G$ action (I have several cases, but in all of them the group $G$ and the action could be written explicitly), where $X,S$ are surfaces (...
Manenky's user avatar
  • 21
3 votes
0 answers
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Volume of all Voronoi cells in n-dimensional bounded space

How can one find the volume of all Voronoi cells (bounded and unbounded) in an $n$-dimensional bounded space? For instance, consider an $N$-dimensional space (hypercube) with bounds on each dimension ...
Maaz's user avatar
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5 votes
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Why is the Teichmüller space of a surface homeomorphic to a component of the $\mathrm{PSL} (2, \mathbb R)$ character variety of its fundamental group?

$\DeclareMathOperator\Hom{Hom}\DeclareMathOperator\PSL{PSL}$ I have a reference request for a proof for the following statement in the title: The Teichmüller space $T_g$ of the surface $S_g$ of genus ...
Chaitanya Tappu's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
310 views

If a graph embedded on a surface is divided by a curve into a right and left that do not intersect can it be embedded on a surface of smaller genus?

Suppose we have a graph $G$ embedded on a (smooth, orientable etc) surface $Q$. Suppose there is a cycle $C$ of $G$ such that $C$ does not separate our surface $Q$ into two connected regions and ...
Hao S's user avatar
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The space of immersions of a loop in a surface

Let $\Sigma$ be a compact oriented surface with boundary and $L = \mathrm{Imm}(\bigsqcup_{i=1}^n S^1,\Sigma)$ the space of all generic (i.e. transversally and at most doubly intersecting) immersions ...
Qwert Otto's user avatar
5 votes
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Betti numbers of non-orientable $3$-manifolds

Let $M^3$ be a compact $3$-manifold with boundary $\partial M$. If $M$ is orientable, then it is known (see Lemma 3.5 here) that $2\dim(\ker(H_1(\partial M,\mathbb{Q})\rightarrow H_1(M,\mathbb{Q})))=\...
Alessio Di Prisa's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
494 views

Existence of a curve of finite length on the image of an embedding which is Sobolev

Suppose that we have an embedding $f:\mathbb{R}^2\to\mathbb{R}^3$ which belongs in the Sobolev space $W^{1,p}_{loc}(\mathbb{R^2},\mathbb{R}^3)$ for some $p>2$. Is it true then that for any two ...
Mad Max's user avatar
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Under what condition can a smooth map be factored through the Gauss normal map

Inspired by this question entitled When does the shape operator commute with a derivative? we ask the following question: Assume that $S,H$ are two surfaces whose corresponding Gauss maps are denoted ...
Ali Taghavi's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
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When does the shape operator commute with a derivative?

Suppose we have a smooth map $\varphi : S\to H$ between two regular parametric surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^3.$ Then at any point $p\in S,$ we have following maps between corresponding tangent spaces: $\...
Bumblebee's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
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Reference for a property of Dehn twists

I was reading The symplectic Floer homology of a Dehn twist by P. Seidel, which you can find here. In Lemma 3(ii) the following topological property of Dehn twists is stated without proof: Let $\...
Don's user avatar
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16 votes
3 answers
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Maximal degree of a map between orientable surfaces

Suppose that $M$ and $N$ are closed connected oriented surfaces. It is well-known that if $f \colon M \to N$ has degree $d > 0$, then $\chi(M) \le d \cdot \chi(N)$. What is an elementary proof of ...
Andrey Ryabichev's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
313 views

Twisted interval-bundles over a surface

I am trying to understand interval bundles over orientable surfaces. I know of course the basic examples: trivial interval bundles are just products. From what I understand, there is only one non-...
luthien's user avatar
  • 379
4 votes
1 answer
231 views

Building a geodesic conjugate parameterization on catenoid

I believe that a catenoid supports a parametrization $\sigma : U \subset \mathbb{R}^2 \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^3$ that forms a conjugate system (i.e., $\sigma_{uv} \in\mathrm{span}(\sigma_u, \sigma_v)$) ...
RWien's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
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Maximal contractible-ish Hausdorff surfaces

For the duration of this question, let a "surface" be any connected Hausdorff topological space that is locally homeomorphic to R2. Note that we make no assumption about a countable base to ...
Daniel Asimov's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
157 views

Identifying a curve on a closed surface of genus 4

The notation is the one used in the attached picture. Take a closed, orientable surface $\Sigma_4$ of genus $4$, obtained as the identification space of a polygon with $16$ sides in the usual way. The ...
Francesco Polizzi's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
204 views

Euler class of vertical tangent bundle of the surface bundle over circle

Suppose $\Sigma$ is an oriented genus $g>1$ surface and $h:\Sigma\to \Sigma$ is a diffeomorphism preserving a point $p$. Let $M$ be the surface bundle over $S^1$ obtained by gluing $\Sigma\times I$ ...
Faniel's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
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Topological type of complement of Heegaard curves in Heegaard surface $(\Sigma - \alpha - \beta)$

Suppose $(\Sigma, \alpha, \beta)$ is a genus-$g$ Heegaard diagram for a closed, oriented $3$-manifold $Y$, i.e. $\Sigma$ is an orientable genus-$g$ surface, and $(\alpha_1, \dots, \alpha_g)$ and $(\...
Matija Sreckovic's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
67 views

Maximal orders and surface subgroups of even genus

Let $A$ be a quaternion algebra over a totally real number field $k$. Suppose that $A$ splits at exactly one real place of $A$. Let $\mathcal{O}$ be a maximal order in $A$. Then $\mathcal{O}$ contains ...
Jacques's user avatar
  • 563
2 votes
1 answer
112 views

Generically finite projection $\pi_L: X \to \mathbb{P}^2$ from plane $L$ and critical points

(In following we are working in "classical" complex setting: i.e. all involved schemes are considered to be varieties over $k=\mathbb{C}$) Let $X \subset \mathbb{P}^n$ be irreducible surface ...
user267839's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
254 views

Surjections from genus $n$ surface group to free group of rank $n$

Let $\Sigma_n$ be a genus $n$ surface, let $\mathcal{H}_n$ be a genus $n$ handle body, and let $F_n$ be a free group of rank $n$. Fix an identification of $\pi_1(\mathcal{H}_n)$ with $F_n$. I know ...
Annie's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
165 views

Generate $\mathrm{Mod}(S_g)$ by two Dehn twists

Let $S_g$ be a closed orientable surface of genus $g>1$. How can one prove that its mapping class group $\mathrm{Mod}(S_g)$ is not generated by two Dehn twists? A pair of simple closed curves in $...
Andrey Ryabichev's user avatar
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Maximum for sum of distances on a constant curvature surface

(This is a modification of a previous question where my hopes were too general.) Let $X$ be a closed constant curvature surface and consider the function $f_n : X \times \cdots \times X \to \mathbb{R}$...
Sprotte's user avatar
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3 votes
0 answers
72 views

Leaves of bounded genus

Let $\mathcal{F}$ be a codimension one foliation in a closed $3$-manifold $M$. Does there exist an upper bound for the genus of the compact orientable leaves? That is, does there exist $G >0$ such ...
Eduardo Longa's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
78 views

Cubic lattice representation of a solid torus knot using the surface as a boundary

For physics simulation reasons, I would like to respresent a solid torus knot as a collection of integer points sat on a cubic lattice. If I were to do this using a sphere, I would do this by saying ...
Industrialactivity's user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
81 views

Intersections of geodesics in an "almost flat" plane

Let $g$ be a complete metric on $\mathbb{R}^2$, such that: Outside of a compact connected set $K\subset \mathbb{R}^2$, the curvature of $g$ vanishes. The integral of the Gaussian curvature in $K$ is ...
C M's user avatar
  • 381
4 votes
0 answers
154 views

Upper bound for the first eigenvalue of the Laplacian on surfaces with boundary

Let $\Sigma$ be a compact smooth surface with boundary. Define $$\Lambda(\Sigma) := \sup \{ \lambda_1(\Sigma,g) \operatorname{Area}(\Sigma,g) : g \text{ is a smooth Riemannian metric on $\Sigma$} \}$$ ...
Eduardo Longa's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
220 views

Links and non-orientable surfaces

Let $\Sigma \subset \mathbb{R}^3$ be a compact embedded surface with boundary $\partial \Sigma$ and $i:\Sigma\setminus \partial\Sigma \to \mathbb{R}^3 \setminus \partial\Sigma$ the inclusion. Is the ...
mmen's user avatar
  • 433
4 votes
1 answer
184 views

Closed-form examples of CMC surfaces

Besides the trivial cases of cylinders and spheres, are there any other known examples of non-zero constant mean curvature surfaces which can be represented explicitly in a closed form? I am ...
Jiří Minarčík's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
99 views

Vanishing of Goldman bracket requires simple-closed representative?

Let $\Sigma$ be a connected oriented surface, and $[-,-]\colon \Bbb Z\big[\widehat\pi(\Sigma)\big]\times Z\big[\widehat\pi(\Sigma)\big]\to Z\big[\widehat\pi(\Sigma)\big]$ be the Goldman Bracket. Note ...
Random's user avatar
  • 885
1 vote
0 answers
52 views

Uniqueness of graph embeddings on surfaces for highly connected graphs

A theorem of Whitney says that if $i_1$ and $i_2$ are two embeddings of a 3-connected planar graph into $S^2$, then there exists a homeomorphism $h : S^2 \to S^2$ such that $h \circ i_1 = i_2$. Is ...
Sprotte's user avatar
  • 1,045
1 vote
0 answers
69 views

Diffeomorphism induced by small perturbation

Consider the surface $S_{\epsilon}$ defined as: \begin{align} %S&=\{\vec x \in \mathbf{R}^3: x=0\}, \\ S_{\epsilon}&=\{\vec x \in \mathbf{R}^3:\epsilon (x^2 + y^2 + z^2 - 1) + x=0\}. \end{...
dennis's user avatar
  • 423
6 votes
1 answer
473 views

Topology change induced by small perturbation

Consider the surface $S_{\epsilon}$ defined as: \begin{align} %S&=\{\vec x \in \mathbf{R}^3: x=0\}, \\ S_{\epsilon}&=\{\vec x \in \mathbf{R}^3:f_{\epsilon}(\vec x)\equiv\epsilon ((x^2 + y^2 - ...
dennis's user avatar
  • 423
3 votes
1 answer
108 views

A closed curve can be homotopic to remove all intersections with a filling $\Gamma$ if it has zero geometric intersection numbers with $\Gamma$

Let $\Sigma$ be a compact oriented connected bordered surface other than the pair of pants. Let $\Gamma:=\{\gamma_i\}$ be a finite collection of simple closed curves on $\Sigma$ such that each ...
Random's user avatar
  • 885
2 votes
0 answers
119 views

Every surface of sufficiently large genus separates

Let $M^3$ be a smooth closed orientable manifold. Does there exist a non negative integer $g_0$ such that every closed orientable embedded surface $\Sigma \subset M$ of genus $g \geq g_0$ represents ...
Eduardo Longa's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
109 views

Characterization of a non-trivial non-peripheral element of the free homotopy classes of a compact bordered surface

Let $\Sigma$ be a compact orientable connected $2$-manifold with a non-empty boundary. Let $\widehat \pi(\Sigma)$ denote the set of free homotopy classes of curves in $\Sigma$. We say $x\in \widehat \...
Random's user avatar
  • 885
4 votes
1 answer
146 views

Given $f$ from the cylinder $C$ to the interval constant on one boundary, is there a $r:C\to C$ constant on a boundary with $f\circ r = f$?

My question might be trivial, but my lack of knowledge of this particular subject has not enabled me to find the answer. What I want to know is the following. Let $I=[0,1]$ and $C=S^1\times I$ be the ...
Mathieu Baillif's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
311 views

Why do we define the pants complex and the pants decomposition? [closed]

Why do we define the pants complex? I learned for the first time in A Presentation for the mapping class group of a closed orientable surface (by A. Hatcher and W. Thurston) that we have definition of ...
Usa's user avatar
  • 119
5 votes
0 answers
124 views

Earliest known proof of "Any degree one self-map of an orientable connected finite-type non-compact surface is homotopic to a homeomorphism"

I attended a talk where the speaker said the following is due to Nielsen. I searched here and there but couldn't find the corresponding paper, if any. So, what is the earliest known proof of the ...
Random's user avatar
  • 885
5 votes
0 answers
193 views

Groups of non-orientable genus 1 and 2

The non-orientable genus (aka crosscap-number) $\overline{\gamma}(G)$ of a finite group $G$ is the minimum non-orientable genus among all its connected Cayley graphs (and $0$ if $G$ has a planar ...
Kolja Knauer's user avatar
21 votes
2 answers
878 views

Fixed-point free diffeomorphisms of surfaces fixing no homology classes

One of my graduate students asked me the following question, and I can't seem to answer it. Let $\Sigma_g$ denote a compact oriented genus $g$ surface. For which $g$ does there exist an orientation-...
Robert's user avatar
  • 303
2 votes
1 answer
187 views

Intersection pairing on $H_1$ of surfaces

Let $X$ be a surface (real, not complex). With coefficients in a ring $R$, there is an intersection pairing $\langle -,- \rangle:H_1(X;\mathbb R) \otimes H_1(X;\mathbb R) \to R$. Is this pairing ...
Ethan Dlugie's user avatar
  • 1,247
3 votes
1 answer
184 views

Classification of degree one map between two closed orientable surfaces without using induction on the genus

A theorem of Edmonds (see Theorem 3.1. of "Deformation of Maps to Branched Coverings in Dimension Two") says that Theorem 1: A degree-one map between closed orientable surfaces is homotopic ...
Random's user avatar
  • 885
2 votes
1 answer
129 views

Isotopic homeomorphisms of surface induces same map on the space of ends

Let $\Sigma$ be a non-compact orientable connected two-manifold without boundary. Let $f,g\colon \Sigma\to \Sigma$ be two homeomorphisms. Suppose there is a homotopy $H\colon \Sigma\times [0,1]\to \...
Random's user avatar
  • 885
7 votes
2 answers
386 views

Kneser theorem about the Klein bottle

I know that in $1923$ H. Kneser showed that a continuous flow in a Klein bottle without singular points has a periodic trajectory. The original article is this, but does anyone know another old or new ...
Zaragosa's user avatar
  • 123
3 votes
1 answer
194 views

Area of a deformation of a closed surface

Let $(M^3,g)$ be a complete Riemannian manifold. Fix a two-sided immersion $\varphi : \Sigma^2 \to M$ from a closed surface into $M$, with unit normal $N$. Given $f \in C^\infty(\Sigma)$ and $\alpha : ...
Eduardo Longa's user avatar
12 votes
3 answers
996 views

How to generate all triangulations of an orientable surface?

$\newcommand{\comb}{\mathrm{comb}}$Consider an orientable surface $S$ with punctures and boundaries (each boundary having at least a marked point). A triangulation, up to orientation preserving ...
giulio bullsaver's user avatar

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