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Questions tagged [surgery-theory]

In geometric topology, surgery theory is used to produce one finite-dimensional manifold from another in a 'controlled' way. Originally developed for differentiable (smooth) manifolds, surgery techniques also apply to piecewise linear and topological manifolds. Surgery refers to cutting out parts of the manifold and replacing it with a part of another manifold, matching up along the cut or boundary. This is related to handlebody decompositions.

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9 votes
1 answer
305 views

Topological Spin manifolds in dimension 4

In his ICM Adress at Nice (Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians Nice, September, 1970, Gauthier-Villars, editeur, Paris 6 e ,1971, Volume 2, pp. 133-163.), Robion Kirby ...
2 votes
0 answers
102 views

Realizing an amalgamated product of groups by splitting a closed manifold along a codimension 1 submanifold

In the paper "A splitting theorem for manifolds" by S.E. Cappell, https://www.maths.ed.ac.uk/~v1ranick/papers/capsplit.pdf the following "inverse" of the Seifert-van Kampen theorem for closed ...
4 votes
0 answers
181 views

Borromean Lines of three $\mathbb{R}^1$ in $\mathbb{R}^3$ and analogous Milnor link invariants

It is know that Borromean rings can be detected by Milnor invariant $$ \bar{\mu}(\gamma_1,\gamma_2,\gamma_3)= \# (\Sigma_1 \cap \Sigma_2 \cap \Sigma_3)-\frac{1}{2}\sum_{I,J,K}\epsilon_{IJK} \sum_{\...
6 votes
1 answer
170 views

Diffeomorphism type of the added sphere in simply connected surgery

A classical result of simply connected surgery theory, is that if two normal maps $f:M_i\rightarrow X$, $i=0,1$ are normally cobordant and if the dimension of the manifolds is odd, there exists a ...
3 votes
1 answer
245 views

Wall self-intersection invariant for odd-dimensional manifolds?

I am trying to convince myself that a naïve definition of the Wall self intersection number should not work for odd-dimensional manifolds. Namely, let $X^{2n-1}$ be a smooth oriented closed manifold ...
4 votes
2 answers
360 views

Chirality and Anti-Chirality of links in 3 and in 5 dimensions

We know there is a chiral knot which is a knot that is not equivalent to its mirror image. It is well known in the mathematical field of knot theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiral_knot My ...
3 votes
0 answers
406 views

A user guide to the theory on Corks

I am trying to digest the meanings of the corks from the both: algebraic topology and geometry topology perspectives. Studying corks is important for understanding the exotic phenomenon of 4-...
3 votes
0 answers
80 views

Quartic link in a 5-sphere

In this post I would like to propose a quartic link in a 5-sphere. Let us start with the following gluing into a 5-sphere: $$S^5=(D^2_{} \times T^3_{}) \cup_{T^4} ({S^5 \smallsetminus D^2 \times T^3})...
2 votes
0 answers
170 views

Triple link in a 5-sphere -- Proposal

In this post I would like to propose a triple link in a 5-sphere. Let us start with the following gluing into a 5-sphere: $$S^5=(D^2_{} \times T^3_{}) \cup_{T^4} ({S^5 \smallsetminus D^2 \times T^3})$...
6 votes
0 answers
179 views

Cell structures of simply-connected 5-manifolds (classified by Barden's 1965 paper)

In Barden's 1965 paper: Simply-connected five manifolds, Barden gave a complete list of diffeomorphism classes of simply-connected 5-manifolds: $$X_{j,k_1,\dots,k_n}=X_j\#M_{k_1}\#\cdots\#M_{k_n}$$ ...
9 votes
2 answers
641 views

Künneth formulas/theorem for bordism groups and cobordisms?

We are familiar with Künneth theorem: The Kunneth formula is given by $R$ as a ring, $M,M'$ as the R-modules, $X,X'$ are some chain complex. The Kunneth formula shows the cohomology of a chain ...
6 votes
0 answers
133 views

What is the monoid of skew-symmetric trilinear forms on finite abelian groups?

I am interested in triple cup product operations on the cohomology ring $H^*(Y;\Bbb Z/p^r)$ of 3-manifolds. Trying to extract the algebra, I am led to the following question. Let's fix a prime power $...
11 votes
2 answers
703 views

Do the results of (1/n)-surgery determine the link?...

Knowing the result of knot surgery is often not enough to determine the knot. Indeed, there are 3-manifolds admitting an infinite number of descriptions as surgery on a (1-component) knot in $S^3$. ...
6 votes
0 answers
197 views

Regarding a proof in the surgery theorem by Gromov and Lawson

I have a question regarding a proof in the article The classification of simply connected manifolds of positive scalar curvature written by Gromov and Lawson. The precise reference is: Gromov, ...
23 votes
2 answers
851 views

Classification of fake (quaternionic, octonionic) projective spaces

If $X$ is a closed $n$-manifold, a fake $X$ is another closed manifold homotopy equivalent to $X$. There is some interest in classifying manifolds (up to, say, homeomorphism) homotopy equivalent to a ...
3 votes
4 answers
2k views

Surgery of $S^3$

I have been troubled by this seemingly simple question recently. How do we easily visualize the statement: Surgery of $S^3$ over a trivial unknot gives $S^1 \times S^2$? All I can think of for ...
2 votes
0 answers
123 views

Surgery and Curvature on Foliation

Let $X$ be an oriented closed smooth $4$-manifold. Suppose that $TM$ admits a foliation $\mathcal F$ of dimension two, and admits a positvescalar curvature. Q: If we do the surgery on $X$ to reduce ...
18 votes
1 answer
565 views

A search for a sequence of $6$-manifolds

How to construct closed, orientable, smooth, simply-connected $6$-manifolds such that $H^{*}(M,\mathbb{Z}) \cong \mathbb{Z}[a]/(a^{4})$ (Where $a$ is a generator of degree 2) satisfying $p_{1}(M) = n ...
7 votes
0 answers
355 views

Making diffeomorphism of submanifolds boring

This is probably very well known in surgery theory... I'm looking for a modern reference on the following questions (the only one I know is Browder's "Diffeomorphism of 1-connected manifolds"...
9 votes
0 answers
257 views

Building examples of elements of $\Omega_4(\xi)$ via surgery theory: how to do it?

When computing special bordism groups, I often need to determine existence of (singular) smooth $4$-manifolds with fixed fundamental group and certain properties like the spin behaviour (i.e. being ...
2 votes
0 answers
109 views

Compare two topologies: Three 2-tori inside $S^3 \times S^1 \# S^2 \times S^2$ glued from two different diffeomorphisms

We like to ask for the comparison of two topologies of three 2-tori inside the same 4-manifolds glued from two different diffeomorphisms (see the end). Given an embedded torus $T$ with trivial normal ...
2 votes
1 answer
166 views

What is the most symmetric configuration of four 2-surfaces linked in $S^4$?

What are some of the most symmetric configurations of four 2-surfaces linked in the 4-dimensional sphere $S^4$? To make a lower-dimensional analogy, recall that in 3-dimensional sphere $S^3$, we can ...
3 votes
0 answers
104 views

A link of four 2-tori $T^2$ in $S^2 \times S^2$

Step 1: We glue two sets of complement space of $D^2\times T^2$ out of the 4-sphere $S^4$, through their $T^3$ boundary with their three $S^1$ boundaries of $T^3$ cyclic permuted to obtain a new 4-...
3 votes
0 answers
106 views

A link of four 2-tori $T^2$ in $S^3 \times S^1 \# S^2 \times S^2 \# S^2 \times S^2$

Step 1: We glue two sets of complement space of $D^2\times T^2$ out of the 4-sphere $S^4$, through their $T^3$ boundary to obtain a new 4-manifold: $$(S^4 \smallsetminus D^2\times T^2) \cup (S^4 \...
7 votes
0 answers
180 views

Partial converse to Novikov's conjecture

In Jim Davis's paper "Manifold aspects of the Novikov conjecture" (Surveys on surgery theory, vol 1, pages 195-224) he writes down (Theorem 6.5) a sort-of converse to the Novikov conjecture. He writes:...
6 votes
0 answers
88 views

Surgery on $M\times S^1$

I've encountered such a question and I don't know if it's trivial or not. Given a simply connected closed $n$-manifold $M$ ($n\geq 4$), $\pi_1(M\times S^1)\cong\mathbb{Z}$ and it can be killed by ...
9 votes
2 answers
359 views

How to compute $[CP^2, G/PL]$?

Let $E^4$ be the two stage Postnikov space appearing in the homotopy type of the classifying space $G/PL$. One of its properties is that it only has two nontrivial homotopy groups $\pi_2(E)=Z/2Z$ and $...
4 votes
1 answer
590 views

Manifolds whose diffeomorphism group has the homotopy type of a manifold itself

I have a very stupid question. Let $M$ be a closed smooth manifold. In particular cases the homotopy type of the diffeomorphism group $Diff(M)$ can be very pathological. For example, in the case of $M=...
1 vote
0 answers
76 views

Does a homotopy sphere that bounds a highly connected manifold also bound a parallelizable manifold?

Suppose that the homotopy sphere $\Sigma^{n}$ can be realized as the boundary of a smooth $(n+1)$-dimensional cobordism that is $(n-1)/2$-connected for $n$ odd (respectively, $(n-2)/2$-connected for $...
10 votes
1 answer
559 views

Elements of infinite order in the topological mapping class group

Let $M$ be a closed topological manifold, and let $\operatorname{MCG}(M):=\operatorname{Homeo}(M)/\operatorname{Homeo}_0(M)$ denote the topological mapping class group of $M$ ($\operatorname{Homeo}_0(...
8 votes
3 answers
672 views

Any PL-homology-manifold is homotopy equivalent to a manifold

Is it true that any compact piecewise linear homology manifold is homotopically equivalent to a (smooth?) manifold of the same dimension? Let me say bit more since my question was wrongly understood. ...
3 votes
0 answers
192 views

Surgery to unlink $S^p$ and $S^q$ in $S^d$

We know that $S^p$ and $S^q$ can be linked in $S^d$ if $p+q<d$. Let us consider the simplest case where both $S^p$ and $S^q$ are un-knotted spheres. I am looking for a surgery to unlink $S^p$ and $...
10 votes
2 answers
544 views

Obtain 4-manifolds by repeating surgeries of submanifolds in $S^4$

In his paper QFT and Jones Polynomials, Witten states: "It is a not too deep result that every 3-manifold can be obtained from or reduced to $S^3$ (or any other desired 3-manifold) by repeated ...
2 votes
0 answers
99 views

Why is the oriented $G$-homotopy type of a $G$-complex uniquely determined by the periodicity generator?

Say we have a periodicity generator $e \in H^k(BG)$. I can show that we then have a $(k-1)$-dimensional $G$-complex $X$ with free $G$-action. It's also not that difficult to see that it has trivial $G$...
1 vote
1 answer
129 views

Connected representant of a framed cobordism class (reference needed)

Let $N^n\subseteq M^m$ be a submanifold with a framing of the normal bundle, $2n<m$. Then $N^n$ is framed cobordant (in $M^m$) to something connected. I believe it could be proved by directly ...
1 vote
0 answers
377 views

The relations between some 3-components links and trefoil knots [closed]

It is intuitive to see that the 3-components links (under Alexander–Briggs notations) $6^3_1, 6^3_2, 6^3_3$ are closely related to each other; in a sense by doing a cut-gluing or sew-gluing surgery, ...
6 votes
1 answer
547 views

Examples of calculations of Turaev-Reshetikhin TQFT of cobordisms with boundaries have genera greater than 1

I am studying Turaev-Reshetikhin TQFT. I describe the definition of the invariant $\tau(M)$ of a cobordism $(M, \partial_{-}M, \partial_{+}M)$ in the previous question breifly. Framings in the ...
3 votes
1 answer
193 views

Sullivan's $H$-space equivalence between $G/PL[1/2]$ and $BO[1/2]$

There is a theorem by Sullivan of the following form: Theorem: There is an equivalence of $H$-spaces $$ G/PL[\tfrac{1}{2}] \simeq BO_{\otimes}[ \tfrac{1}{2} ]\ . $$ It can be found for example ...
2 votes
1 answer
198 views

Two links with the same signatures but unknown if they are related by Kirby moves

I am wondering if there are links $L_1, L_2$ in the sphere $S^3$ such that: the signatures of $L_1, L_2$ are known. we do not know if they are related by Kirby moves. If so, could you specify the ...
3 votes
1 answer
536 views

On definition of surgery [closed]

I am a beginner in surgery theory. I have started learning with ALGEBRAIC AND GEOMETRIC SURGERY by Andrew Ranicki. On page 4 of the book he defines surgery : Denition 1.2 A surgery on an $m$-...
17 votes
1 answer
612 views

Is there a notion of a chain complex with corners?

Roughly speaking, algebraic topology works by reducing questions about topological objects such as manifolds and cell to questions about chain complexes. On the topological side, although in the PL ...
3 votes
1 answer
581 views

Framings in the definition of Reshetikhin-Turaev TQFT

I posted the following question at Mathe Stack Exchange.link text But it has not yet answered. I am sorry if you check both sites but I also want people here to look at this problem. I am studying ...
6 votes
0 answers
199 views

Surgering locally flat tori in 4-manifolds

Is there a locally flat torus in some not smoothable topological 4-manifold such that surgering on it produces a smoothable 4-manifold? Surgering means removing a tubular neighborhood and reattaching ...
0 votes
0 answers
199 views

Finding a ribbon graph for a mapping class group action

Turaev defines TQFT $(T, \tau)$ in his book "Quantum invariants of knots and 3-manifolds". He uses it to define an action of a mapping class group of a d-surface $\Sigma$. This action $\epsilon$ is ...
2 votes
1 answer
332 views

A special ribbon graph presents a cylinder.

I am reading "Quantum Invariants of Knots and 3-Manifolds" by Turaev. I have a dificulty to understand the proof of Lemma 2.6 on page 172. The lemma says that a special ribbon graph drawn on page 167 ...
8 votes
3 answers
1k views

motivation of surgery

an $n$-surgery on m dim manifold M is to cut out $S^n\times D^{m-n}$and replace it by $D^{n+1}\times S^{m-n-1}$. I want to know how this is invented? I do know that the effect of passing a critical ...
8 votes
1 answer
679 views

topological type of smooth manifolds with prescribed homotopy type and pontryagin class

Can someone help explain the following result: If the dimension is at least five, there are at most finitely many different smooth manifolds with given homotopy type and Pontryagin classes. Thank ...
16 votes
2 answers
2k views

Smooth structures on the connected sum of a manifold with an Exotic sphere

What can we say about the connected sum of a manifold $M^n$ with an Exotic sphere? Is is possible some of them are still diffemorphic to $M^n$. Is it possible to classifying all the exotic smooth ...

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