Questions tagged [4-manifolds]

Questions specifically about $4$-dimensional manifolds

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Kirby Diagram of Enriques Surface

I would like a Kirby/handle diagram of the Enriques surface, and I whilst I haven't been able to find one in the literature, there is this diagram (originally due to Kondo I believe, though taken here ...
rab's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
63 views

Surgery on smooth four-manifold preserves the intersection form

In these notes (p. 190), it is claimed that (possibly with superfluous hypotheses): Claim. Let $M$ be a closed connected oriented smooth 4-manifold and let $c\colon S^1\hookrightarrow M$ be an ...
Léo S.'s user avatar
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Lefschetz fibration on product of surfaces

If I understand the literature correctly, then every symplectic 4 manifold (potentially up to connected sum with complex projective space) admits a lefschetz fibration with codomain a two sphere. In ...
ThorbenK's user avatar
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Orthogonal vectors in 4D

Consider two 4D vectors: $v_1=(\cos\varphi_1\sin\theta_1\sin\psi_1,\sin\varphi_1\sin\theta_1\sin\psi_1,\cos\theta_1\sin\psi_1,\cos\psi_1)$ and $v_2$, this vectors are orthogonal $v_1 \cdot v_2=0$, I ...
maxsalo12's user avatar
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1 answer
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$\mathbb{C}P^2$ is not diffeomorphic to $\overline{\mathbb{C}P^2}$

I am working through 4-Manifolds and Kirby Calculus by Stipsicz and Gompf. At the beginning of Section 1.3, they have a list of exercises regarding $\mathbb{C}P^n$ and $\mathbb{R}P^n$. The part I ...
CeyhunElmacioglu's user avatar
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35 views

Knot Trace and Trace Lemma 2

I recently asked a question about the proof of theorem 1.8 in Miller and Picorillos paper: Knot Traces and Trace Lemma I will continue to keep the same notation as in my previous question. Following ...
amd1234's user avatar
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Knot Traces and Trace Lemma

I'm currently reading the paper by Miller and Picorillo titled Knot Traces and Concordance. I have some confusion about the proof of theorem 1.8. In particular the 'if' direction. I'll restate some of ...
amd1234's user avatar
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Every knot is slice, find the error in the following argument

It is well known that exist knots which are not slice, however I came up with the following argument contradicting this fact and I fail to see where the mistake is, can somebody help me? Let $K_0$ ...
Overflowian's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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Picturing twisting of strands explicitly after blow downs

In order to simplify Kirby calculus proofs, one can use a box notation which indicates a number of full twists up to sign. In the scenario of two strands with twist boxes, it is straightforward to ...
Terry Black's user avatar
2 votes
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118 views

Non-orientable surfaces embedded in 4-manifolds

Question: Are there not-so-trivial statements that hold for non-orientable surfaces embedded in 4-manifolds, but are known not to hold (or do not make sense) for orientable ones? Some context. I am ...
Anthony's user avatar
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Showing that a 4-manifold obtained by attaching a 2-handle is simply-connected

I am reading Lemma 2.1 of this paper (https://arxiv.org/pdf/2012.12587.pdf) and I can't see why $W$ is simply-connected. Here is the situation: Let $K$ be a ribbon knot in $S^3$; it bounds a ribbon ...
user302934's user avatar
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2 answers
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Action of the Gauge Group on the Configuration Space of Seiberg-Witten Theory

In Seiberg-Witten theory, the group of gauge transformations is $Map(M,S^1)$. For a configuration $(A,\psi)$, where $A$ is a unitary connection on the determinant line bundle, $\psi$ is a spinor, and $...
viniciuscantocosta's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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Does the 3-manifold $S^1\times S^2$ bound a smooth integral homology ball?

Does the 3-manifold $S^1\times S^2$ bound a smooth (integral) homology ball? The only 4-manifolds I know whose boundary is $S^1\times S^2$ are $S^1\times D^3$ and $D^2\times S^2$, and both are not ...
user302934's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
113 views

Topological classification of complex surfaces

The famous Enriques–Kodaira classification classfies the minimal complex surfaces by algebraic invariants, which give tight restrictions on the topology of the underlying manifolds. What about the ...
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Is Homeo(M) locally path-connected for a general topological manifold?

I am wondering if there exists a closed topological manifold for which Homeo$(M)$ is not locally path-connected. If $M$ admits a smooth structure, then one can prove that Homeo$(M)$ is in fact locally ...
ali_ns's user avatar
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Categories (other than TOP) to rule out exotic $\mathbb{R}^4$?

I'm a non-mathematician who is interested in differential topology. If I understand correctly, the existence of exotic $\mathbb{R}^4$ is directly linked to the failure of smooth h-cobordism theorem ...
puzzlet's user avatar
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7 votes
3 answers
172 views

If $n>1$, the square of the odd Fibonacci number $F(2n+1)$ can be written as the sum of exactly $F(2n+1)+1$ nonzero squares.

While reading a paper by Owens (arXiv:1906.05913) about embeddings of rational homology balls in the complex projective plane, I found out the following somewhat unexpected number theory corollary (...
Filippo Bianchi's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
109 views

Does $(S^1\times S^3)\#(S^1\times S^3)\#(S^2\times S^2)$ admit a symplectic form?

Consider the smooth four-manifold $M = (S^1\times S^3)\#(S^1\times S^3)\#(S^2\times S^2)$. Does $M$ admit a symplectic form? If $\omega$ is a symplectic form, then the real cohomology class $[\omega]$...
Michael Albanese's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
201 views

Intersection pairing of weighted projective plane

Let $a,b,c$ be mutually relatively prime positive integers. The weighted projective plane $X:=\Bbb CP^2(a,b,c)$ is the quotient space $\Bbb C^3-\{0\}/(z_1,z_2,z_3)\sim (\lambda^a z_1,\lambda^b z_2,\...
blancket's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
133 views

Is there a relation between self-intersection and covering map?

Let $X$ and $Y$ be compact oriented smooth 4-manifolds. There is a well-defined intersection form $H_2(X)\times H_2(X)\to \Bbb Z$, $(\alpha,\beta)\mapsto \alpha \cdot \beta$, and similarly for $Y$ (...
blancket's user avatar
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Need to calculate the 3D volume of a growing 4D hypersphere in Minkowski space

4D geometry and Minkowski space are areas of expertise which I fundamentally lack, so I'm hoping people are able to help me with this. The problem is this, if you had a hypersphere in Minkowski space ...
Darkreaper's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
171 views

Intersection form of a 4-manifold with boundary

For a closed oriented 4-manifold $X$, the bilinear intersection form $H_2(X)\times H_2(X)\to \Bbb Z$, $(a,b)\mapsto \langle PD(a)\cup PD(b), [X]\rangle$ is unimodular, which can be shown by Poincare ...
blancket's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
130 views

Some questions about Twistor Space of a closed $4$-manifold

Let $(M,g)$ be a closed Riemannian manifold of dimension $4$. We denote its twistor space, the space of almost complex structures on the tangent bundle $TM$ by $Z\xrightarrow{\pi}M$. At any point the ...
Partha's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
59 views

Circle action on a 5-dimensional manifold and Euler class

A pseudofree $S^1$-action is a smooth $S^1$-action on a smooth $(2n+1)$-manifold such that the action is free except for finitely many exceptional orbits with isotropy $\Bbb Z_{a_1},\dots,\Bbb Z_{a_k}$...
user302934's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
40 views

$c_1^2(L)\geq 0$ for a nef line bundle $L\to S$ over a complex surface

Let $S$ be a compact complex surface and $L\to S$ a holomorphic line bundle. $L$ is said to be nef if $c_1(L)[C]\geq 0$ for any curve $C\subset S$. Is it true that, for nef $L$, we have $c_1^2(L)\geq0$...
blancket's user avatar
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Kirby Diagram for the Trefoil

I'm studying R.E. Gompf and A.I. Stipsticz, 4-Manifolds and Kirby Calculus and I got stuck with a question. Let $K$ be the right-handed trefoil embedded in $\partial \mathbb{D}^4$, we know that, ...
Giacomo Bascapè's user avatar
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0 answers
57 views

How to visualize these shapes $\#^k(S^2 \times S^2)$?

How can I visualize (i.e. "draw") these shapes $\#^k(S^2 \times S^2)$ the $k$-fold connected sum of the product of two spheres. This was called the connected sum of two projective planes. ...
cactus314's user avatar
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9 votes
1 answer
340 views

Relatively minimal elliptic surfaces which are not minimal

A complex surface is called minimal if it contains no $(-1)$-curves, while an elliptic surface $\pi : X \to C$ is called relatively minimal if the fibers of $\pi$ contain no $(-1)$-curves. It follows ...
Michael Albanese's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
70 views

Expressing complexified tangent bundle of a spin 4-manifold as a Hom bundle

I am reading Moore's book Lectures on Seiberg-Witten Invariants, section 2.2. First here are some defintions that the book uses. The group $\operatorname{Spin}(4)$ is defined to be the product group $...
blancket's user avatar
  • 2,076
4 votes
2 answers
171 views

Killing a cohomology class in a manifold by taking out a submanifold representing its Poincaré-dual

Let $M$ be an oriented $n$-manifold, $\alpha \in H^k(M;R)$ a cohomology class so that its Poincaré-dual $a\in H_{n-k}(M;R)$ is represented by an embedded $(n-k)$-manifold $F$. Question: Is the ...
Christian's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
128 views

Homology of orientable 4-manifold given fundamental group and Euler characteristic

I'm working through old topology quals and came across this question: Let M be a closed, connected, orientable 4-manifold with fundamental group $π_1(M) = \mathbb{Z}_3 ∗ \mathbb{Z}_3$ and Euler ...
Syd's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
305 views

Notes on Low-Dimensional Topology

I am studying algebraic topology at the moment and I'm halfway done with Hatcher's book. I am extremely interested in low-dimensional topology, so I was wondering if anybody knows a good set of notes ...
Chris Ewing's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
61 views

Conflicting definitions of instanton number

In Nakahara's "Geometry, Topology and Physics" (and many other sources) the instanton number of an $SU(2)$ instanton $A$ with curvature $F^A$ is defined by $$\int_{S^4}\text{ch}_2(E)=\frac{1}...
Quaere Verum's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
78 views

Representation by Complex Surfaces

Consider the topological manifold $M=\mathbb CP^2\#\overline{CP^2}$. This has $H_2(M,\mathbb Z)=\mathbb Z H+\mathbb Z E$ where $H^2=1$ and $E^2=-1$ are the standard generators of the homology of $\...
aeg's user avatar
  • 33
5 votes
1 answer
187 views

Second Stiefel-Whitney class of $\mathbb{C}\text{P}^2\#\overline{\mathbb{C}\text{P}^2}$

I know that $w_2(\mathbb{C}\text{P}^2\#\overline{\mathbb{C}\text{P}^2})\neq 0$, where $\overline{\mathbb{C}\text{P}^2}$ is $\mathbb{C}\text{P}^2$ with opposite orientation. But how do you prove this? ...
Kafka91's user avatar
  • 153
2 votes
1 answer
97 views

Can one set and use some axioms for calculating intersection forms of manifolds?

I want to calculate the intersection form of some (four?) manifolds, and I wonder is there any axioms that one can compute the intersection form of (four?) manifolds just by them? like axioms of ...
C.F.G's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
130 views

Proof of the Extended Reeb's Theorem for dimensions less than 7

Reeb's Theorem states that every compact smooth manifold which admits a Morse funtion with exactly two critical points is homeomorphic to n-sphere. I have heard an extension of this theorem for ...
Furkan Jr's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
171 views

How do I calculate the circumference of a n-sphere?

I have a 4-dimensional sphere of radius r. From it, I can calculate the 3-dimensional surface area of the hypersphere using the formula 2pi^2r^3. I now need to calculate it's circumference, but I'm ...
Mat NX's user avatar
  • 111
0 votes
1 answer
136 views

How many angles it's needed to define 2-plane in 4d?

I mean the angles between arbitary 2-plane and euclidean orthonormal 2-planes which common origin lies at that 2-plane ⊂ R⁴. I think the orthonormality of 2-planes (bivectors) is unambiguous in normal ...
Eusa's user avatar
  • 11
2 votes
0 answers
73 views

Proof explanation: every 2-sphere in the boundary of a 4-dim handlebody bounds a 3-ball

Suppose that $X$ is 4-dimensional handlebody (meaning a union of 4-dimensional 0 and 1-handles) and $S\subset \partial X$ is an embedded 2-sphere. The author wants to prove that $S$ bounds an embedded ...
Giulio's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
346 views

Differentiable structure on $S^4$

How to show that the claim that there is exactly one differentiable structure on $S^4$ implies the smooth four-dimensional Poincaré conjecture (homotopy equivalent to $S^4$ implies diffeomorphic to $S^...
Mantu Das's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
49 views

Combination of reflection symmetries in $\mathbb{E^4}$

Is the combination between point reflection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_reflection) symmetry and hyperplane(or axial using Hodge duality) reflection symmetry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
bonif's user avatar
  • 293
1 vote
0 answers
57 views

Small exotic $\mathbb{R}^4$'s with symmetries

Definition: An exotic $\mathbb{R}^4$ is a smooth open 4-manifold $E\mathbb{R}^4$ that is homeomorphic to $\mathbb{R}^4$ but not diffeomorphic to it. Definition: An exotic $E\mathbb{R}^4$ is called ...
melomm's user avatar
  • 434
2 votes
0 answers
70 views

Spin connection on Ricci-flat anti-self-dual 4-manifolds

During a talk I heard it was claimed (without proof) that the canonical connection $\nabla^{S^-}$ on the bundle $S^-\to X^4$ of negative chirality spinors over a spin, Ricci-flat, anti-self-dual (ASD) ...
srp's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
147 views

When is the orientable double cover of a product of non-orientable surfaces spin?

Let $M_{k,l}$ denote the orientable double cover of the non-orientable four-manifold $k\mathbb{RP}^2\times l\mathbb{RP}^2$; here $k\mathbb{RP}^2$ denotes the connected sum of $k$ copies of $\mathbb{RP}...
Michael Albanese's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
137 views

Index of Dirac operator and Chern character of symmetric product twisting bundle

I am having trouble understanding a couple of lines of computation from Theorem 13.30 in Besse's Einstein Manifolds text (see image below). We are twisting the spinor bundle $\Sigma$ with an ...
Guest123412341234's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
14 views

smooth parametrized journey 3d representation of 4d dataset

I have a dataset of $N$ points in 4-D space. $ \left \{ \left( x_1^{(1)}, x_2^{(1)}, x_3^{(1)}, x_4^{(1)} \right), \left( x_1^{(2)}, x_2^{(2)}, x_3^{(2)}, x_4^{(2)} \right), ... \left( x_1^{(N)}, ...
phdmba7of12's user avatar
  • 1,020
5 votes
2 answers
173 views

Closed orientable 4-manifolds with $H_2(M)\cong \mathbb{Z}$ do not admit free actions of $\mathbb{Z}/2$

The questions asks us to show that if $M$ is a closed orientable 4-manifold such that $H_2(M)$ is rank $1$, then $M$ does not admit a free action of $\mathbb{Z}/2$. My attempt has been to suppose $M$ ...
user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
152 views

Classification of line bundles over surfaces

I'm currently trying to understand the blow-up process for 4-manifolds. A step in this journey is to understand, topologically, what happens when you pluck out a 4-ball and replace it with $\mathbb{CP}...
J. Moeller's user avatar
  • 2,884
6 votes
1 answer
156 views

Example of "practical" applications of Donaldson Invariants

I'm studying Donaldson Invariants from chapter 9 of The wild world of 4-manifolds by Scorpan, and I'm looking for an example where they're used to distinguish two 4-manifolds which are homeomorphic ...
Bargabbiati's user avatar
  • 2,231