Related papers: The 4-dimensional disc embedding theorem and dual …
For a 4-manifold $M$ and a knot $k\colon\mathbb{S}^1\hookrightarrow\partial M$ with dual sphere $G\colon\mathbb{S}^2\hookrightarrow\partial M$, we compute the set $\mathbb{D}(M;k)$ of smooth isotopy classes of neat embeddings…
We investigate certain $4$-dimensional analogues of the classical $3$-dimensional Dehn's lemma, giving examples where such analogues do or do not hold, in the smooth and topological categories. In particular, we show that an essential…
We prove analogs of Thom's transversality theorem and Whitney's theorem on immersions for pseudo-holomorphic discs. We also prove that pseudo-holomorphic discs form a manifold.
We prove that the canonical 4-dimensional surgery problems can be solved after passing to a double cover. This contrasts the long-standing conjecture about the validity of the topological surgery theorem for arbitrary fundamental groups…
We study how to construct explicit deformations of generic smooth maps from closed $n$--dimensional manifolds $M$ with $n \geq 2$ to the $2$--sphere $S^2$ and show that every smooth map $M \to S^2$ is homotopic to a $C^\infty$ stable map…
An obstruction theory for representing homotopy classes of surfaces in 4-manifolds by immersions with pairwise disjoint images is developed, using the theory of non-repeating Whitney towers. The accompanying higher-order intersection…
A strategy for constructing an embedded sphere in a 4-manifold realizing a given homology class which has been successfully applied in the past is to represent the class as a first step stably by an embedded sphere, i.e. after adding…
In relation to the 4-dimensional smooth Poincar\'e conjecture we construct a tentative invariant of homotopy 4-spheres using embedded contact homology (ECH) and Seiberg-Witten theory (SWF). But for good reason it is a constant value…
There are many four vertex type theorems appearing in the literature, coming in both smooth and discrete flavors. The most familiar of these is the classical theorem in differential geometry, which states that the curvature function of a…
We introduce topological prismatoids, a combinatorial abstraction of the (geometric) prismatoids recently introduced by the second author to construct counter-examples to the Hirsch conjecture. We show that the `strong $d$-step Theorem'…
Even though the disk embedding theorem is not available in dimension 4 for free fundamental groups, some surgery problems may be shown to have topological solutions. We prove that surgery problems may be solved if one considers closed…
We study the approaches to two-dimensional integrable field theories via a six-dimensional(6D) holomorphic Chern-Simons theory defined on twistor space. Under symmetry reduction, it reduces to a four-dimensional Chern-Simons theory, while…
In this article, we construct countably many mutually non-isotopic diffeomorphisms of some closed non simply-connected 4-manifolds that are homotopic to but not isotopic to the identity, by surgery along $\Theta$-graphs. As corollaries of…
Let f, g be two homotopic smooth embeddings of a closed surface in a closed oriented 5-dimensional manifold. We show that if f admits a common algebraic dual 3-sphere, or if the fundamental group of the ambient space is trivial, then f and…
The celebrated Morlet-Burghelea-Lashof-Kirby-Siebenmann smoothing theory theorem states that the group $\mathrm{Diff}_\partial(D^n)$ of diffeomorphisms of a disc $D^n$ relative to the boundary is equivalent to…
Using the Cartan-Kahler theory, and results on real algebraic structures, we prove two embedding theorems. First, the interior of a smooth, compact 3-manifold may be isometrically embedded into a G_2-manifold as an associative submanifold.…
We prove that if a complete connected $n$-dimensional Riemannian manifold $M$ has radial sectional curvature at a base point $p\in M$ bounded from below by the radial curvature function of a two-sphere of revolution $\widetilde M$ belonging…
We construct examples of embedded flexible cross-polytopes in the spheres of all dimensions. These examples are interesting from two points of view. First, in dimensions 4 and higher, they are the first examples of embedded flexible…
We prove discrete analogs of four-vertex type theorems of spherical curves, which imply corresponding results for space polygons. The smooth theory goes back to the work of Beniamino Segre and, more recently, by Mohammad Ghomi, and consists…
A conjecture due to Gompf asserts that no nontrivial Brieskorn homology sphere admits a pseudoconvex embedding in ${\mathbb C}^2$, with either orientation. A related question asks whether every compact contractible 4-manifold admits the…