Related papers: A relative version of Rochlin's theorem
This article presents a new and more elementary proof of the main Seiberg-Witten-based obstruction to the existence of Einstein metrics on smooth compact 4-manifolds. It also introduces a new smooth manifold invariant which conveniently…
Inspired by the problem of classifying Einstein manifolds with positive scalar curvature, we prove that an Einstein four-manifold whose associated twistor space has scalar curvature constant on the fibers of the twistor bundle is half…
Let $M$ be a topological $G_2$-manifold. We prove that the space of infinitesimal associative deformations of a compact associative submanifold $Y$ with boundary in a coassociative submanifold $X$ is the solution space of an elliptic…
A new topological invariant of closed connected orientable four-dimensional manifolds is proposed. The invariant, constructed via surgery on a special link, is a four-dimensional counterpart of the celebrated SU(2) three-manifold invariant…
We completely determine, up to homeomorphism, which simply connected compact oriented 4-manifolds admit scalar-flat, anti-self-dual Riemannian metrics. The key new ingredient is a proof that the connected sum of five reverse-oriented…
Using Seiberg-Witten theory, it is shown that any Kaehler metric of constant negative scalar curvature on a compact 4-manifold M minimizes the L^2-norm of scalar curvature among Riemannian metrics compatible with a fixed decomposition…
We prove that a compact 4-manifold which supports a circle-invariant fat SO(3)-bundle is diffeomorphic to either S^4 or CP^2-bar. The proof involves studying the resulting Hamiltonian circle action on an associated symplectic 6-manifold.…
We construct stable minimal hypersurfaces with simple topology in certain compact $4$-manifolds $X$ with boundary, where $X$ embeds into a smooth manifold homeomorphic to $S^4$. For example, if $X$ is equipped with a Riemannian metric $g$…
We show the existence of a modified Cliff(1,1) structure compatible with an Osserman 0-model of signature (2,2). We then apply this algebraic result to certain classes of pseudo-Riemannian manifolds of signature (2,2). We obtain a new…
We show that under certain conditions, a nontrivial Riemannian submersion from positively curved four manifolds does not exist. This gives a partial answer to a conjecture due to Fred Wilhelm. We also prove a rigidity theorem for Riemannian…
We calculate the Seiberg-Witten invariants of branched covers of prime degree, where the branch locus consists of embedded spheres. Aside from the formula itself, our calculations give rise to some new constraints on configurations of…
We continue our program initiated in [arXiv:0912.4261] to consider supersymmetric surface operators in a topologically-twisted N=2 pure SU(2) gauge theory, and apply them to the study of four-manifolds and related invariants. Elegant…
We show that a closed four-manifold with $4\frac{1}{2}$-positive curvature operator of the second kind is diffeomorphic to a spherical space form. The curvature assumption is sharp as both $\mathbb{CP}^2$ and $\mathbb{S}^3 \times…
On an oriented 4-manifold, we study pairs of Riemannian metrics $(g, h)$ for which the curvature tensor of $g$ preserves the Hodge splitting determined by $h$. This extends the Einstein condition in dimension four, which is recovered when…
We show that only finitely many links in a closed 3-manifold share the same complement, up to twists along discs and annuli. Using the same techniques, we prove that by adding 2-handles on the same link we get only finitely many smooth…
It is a classical important problem of differential topology by Thom; for a homology class of a compact manifold, can we realize this by a closed submanifold with no boundary? This is true if the degree of the class is smaller or equal to…
The mapping class group $M(X)$ of a smooth manifold $X$ is the group of smooth isotopy classes of orientation preserving diffeomorphisms of $X$. We prove a number of results about the mapping class groups of compact, simply-connected,…
A compact oriented 4-manifold is defined to be of ``superconformal simple type'' if certain polynomials in the basic classes (constructed using the Seiberg-Witten invariants) vanish identically. We show that all known 4-manifolds of…
In this paper, we study certain compact 4-manifolds with non-negative sectional curvature $K$. If $s$ is the scalar curvature and $W_+$ is the self-dual part of Weyl tensor, then it will be shown that there is no metric $g$ on $S^2 \times…
The aim of this article is to investigate the presence of a conformal vector $\xi$ with conformal factor $\rho$ on a compact Riemannian manifold $M$ with or without boundary $\partial M$. We firstly prove that a compact Riemannian manifold…