Related papers: Equivariant framings, lens spaces and Contact stru…

In this paper, we survey recent works on the structure of the mapping class groups of surfaces mainly from the point of view of topology. We then discuss several possible directions for future research. These include the relation between…

We propose a way to derive polynomial invariants of closed, orientable $3$-manifolds from Heegaard diagrams via cellularly embedded graphs. Given a Heegaard diagram of an irreducible $3$-manifold $M$, we associate a Heegaard graph $G\subset…

We investigate when the tangent bundle of a projective manifold has a non-trivial first order (or positive-dimensional) deformation. This leads to a new conjectural characterization of the complex projective space.

We construct new topological invariants of three-dimensional manifolds which can, in particular, distinguish homotopy equivalent lens spaces L(7,1) and L(7,2). The invariants are built on the base of a classical (not quantum) solution of…

We define flag structures on a real three manifold M as the choice of two complex lines on the complexified tangent space at each point of M. We suppose that the plane field defined by the complex lines is a contact plane and construct an…

Going beyond the cohomological invariants attached to tiling spaces via inverse limit constructions, Clark and Hunton introduced shape group invariants, and showed these invariants in dimension one give new information. We show for…

Cartan's method of moving frames is briefly recalled in the context of immersed curves in the homogeneous space of a Lie group $G$. The contact geometry of curves in low dimensional equi-affine geometry is then made explicit. This delivers…

We define an invariant of contact 3-manifolds with convex boundary using Kronheimer and Mrowka's sutured instanton Floer homology theory. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first invariant of contact manifolds -- with or without…

We show that a smooth 1-parameter family of foliations by circles of a closed 3-manifold, deforming the foliation whose leaves are the fibers of a circle bundle, is trivial, i.e. all the foliations of the family arise from circle bundles…

We develop the theory of arrangements of spheres. Consider a finite collection of codimension-$1$ subspheres in a positive-dimensional sphere. There are two posets associated with this collection: the poset of faces and the poset of…

We describe an action of the concordance group of knots in the three-sphere on concordances of knots in arbitrary 3-manifolds. As an application we define the notion of almost-concordance between knots. After some basic results, we prove…

To each connected component in the space of semisimple representations from the orbifold fundamental group of the base orbifold of a Seifert fibered homology 3-sphere into the Lie group U(2,1), we associate a real number called the…

This paper uses results on the classification of minimal triangulations of 3-manifolds to produce additional results, using covering spaces. Using previous work on minimal triangulations of lens spaces, it is shown that the lens space…

This paper begins the study of relations between Riemannian geometry and global properties of contact structures on 3-manifolds. In particular we prove an analog of the sphere theorem from Riemannian geometry in the setting of contact…

In this paper, we introduce a geometric structure called top, which is a trivialized bundle of plane pencils over a Riemannian 3-manifold, defined as the set of kernels of a circle of 1-forms (e.g. of contact and integrable forms) with…

We define combinatorial invariants of Legendrian and transverse links in universally tight lens spaces using grid diagrams, generalizing [OST08] and prove that they are equivalent to the invariants defined in [BVVV13] and [LOSS09]. We use…

We examine several classes of manifolds which have the same cohomology ring as an Eschenburg space (a family of biquotients which is a main source of manifolds with positive curvature). One family are the 3-sphere bundles over CP^2. Another…

In this paper we develop a method for studying tight contact structures on lens spaces. We then derive uniqueness and non-existence statements for tight contact structures with certain (half) Euler classes on lens spaces. We also prove that…

The Ozsvath-Szabo contact invariant is a complete classification invariant for tight contact structures on small Seifert fibered 3-manifolds which are L-spaces.

Drawing parallels with hyperplane arrangements, we develop the theory of arrangements of submanifolds. Given a smooth, finite dimensional, real manifold $X$ we consider a finite collection $\mathcal{A}$ of locally flat, codimension-1…