arXiv research

Extends graph degree theorem to simplicial closure of Auter space.

Researchers calculate the cohomology of a specific lens space combination.

We give another proof of a theorem of Hatcher and Vogtmann stating that the sequence $Aut(F_n)$ satisfies integral homological stability. The paper is for the most part expository, and we also explain Quillen's method for proving homological stability.

Constructs pseudo-isotopies with Cerf diagrams and Hatcher-Wagoner invariants for barbell maps.

We give a new approach to intersection theory. Our "cycles" are closed manifolds mapping into compact manifolds and our "intersections" are elements of a homotopy group of a certain Thom space. The results are then applied in various contexts, including fixed point, linking and disjunction problems. Our main theorems r…

We prove a homological stability theorem for the subgroup of the mapping class group acting as the identity on some fixed portion of the first homology group of the surface. We also prove a similar theorem for the subgroup of the mapping class group preserving a fixed map from the fundamental group to a finite group, w…

Let S be a compact, connected, orientable surface of positive genus. Let HT(S) be the Hatcher-Thurston complex of S. We prove that Aut(HT(S)) is isomorphic to the extended mapping class group of S modulo its center.

Defines complex for infinite-type surfaces with non-planar ends.

New Vassiliev invariant of order three derived from Fox-Hatcher cycles.

This paper extends results of Hatcher and Vogtmann's work "Cerf Theory for Graphs" to ribbon graphs. Given an orientable, punctured and basepointed surface Sigma, we prove that the space of ribbon graphs that can be drawn in Sigma is filtered by simplicial complexes. The k-th simplicial complex is (k-1)-dimensional, (k…

We show that the space of metrics of positive scalar curvature on any 3-manifold is either empty or contractible. Second, we show that the diffeomorphism group of every 3-dimensional spherical space form deformation retracts to its isometry group. This proves the Generalized Smale Conjecture. Our argument is independen…

We provide analogues for non-orientable surfaces with or without boundary or punctures of several basic theorems in the setting of the Thurston theory of surfaces which were developed so far only in the case of orientable surfaces. Namely, we provide natural analogues for non-orientable surfaces of the Fenchel-Nielsen …

We consider an oriented surface S and a cellular complex X of curves on S, defined by Hatcher and Thurston in 1980. We prove by elementary means, without Cerf theory, that the complex X is connected and simply connected. From this we derive an explicit simple presentation of the mapping class group of S, following the …

We call a Morse function $f$ on a closed manifold $k$-constrained if neither $f$ nor $-f$ has critical points of indefinite Morse index $< k$. In this paper we study bordism groups of $k$-constrained Morse functions, and thus interpolate between the case $k = 1$ of bordism groups of Morse functions (computed by Ikegami…

We prove that the free splitting complex of a finite rank free group, also known as Hatcher's sphere complex, is hyperbolic.

This note corrects errors in Hatcher and Oertel's table of boundary slopes of Montesinos knots which have projections with 10 or fewer crossings.

Let $S_{1}$ and $S_{2}$ be connected orientable surfaces of genus $g_{1}, g_{2} \geq 3$, $n_{1},n_{2} \geq 0$ punctures, and empty boundary. Let also $\varphi: \mathcal{HT}(S_{1}) \rightarrow \mathcal{HT}(S_{2})$ be an edge-preserving alternating map between their Hatcher-Thurston graphs. We prove that $g_{1} \leq g_{2…

Handel and Mosher have proved that the free splitting complex FS for the free group is Gromov hyperbolic. This is a deep and much sought-after result, since it establishes FS as a good analogue of the curve complex for surfaces. We give a shorter alternative proof of this theorem, using surgery paths in Hatcher's spher…

The genus of satellite tunnel number one knots and torti-rational knots is computed using the tools introduced by Floyd and Hatcher. An implementation of an algorithm is given to compute genus and slopes of minimal genus Seifert surfaces for such knots.

Let $R$ be a compact, connected, orientable surface of genus $g$ with $n$ boundary components with $g \geq 2$, $n \geq 0$. Let $\mathcal{N}(R)$ be the nonseparating curve graph, $\mathcal{C}(R)$ be the curve graph and $\mathcal{HT}(R)$ be the Hatcher-Thurston graph of $R$. We prove that if $λ: \mathcal{N}(R) \rightarro…

We classify incompressible, boundary-incompressible, nonorientable surfaces in punctured-torus bundles over $S^1$. We use the ideas of Floyd, Hatcher, and Thurston. The main tool is to put our surface in the "Morse position" with respect to the projection of the bundle into the basis S^1.

Using a similar algorithm to Hatcher-Thurston's algorithm for finding a presentation of the mapping class group of a surface, Wajnryb succeeded to find a presentation for the handlebody group. This is long and complicated. In this note I simplify Wajnryb's presentation for the handlebody group of genus g = 2.

The crosscap number of a knot in the 3-sphere is defined as the minimal first Betti number of non-orientable subsurfaces bounded by the knot. In this paper, we determine the crosscap numbers of pretzel knots. The key ingredient to obtain the result is the algorithm of enumerating all essential surfaces for Montesinos k…

S. Gervais gave a finite presentation for the mapping class group of a surface (math.GT/9811162). We show this presentation without using Wajnryb's simple presentation. We use a complex of curves defined by Harvey, in place of Hatcher and Thurston's complex.

The Slope Conjecture relates the degree of the colored Jones polynomial of a knot to boundary slopes of incompressible surfaces. Our aim is to prove the Slope Conjecture for Montesinos knots, and to match parameters of a state-formula for the colored Jones polynomial of such knots with the parameters that describe thei…

Study shows top homology group isn't dualizing module for automorphism group of free groups.

We introduce the concept of a standard form for two embedded maximal sphere systems in the doubled handlebody, and we prove an existence and uniqueness result. In particular, we show that pairs of maximal sphere systems in the doubled handlebody (up to homeomorphism) bijectively correspond to square complexes satisfyin…

One of the most useful tools for studying the geometry of the mapping class group has been the subsurface projections of Masur and Minsky. Here we propose an analogue for the study of the geometry of Out(F_n) called submanifold projection. We use the doubled handlebody M_n = #^n S^2 \times S^1 as a geometric model of F…

Using the works of Gervais, Harer, Hatcher and Thurston and others, we show that the mapping class group of a compact orientable surface has a presentation so that the generators are the set of all Dehn twists and the relations are supported in subsurfaces homeomorphic to the one-holed torus or the four-holed sphere. I…

Using the Hatcher-Oertel algorithm for finding boundary slopes of Montesinos knots, we prove the Slope Conjecture and the Strong Slope Conjecture for a family of 3-tangle pretzel knots. More precisely, we prove that the maximal degrees of the colored Jones polynomial of such knots determine a boundary slope as predicte…

We prove that the groupoid of transformations of rigid structures on surfaces has a finite presentation as a 2-groupoid establishing a result first conjectured by G.Moore and N.Seiberg. An alternative proof was given by B.Bakalov and A.Kirillov Jr. We present some applications to TQFTs. This is also related to recent w…

Study on finiteness properties of handlebody mapping class groups.

Each Morita--Mumford--Miller (MMM) class e_n assigns to each genus g >= 2 surface bundle S_g -> E^{2n+2} -> M^{2n} an integer e_n^#(E -> M) := <e_n,[M]> in Z. We prove that when n is odd the number e_n^#(E -> M) depends only on the diffeomorphism type of E, not on g, M, or the map E -> M. More generally, we prove that …

For n > 2, the Dehn functions of Aut(F_n) and Out(F_n) are exponential. Hatcher and Vogtmann proved that they are at most exponential, and the complementary lower bound in the case n=3 was established by Bridson and Vogtmann. Handel and Mosher completed the proof by reducing the lower bound for n>4 to the case n=3. In …

We define integral measures of complexity for Heegaard splittings based on the graph dual to the curve complex and on the pants complex defined by Hatcher and Thurston. As the Heegaard splitting is stabilized, the sequence of complexities turns out to converge to a non-trivial limit depending only on the manifold. We t…

This paper extends some results of Hatcher and Quinn beyond the metastable range. We give a bordism theoretic obstruction to deforming a map between manifolds simultaneously off of a collection of pairwise disjoint submanifolds under the assumption that it can be deformed off of any proper subcollection in a homotopy c…

In this paper, we determine the canonical polyhedral decomposition of every hyperbolic once-punctured torus bundle over the circle. In fact, we show that the only ideal polyhedral decomposition that is straight in the hyperbolic structure and that is invariant under a certain involution is the ideal triangulation defin…

Proves asymptotic mapping class groups of Cantor manifolds are of type F_infinity.

Study of Torelli subgroups of automorphism groups of free groups.

The fundamental group of $M = \sharp_n (S^2\times S^1)$ is $F_n$, the free group with $n$ generators. There is a 1-1 correspondence between the equivalence classes of $\mathbb{Z}$-- splittings of $F_n$ and homotopy classes of embedded essential tori in $M$. We define and prove a local notion of minimal intersection of …

The two-category with three-manifolds as objects, h-cobordisms as morphisms, and diffeomorphisms of these as two-morphisms, is extremely rich; from the point of view of classical physics it defines a nontrivial topological model for general relativity. A rather striking amount of work on pseudoisotopy theory [Hatcher, …

The paper is devoted to a detailed exposition of results outlined in author's 1983 note "On the virtual cohomology dimension of the Teichmüller modular group". The paper includes the full proofs and a discussion of the context which motivated both the results and the methods used. The reminiscences included into the la…

New obstructions show some 4-manifold homeomorphisms are pseudo-isotopic but not isotopic.

Let $M_n$ be the topological moduli space of all parallel n-cables of long framed oriented knots in 3-space. We construct in a combinatorial way for each natural number $n>1$ a 1-cocycle $R_n$ which represents a non trivial class in $H^1(M_n; \mathbb{Z} [x_1,x_2,...,x_1^{-1},x_2^{-1},...])$, where the number of variabl…

We show that if a Heegaard splitting is obtained by gluing a splitting of Hempel distance at least 4 and the genus-1 splitting of $S^2 \times S^1$, then the Goeritz group of the splitting is finitely generated. To show this, we first provide a sufficient condition for a full subcomplex of the arc complex for a compact …

Study the topology of stable vector fields and Lyapunov functions on R^n.

The braided Thompson group $\mathcal B$ is an asymptotic mapping class group of a sphere punctured along the standard Cantor set, endowed with a rigid structure. Inspired from the case of finite type surfaces we consider a Hatcher-Thurston cell complex whose vertices are asymptotically trivial pants decompositions. We …

The Generalized Smale Conjecture asserts that if M is a closed 3-manifold with constant positive curvature, then the inclusion of the group of isometries into the group of diffeomorphisms is a homotopy equivalence. For the 3-sphere, this was the classical Smale Conjecture proved by A. Hatcher. N. Ivanov proved the Gene…