arXiv research

The paper classifies certain PL manifolds using PL cobordism.

We describe an algorithm to subdivide automatically a given set of PL n-manifolds (via coloured triangulations or, equivalently, via crystallizations) into classes whose elements are PL-homeomorphic. The algorithm, implemented in the case n=4, succeeds to solve completely the PL-homeomorphism problem among the catalogu…

Smooth symplectic manifolds can be approximated by PL symplectic manifolds.

Study compact PL 4-manifolds with special handle decompositions.

Suppose M is a noncompact connected PL 2-manifold. In this paper we study the topological property of the triple (H(M)_0, H^PL(M)_0, H^PL, c(M)_0), where H(M)_0 is the identity component of the homeomorphism group {\cal H}(M) of M with the compact-open topology, and H^PL(M)_0 and H^PL, c(M)_0 are the identity component…

Review of gem theory's interactions with Kirby diagrams and trisections.

We extend results of Pachner and Casali to give finite sets of moves relating triangulations of PL manifolds respecting filtrations by locally flat manifolds and stratifications in which a finite family of simple local models exists for neighborhoods of strata.

Simple crystallizations are edge-coloured graphs representing PL 4-manifolds with the property that the 1-skeleton of the associated triangulation equals the 1-skeleton of a 4-simplex. In the present paper, we prove that any (simply-connected) PL $4$-manifold $M$ admitting a simple crystallization admits a special hand…

The purpose of this note is to scrutinize the proof of Burago and Zalgaller regarding the existence of $PL$ isometric embeddings of $PL$ compact surfaces into $\mathbb{R}^3$. We conclude that their proof does not admit a direct extension to higher dimensions. Moreover, we show that, in general, $PL$ manifolds of dimens…

After surveying classical notions of PL topology of the Seventies, we clarify the relation between Morse theory and its discretization by Forman. We show that PL handles theory and discrete Morse theory are equivalent, in the sense that every discrete Morse vector on some PL triangulation is also a PL handle vector, an…

Let M be a PL 2-manifold and X be a compact subpolyhedron of M and let E(X, M) denote the space of embeddings of X into M with the compact-open topology. In this paper we study an extension property of embeddings of X into M and show that the restriction map from the homeomorphism group of M to E(X, M) is a principal b…

Lower bounds for PL 4-manifolds with boundary are improved.

For $d\geq 2$, the regular genus of a closed connected PL $d$-manifold $M$ is the least genus (resp., half of the genus) of an orientable (resp., a non-orientable) surface into which a crystallization of $M$ imbeds regularly. The regular genus of every orientable surface equals its genus, and the regular genus of every…

The paper studies special crystallizations of 4-manifolds to minimize certain PL-invariants.

Classifies triangulated 4-manifolds up to six pentachora, finding exceptions.

Gay and Kirby introduced the notion of a trisection of a smooth 4-manifold, which is a decomposition of the 4-manifold into three elementary pieces. Rubinstein and Tillmann later extended this idea to construct multisections of piecewise-linear (PL) manifolds in all dimensions. Given a PL manifold $Y$ of dimension $n$,…

Within crystallization theory, two interesting PL invariants for $d$-manifolds have been introduced and studied, namely {\it gem-complexity} and {\it regular genus}. In the present paper we prove that, for any closed connected PL $4$-manifold $M$, its gem-complexity $\mathit{k}(M)$ and its regular genus $ \mathcal G(M)…

Classifies semi-equivelar gems on surfaces with Euler characteristic -1.

This is a survey paper where we expose the Kirby--Siebenmann results on classification of PL structures on topological manifolds and, in particular, the homotopy equivalence TOP/PL=K(Z/2.3) and the Hauptvermutung for manifolds.

Arguments on PL,(=piecewise linear) topology work over any ordered field in the same way as over the real field, and those on differential topology do over a real closed field R in an o-minimal structure that expands (R,<,0,1,+,cdot). One of the most fundamental properties of definable sets is that a compact definable …

New PL-invariants defined for 4-manifolds with boundary.

We introduce a metric notion of Ricci curvature for $PL$ manifolds and study its convergence properties. We also prove a fitting version of the Bonnet-Myers Theorem, for surfaces as well as for a large class of higher dimensional manifolds.

Study PL bordism theories with quantitative bounds on filling simplices.

We discuss a PL analogue of Morse theory for PL manifolds. There are several notions of regular and critical points. A point is homologically regular if the homology does not change when passing through its level, it is strongly regular if the function can serve as one coordinate in a chart. Several criteria for strong…

Minimal crystallizations of simply connected PL 4-manifolds are very natural objects. Many of their topological features are reflected in their combinatorial structure which, in addition, is preserved under the connected sum operation. We present a minimal crystallization of the standard PL K3 surface. In combination w…

Gem theory helps estimate trisection genus of 4-manifolds.

In this article, we construct a crystallization of the mapping torus of some (PL) homeomorphisms $f:M \to M$ for a certain class of PL-manifolds $M$. These yield upper bounds for gem-complexity and regular genus of a large class of PL-manifolds. The bound for the regular genus is sharp for the mapping torus of some (PL…

In this survey article, we are interested on minimal triangulations of closed pl manifolds. We present a brief survey on the works done in last 25 years on the following: (i) Finding the minimal number of vertices required to triangulate a given pl manifold. (ii) Given positive integers $n$ and $d$, construction of $n$…

Solves linearity problem for acyclic groups, bounds Cheeger-Gromov ρ-invariants.

The paper connects Kirby diagrams and 5-colored graphs to represent 4-manifolds.

New examples show non-locally-flat PL-disk bounds in rational homology balls but not in integer homology balls.

With a compact PL manifold X we associate a category T(X). The objects of T(X) are all combinatorial manifolds of type X, and morphisms are combinatorial assemblies. We prove that the homotopy equivalence BT (X) \approx BPL(X) holds, where PL(X) is the simplicial group of PL-homeomorphisms. Thus the space BT(X) is a ca…

A classical result by Pachner states that two $d$-dimensional combinatorial manifolds with boundary are PL homeomorphic if and only they can be connected by a sequence of shellings and inverse shellings. We prove that for balanced, i.e., properly $(d + 1)$-colored, manifolds such a sequence can be chosen such that bala…

The study bounds invariants of PL manifolds and counts complexity of lens spaces.

Study handles in 4-manifolds with cyclic fundamental group.

Large PL surfaces in homology balls can have arbitrarily high genus.

New definition of regular points for PL functions on manifolds.

The study solves a 2008 problem by Kalai about infinitely many homology-spheres.

This paper gives a combinatorial description of spin and spin^c-structures on triangulated PL-manifolds of arbitrary dimension. These formulations of spin and spin^c-structures are established primarily for the purpose of aiding in computations. The novelty of the approach is we rely heavily on the naturality of binary…

We generalize the PL intersection product for chains on PL manifolds and for intersection chains on PL stratified pseudomanifolds to products of locally finite chains on non-compact spaces that are natural with respect to restriction to open sets. This is necessary to sheafify the intersection product, an essential ste…

The image of the branch set of a PL branched cover between PL $n$-manifolds is a simplicial $(n-2)$-complex. We demonstrate that the reverse implication also holds: an open and discrete map $f \colon \mathbb{S}^n \to \mathbb{S}^n$ with the image of the branch set contained in a simplicial $(n-2)$-complex is equivalent …

The hyperbolization process affects the structure of manifolds.

James McClure recently showed that the domain for the intersection pairing of PL chains on a PL manifold $M$ is a subcomplex of $C_*(M)\otimes C_*(M)$ that is quasi-isomorphic to $C_*(M)\otimes C_*(M)$ and, more generally, that the intersection pairing endows $C_*(M)$ with the structure of a partially-defined commutati…

In this paper we describe a procedure for refining the given triangulation of a 3-manifold that scales the PL-metric according to a given weight function while creating no new normal surfaces. It is known that an incompressible surface $F$ in a triangulated 3-manifold $M$ is isotopic to a normal surface that is of mini…

The regular genus of certain 4-manifolds is determined, providing new insights.

For a given polyhedron $K\subset M$ the notation $R_M(K)$ denotes a regular neighborhood of $K$ in $M$. We study the following problem: find all pairs $(m,k)$ such that if $K$ is a compact $k$-polyhedron and $M$ a PL $m$-manifold, then $R_M(fK)\cong R_M(gK)$, for each two homotopic PL embeddings $f,g:K\to M$. We prove …

We express the signature modulo 4 of a closed, oriented, $4k$-dimensional $PL$ manifold as a linear combination of its Euler characteristic and the new absolute torsion invariant defined in Korzeniewski [11]. Let $F \to E \to B$ be a $PL$ fibre bundle, where $F$, $E$ and $B$ are closed, connected, and compatibly orient…

In this paper, we introduce a bordism category $\mathcal{C}_d^{PL}$ whose objects are bundles of closed $(d-1)$-dimensional piecewise linear manifolds and whose morphisms are bundles of $d$-dimensional piecewise linear cobordisms. In the main theorem of this article, we show that the classifying space $B\mathcal{C}_d^{…