Topology

Realisation problem for the space of knots in the 3-sphere ★★

Author(s): Budney

Problem   Given a link $ L $ in $ S^3 $, let the symmetry group of $ L $ be denoted $ Sym(L) = \pi_0 Diff(S^3,L) $ ie: isotopy classes of diffeomorphisms of $ S^3 $ which preserve $ L $, where the isotopies are also required to preserve $ L $.

Now let $ L $ be a hyperbolic link. Assume $ L $ has the further `Brunnian' property that there exists a component $ L_0 $ of $ L $ such that $ L \setminus L_0 $ is the unlink. Let $ A_L $ be the subgroup of $ Sym(L) $ consisting of diffeomorphisms of $ S^3 $ which preserve $ L_0 $ together with its orientation, and which preserve the orientation of $ S^3 $.

There is a representation $ A_L \to \pi_0 Diff(L \setminus L_0) $ given by restricting the diffeomorphism to the $ L \setminus L_0 $. It's known that $ A_L $ is always a cyclic group. And $ \pi_0 Diff(L \setminus L_0) $ is a signed symmetric group -- the wreath product of a symmetric group with $ \mathbb Z_2 $.

Problem: What representations can be obtained?

Keywords: knot space; symmetry

Posted by rybu
updated November 7th, 2009
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Topology

Slice-ribbon problem ★★★★

Author(s): Fox

Conjecture   Given a knot in $ S^3 $ which is slice, is it a ribbon knot?

Keywords: cobordism; knot; ribbon; slice

Posted by rybu
updated November 7th, 2009
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Topology

Smooth 4-dimensional Poincare conjecture ★★★★

Author(s): Poincare; Smale; Stallings

Conjecture   If a $ 4 $-manifold has the homotopy type of the $ 4 $-sphere $ S^4 $, is it diffeomorphic to $ S^4 $?

Keywords: 4-manifold; poincare; sphere

Posted by rybu
updated August 26th, 2021
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Topology

Smooth 4-dimensional Schoenflies problem ★★★★

Author(s): Alexander

Problem   Let $ M $ be a $ 3 $-dimensional smooth submanifold of $ S^4 $, $ M $ diffeomorphic to $ S^3 $. By the Jordan-Brouwer separation theorem, $ M $ separates $ S^4 $ into the union of two compact connected $ 4 $-manifolds which share $ M $ as a common boundary. The Schoenflies problem asks, are these $ 4 $-manifolds diffeomorphic to $ D^4 $? ie: is $ M $ unknotted?

Keywords: 4-dimensional; Schoenflies; sphere

Posted by rybu
updated November 6th, 2009
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