All Questions
Tagged with gn.general-topology gt.geometric-topology
303
questions
0
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0
answers
135
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Define differentiability in a quotient space that is NOT a manifold but close to an Euclidean space
Suppose we have $X = R^n$, fixed $x_0 \in R^n$ and a polynomial function $f$ by which we define a set $C = \{x \in R^n \mid f(x) = x_0\}$. Consider the quotient space $X/C$, assume $C$ is closed and $...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
122
views
Determine the Eilenberg-MacLane spaces on the right-handed side of this Whitehead tower?
What and how to determine the Eilenberg-MacLane spaces on the right-handed side of this Whitehead tower?
Namely, how do we know
$$
K(Z_2,1)?, \quad K(Z_2,2)?, \quad K(Z,4)?
$$
Naively -- in each step ...
- 327
0
votes
2
answers
291
views
If a graph embedded on a surface is divided by a curve into a right and left that do not intersect can it be embedded on a surface of smaller genus?
Suppose we have a graph $G$ embedded on a (smooth, orientable etc) surface $Q$. Suppose there is a cycle $C$ of $G$ such that
$C$ does not separate our surface $Q$ into two connected regions and ...
- 161
1
vote
0
answers
117
views
Can a closed null-homotopic curve be filled in by a disc?
Let $U\subseteq\Bbb R^n$ be an open set and $\gamma\subset U$ a closed null-homotopic curve in $U$ (i.e. it can be contracted to a point). Then is there an embedded disc $D\subset U$ with boundary $\...
- 11.9k
7
votes
1
answer
234
views
Does the continuous image of a disc contain an embedded disc?
Let $\phi:\Bbb D^2\to\Bbb R^n$ be a continuous mapping of the 2-disc $\Bbb D^2$ that is injective on the boundary $\partial\Bbb D^2=\Bbb S^1$. Does its image contain an embedded disc with the same ...
- 11.9k
2
votes
1
answer
180
views
Is a simple closed curve always a free boundary arc?
Is it possible to extract a neighborhood around any point on a simple closed curve such that the boundary of this neighborhood intersects the curve at only two points?
For a simple closed curve $\...
5
votes
0
answers
234
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Aspherical space whose fundamental group is subgroup of the Euclidean isometry group
Let $M$ be a smooth, compact manifold without a boundary, with its universal covering $\tilde{M} = \mathbb{R}^n$. If there exists an injective homomorphism $h: \pi_1(M) \rightarrow O(k) \ltimes \...
- 619
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0
answers
15
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Is the impression of an ideal boundary point (=end) the union of the impressions of the prime ends of the circle of prime ends associated to this end?
Let S be a compact orientable surface and U an open connected subset of S with finitely many ideal boundary points (or ends). U has a prime ends compactification which is a surface with boundary (...
8
votes
1
answer
318
views
Given an embedded disk in $\mathbb{R}^n$, is there always another disk which intersects it nontrivially in a disk?
We call an open subset $D\subset X$ of a manifold $X$ an embedded disk, if there exists a homeomorphism $D\cong \mathbb{R}^n$.
The precise formulation of the question in the title is as follows:
Let $...
- 725
3
votes
1
answer
144
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Embedding of half open half closed $n$-set in $n$-space
Let $n\geq 2$. Set $\Sigma= \{x\in \mathbb{R}^n: 1\leq |x|<2\}$. Assume $h:\Sigma
\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^n$ is continuous and injective.
Question: Must $h$ also be an embedding?
Some thoughts:
$h|...
3
votes
1
answer
246
views
Can such a set be simply connected?
$\newcommand\R{\mathbb R}$Let $U$ be an open subset of $\R^2$ such that the point $(0,0)$ is on the boundary of $U$. Let $f\colon[0,1]\to\R^2$ be the path that starts at $(0,0)$ and moves with a (say) ...
- 111k
5
votes
2
answers
500
views
On the boundary of a simply connected set
Let $U$ be an open simply connected subset of $\mathbb R^2$. Let $x$ be a boundary point of $U$.
Does then there always exist a continuous function $f\colon[0,1]\to\mathbb R^2\setminus U$ such that $x ...
- 111k
0
votes
0
answers
157
views
Homeomorphism groups on manifolds and topological properties
Let $M$ be a compact $n$-dimensional manifold let $H(M)$ denote the homeomorphism group of $M$.
If $n=2$ then $H(M)$ enjoys nice properties such as being an ANR, is locally contractible, separable. ...
17
votes
0
answers
936
views
"Next steps" after TQFT?
(Disclaimer: I'm rather nervous that this isn't appropriate for MathOverflow, but given the contents of my question I don't really know a better place to ask something like this.)
Recently, I've been ...
- 357
4
votes
0
answers
320
views
Does a contractible locally connected continuum have an fixed point property?
I'm surprised that I can't find any research on this topic. Maybe it's too obvious? Kinoshita proved that contractible continuum do not have FPP, but his example is not locally connected. Maybe if we ...
3
votes
1
answer
281
views
A detail in Brown's proof of the generalized Schoenflies theorem
Consider a homeomorphic embedding $h:S^{n-1}\times [0,1]\rightarrow S^n$ and denote
$$S^{n-1}_t=h(S^{n-1}\times \{t\}).$$
The generalized Schoenflies theorem states the closure of each connected ...
- 1,175
1
vote
1
answer
152
views
Identifying a curve on a closed surface of genus 4
The notation is the one used in the attached picture.
Take a closed, orientable surface $\Sigma_4$ of genus $4$, obtained as the identification space of a polygon with $16$ sides in the usual way. The ...
- 64.8k
3
votes
0
answers
203
views
"Maehara-style" proof of Jordan-Schoenflies theorem?
The highest upvoted answer to this old question Nice proof of the Jordan curve theorem? is a proof by Ryuji Maehara. I personally really liked/appreciated that Maehara's proof is
A) a fairly ...
- 569
7
votes
2
answers
627
views
A generic metric on $X\cup\mathbb Z$
$\newcommand\abs[1]{\lvert#1\rvert}$Let $(X,d_X)$ be a countable metric space such that $X\cap\mathbb Z=\{0\}$.
Problem. Is there a metric $d$ on the union $Y=X\cup\mathbb Z$ such that
$d(x,y)=d_X(x,...
- 40.2k
6
votes
1
answer
443
views
A characterization of metric spaces, isometric to subspaces of Euclidean spaces
I am looking for the reference to the following (surely known) characterization of metric spaces that embed into $\mathbb R^n$:
Theorem. Let $n$ be positive integer number. A metric space $X$ is ...
- 40.2k
10
votes
1
answer
437
views
An incomplete characterisation of the Euclidean line?
We say that a metric space $(X, d)$ is a Banakh space if for every $\rho \in \mathbb{R}_{> 0}$ and every $x \in X$, there are
$a,b \in X$ such that $\{y \in X \, \vert \, d(x, y) = \rho\} = \{a, b\}...
- 7,283
8
votes
2
answers
315
views
Is every contractible homogeneous space of a connected Lie group homeomorphic to a Euclidean space?
Problem. Let $G$ be a connected Lie group and $H$ is a closed subgroup of $G$ such that the homogeneous space $G/H$ is contractible. Is $G/H$ homeomorphic to a Euclidean space $\mathbb R^n$ for some $...
- 40.2k
3
votes
0
answers
173
views
Symmetric line spaces are homeomorphic to Euclidean spaces
For points $x,y,z$ of a metric space $(X,d)$ we write $\mathbf Mxyz$ and say that $y$ is a midpoint between $x$ and $z$ if $d(x,z)=d(x,y)+d(y,z)$ and $d(x,y)=d(y,z)$.
Definition: A metric space $(X,d)$...
- 40.2k
47
votes
3
answers
3k
views
A metric characterization of the real line
Is the following metric characterization of the real line true (and known)?
A nonempty complete metric space $(X,d)$ is isometric to the real line if and only if for every $c\in X$ and positive real ...
- 40.2k
3
votes
1
answer
321
views
Boundaries of subsets of simply-connected domains
I am trying to prove the following assertion: Let $B$ be a simply-connected set, and let $B' \subsetneq B$ be a proper open connected subset. Then, there exists a point $x \in \partial B'$ of the ...
6
votes
0
answers
87
views
Classification of contractible open n-manifolds which embed in a compact n-manifold
Does there exist a classification of contractible open $n$-manifolds ($n\geq 3$) which embed in a compact $n$-manifold? More general, does there exist a classification of contractible open $n$-...
- 1,916
3
votes
1
answer
132
views
Spaces satisfying a strong Cartan-Hadamard theorem
Let $(X,d)$ be a connected geodesic metric space. When does there there exists a covering map $\pi:H\rightarrow X$ which is a local-isometry where $H$ is either a Hilbert space or a Euclidean space?
...
- 228
4
votes
1
answer
100
views
A neighborhood of a 2-disc $D\subset\Bbb R^4$ that tapers off towards the boundary?
I am given a PL 2-disc $D\subset\Bbb R^4$ (everything PL from here on) and I need a "neighborhood" $N\simeq B^4$ (PL-homeomorphic to a 4-ball) so that $\partial N\cap D=\partial D$.
If I got ...
- 11.9k
8
votes
1
answer
196
views
If $M$ is contractible manifold and $X\subset \partial M$, does the cone over $X$ embed in $M$?
Let $M$ be a compact contractible manifold, $X\subset\partial M$ and $C_X$ the cone over $X$.
Question: Is it true that $C_X$ embeds in $M$ with its boundary $\partial C_X$ mapped to $X\subset \...
- 11.9k
3
votes
0
answers
87
views
Is the thickening of a PL 2-disc in $\Bbb R^4$ a 4-ball?
Let $D\subset\Bbb R^4$ be a PL-embedded 2-dimensional disc. Let $N=D+K$ be a thickening of the disc, where $K$ is some sufficiently small 4-dimensional PL-ball and "$+$" means Minkowski ...
- 11.9k
4
votes
0
answers
161
views
In how far does the Whitney trick work in the piecewise linear setting in $\Bbb R^4$?
I usually read about the Whitney trick in the context of smooth manifolds, but I wonder in how far it works in the piecewise linear (PL) category as well. I have a specific setting in mind that I will ...
- 11.9k
2
votes
1
answer
112
views
Subsets of $\mathbb{S}^n$ fixed by an orientation-reversing self-homeomorphism — Part 2
This is another special case of this question.
Recall that we call a subset $Z$ of $\mathbb{S}^n$ ambiently-reversible, if there is an orientation-reversing homeomorphism $h: \mathbb{S}^n \to \mathbb{...
- 1,844
2
votes
0
answers
133
views
Subsets of $\mathbb{S}^n$ fixed by an orientation-reversing self-homeomorphism — Part 1
Call a subset $Z$ of $\mathbb{S}^n$ ambiently-reversible, if there is an orientation-reversing self-homeomorphism $h: \mathbb{S}^n \to \mathbb{S}^n$ fixing $Z$ pointwise.
Question 1: Which subsets of ...
- 1,844
0
votes
1
answer
307
views
Distance between two points using triangulation
Suppose we have two points $p_1$ and $p_2$ in a metric space with unknown dimensionality, with no way to directly compute the distance between them, e.g. no coordinates.
Say we can randomly sample a ...
4
votes
1
answer
211
views
What is the Freudenthal compactification of a wildly punctured n-sphere?
Let $C$ be a compact and totally-disconnected subspace of the $n$-sphere $\mathbb{S}^n$, where $n\geq 2$.
Question: Must the Freudenthal compactification of $\mathbb{S}^n \setminus C$ be homeomorphic ...
- 1,844
0
votes
1
answer
86
views
A question on relation of different triangulations of a triangulable space
Suppose we get two triangulations of a manifold with boundary $M$ such that the triangulation is compatible with boundary, i.e. the restriction on the boundary is itself a triangulation, is it these ...
- 773
2
votes
1
answer
98
views
Density of smooth bi-Lipschitz maps in smooth maps
Setup/Motivation:
Let $(M,g)$ and $(N,\rho)$ be complete Riemannian manifolds of respective dimensions $m$ and $n$ and suppose that $m\leq n$. Let $\operatorname{bi-C}^{\infty}(M,N)$ denote the class ...
- 165
1
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0
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83
views
Are Hölder functions between Banach spaces residual in the compact-open topology?
Let $X$ and $Y$ be Banach spaces and let $C(X,Y)$ be the set of continuous functions from $X$ to $Y$ equipped with the topology of uniform convergence on compact sets (i.e. the compact-open topology). ...
- 5,001
7
votes
1
answer
436
views
How to prove the product of Whitehead manifold and $\mathbb{R}$ is homeomorphic to $\mathbb{R}^4$?
I am currently reading Rolfsen's "Knots and Links". At page 82 Whitehead manifold $W$ is defined and an exercise asking to show that $W\times \mathbb{R}\cong \mathbb{R}^4$ is left. Reference ...
- 95
2
votes
1
answer
120
views
Gluing isotopic smoothings
Let $M$ be a topological manifold which can be written as $M = U \cup V$ where $U$ and $V$ are open. Suppose both $U$ and $V$ admit smooth structures. Also assume that on the overlap $U \cap V$ the ...
- 933
14
votes
2
answers
793
views
Must a space that is locally injective image of $\mathbb{R}^n$ be a manifold?
Suppose $X\subseteq\mathbb{R}^m$ s.t. for any $x\in X$ and any open $U\subseteq\mathbb{R}^m$ that contains $x$, there exists a smaller open set $V\subseteq U$ also containing $x$, so that $V\cap X$ is ...
- 271
10
votes
1
answer
182
views
The knot $K\subset \Bbb S^3$ is smoothly slice, but the disc $D\subset \Bbb D^4$ is only locally flat. Can $D$ be smoothed?
Suppose I am given a smoothly slice knot $K\subset\Bbb S^3$. But I am only given a locally flat disc $D\subset \Bbb D^4$ with boundary $K$.
Question: Is there a smooth disc $D'\subset\Bbb D^4$ with ...
- 11.9k
4
votes
1
answer
97
views
Extension of an orbifold structure from punctured balls to balls
Let $\hat{D} := D \backslash \{0\}$ be a ball in $R^n$ with the origin $\{0\}$ removed. Assume that $\hat{D}$ has a structure as an orbifold (may be distinct from its standard manifold structure). Is ...
- 773
1
vote
1
answer
87
views
Annulus theorem for pseudomanifolds
Lets say I take an arbitrary closed and smooth $d$-manifolds $\mathcal{M}$. Now, it is a well-known fact that whenever I take two (sufficiently nice embedded) closed $d$-balls $B_{1}$ and $B_{2}$ in $\...
- 1,035
1
vote
1
answer
189
views
Approximations by compact sub-spaces
Suppose $X$ is a Hausdorff (I'm happy to also assume "non compact") topological space that can be written as the topological direct limit
$$\varinjlim_{a\in J} K_a$$
for $J$ a directed set ...
user335418
1
vote
0
answers
131
views
End space of non-compact 2-manifolds described with proper rays
I am wondering if the classification of noncompact surfaces given by Ian Richards can be stated with proper rays instead of nested sequences of connected open subsets with compact boundary. I asked ...
3
votes
1
answer
144
views
Kind of "associativity" of certain connected sum involving both manifolds with and without boundary
Consider two compact, oriented and connected manifolds $\mathcal{M},\mathcal{N}$ with possibly non-empty connected boundaries $\partial\mathcal{M}$ and $\partial\mathcal{N}$. Now, in some project, I ...
- 833
14
votes
3
answers
899
views
Quotient of solid torus by swapping coordinates on boundary
Let $T$ be the solid 2-torus and let $\sim$ be the equivalence relation on $T$ generated by the relation $\{(\alpha,\beta) \sim (\beta,\alpha) \mid \alpha, \beta \in S^1\}$ on the boundary $\partial T=...
- 1,527
5
votes
1
answer
292
views
"Classification" of (orientable) 3-manifolds with genus-g-surface as their boundary
This is in some sense a generalization of the question I asked some time ago. I am very sorry if this question is too basic for MathOverflow, but I just started learning about some more detailed ...
- 1,035
2
votes
0
answers
101
views
Single theorem for hybrid of winding number and rotation number?
I am trying to make mathematical sense of some observations from my physics research, so I hope that you will bear with me.
For a complex-valued function $z(t)$ dependent on parameter $t$, I calculate ...
- 121