In ~\cite{Iw2} Iwase has constructed two 16-dimensional manifolds $M_2$ and $M_3$ with LS-category 3 which are counter-examples to Ganea's conjecture: ${\rm cat_{LS}} (M\times S^n)={\rm cat_{LS}} M+1$. We show that the manifold $M_3$ is a counter-example to the logarithmic law for the LS-category of the square of a manifold: ${\rm cat_{LS}}(M\times M)=2{\rm cat_{LS}} M$. Also, we construct a map of degree one $$f:N\to M_2\times M_3$$ which reduces Rudyak's conjecture to the question whether ${\rm cat_{LS}}(M_2\times M_3)\ge 5$. We show that ${\rm cat_{LS}}(M_2\times M_3)\ge 4$.
Let G be a compact connected Lie group and p : E \to Σ^2V a principal G-bundle with a characteristic map α: A=ΣV \to G. By combining cone decomposition arguments in Iwase-Mimura-Nishimoto [3,5] with computations of higher Hopf invariants introduced in Iwase [8], we generalize the result in Iwase-Mimura [12]: Let {F_{i}|0 \leq i \leq m} be a cone-decomposition of G with a canonical structure map σ_{i} of cat(F_{i}) \leq i for i \leq m. We have cat(E) \leq \Max(m+n,m+2) for n \geq 1, if αis compressible into F_{n} \subseteq F_{m} \simeq G and H^{σ_n}_n(α) = 0, under a suitable compatibility cond…
If a map $f$ has a homotopy retraction, then Doeraene and El Haouari conjectured that the sectional category and the relative category of $f$ are the same. In this work we discuss this conjecture for some lower bounds of these invariants. In particular, when we consider the diagonal map, we obtain results supporting Iwase-Sakai's conjecture which asserts that the topological complexity is the monoidal topological complexity.
Suppose the spaces X and X cross A have the same Lusternik-Schnirelmann category: cat(X cross A)= cat(X). Then there is a strict inequality cat(X cross (A halfsmash B)) < cat (X) + cat(A halfsmash B) for every space B, provided the connectivity of A is large enough (depending only on X). This is applied to give a partial verification of a conjecture of Iwase on the category of products of spaces with spheres.
We show that the n-homotopy category of connected (n+1)-dimensional Menger manifolds is isomorphic to the homotopy category of connected Hilbert cube manifolds whose k-dimensional homotopy groups are trivial for each k > n.
We prove that manifolds of Lusternik-Schnirelmann category 2 necessarily have free fundamental group. We thus settle a 1992 conjecture of Gomez-Larranaga and Gonzalez-Acuna, by generalizing their result in dimension 3, to all higher dimensions. We also obtain some general results on the relations between the fundamental group of a closed manifold M, the dimension of M, and the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of M, and relate the latter to the systolic category of M.
The Lusternik-Schnirelmann category and topological complexity are important invariants of manifolds (and more generally, topological spaces). We study the behavior of these invariants under the operation of taking the connected sum of manifolds. We give a complete answer for the LS-categoryof orientable manifolds, $\cat(M\# N)=\max\{\cat M,\cat N\}$. For topological complexity we prove the inequality $\TC (M\# N)\ge\max\{\TC M,\TC N\}$ for simply connected manifolds.
In this paper, we introduce a category of graded commutative rings with certain algebraic morphisms, to investigate the cobordism category of plumbed 3-manifolds. In particular, we define a non-associative distributive algebra that gives necessary conditions for an abstract morphism between the homologies of two plumbed 3-manifolds to be realized geometrically by a cobordism. Here we also consider the homology cobordism monoid, and give a necessary condition using w-invariants for the homology 3-spheres to belong to the inertia group associated to some homology 3-spheres.
Galatius, Madsen, Tillmann and Weiss have identified the homotopy type of the classifying space of the cobordism category with objects (d-1)-dimensional manifolds embedded in R^\infty. In this paper we apply the techniques of spaces of manifolds, as developed by the author and Galatius, to identify the homotopy type of the cobordism category with objects (d-1)-dimensional submanifolds of a fixed background manifold M. There is a description in terms of a space of sections of a bundle over M associated to its tangent bundle. This can be interpreted as a form of Poincare duality, relating a spac…
We introduce semisimple 2-categories, fusion 2-categories, and spherical fusion 2-categories. For each spherical fusion 2-category, we construct a state-sum invariant of oriented singular piecewise-linear 4-manifolds.
We consider the topological category of $h$-cobordisms between manifolds with boundary and compare its homotopy type with the standard $h$-cobordism space of a compact smooth manifold.
A K(pi,1)-foliation is one for which the universal covers of all leaves are contractible (thus all leaves are K(pi,1)'s for some pi). In the first part of the paper we show that the tangential Lusternik--Schnirelmann category cat F of a K(pi,1)-foliation F on a manifold M is bounded from below by t-codim F for any t with H_t(M;A) nonzero for some coefficient group A. Since for any C^2-foliation F one has cat F <= dim F by our Theorem 5.2 of [Topology 42 (2003) 603-627], this implies that cat F = dim F for K(pi,1)-foliations of class C^2 on closed manifolds. For K(pi,1)-foliations on open manif…
We develop a generalization of manifold calculus in the sense of Goodwillie-Weiss where the manifold is replaced by a simplicial complex. We consider functors from the category of open subsets of a fixed simplical complex into the category of topological spaces and prove an analogue of the approximation theorem. Namely, under certain conditions such a functor can be approximated by a tower of (appropriately adapted) polynomial functors.
For a fixed closed manifold $P$, we construct a cobordism category of embedded manifolds with a single Baas-Sullivan singularity of type $P$. Our main theorem identifies the homotopy type of the classifying space of this cobordism category with that of the infinite loop-space of a certain spectrum related to the spectrum $\text{MT}(d)$ introduced in [arXiv:math/0605249]. We obtain an analogue of the Bockstein-Sullivan exact couple that arises between the classical bordism theories $MO$ and $MO_{P}$ on the level of cobordism categories.
In this paper, we give a new simplified calculation of the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of closed 3-manifolds. We also describe when 3-manifolds have detecting elements and prove that 3-manifolds satisfy the equality of the Ganea conjecture.
On a Weinstein manifold, we define a constructible co/sheaf of categories on the skeleton. The construction works with arbitrary coefficients, and depends only on the homotopy class of a section of the Lagrangian Grassmannian of the stable symplectic normal bundle. The definition is as follows. Take any, possibly high codimension, exact embedding into a cosphere bundle. Thicken to a hypersurface, and consider the Kashiwara-Schapira stack along the thickened skeleton. Pull back along the inclusion of the original skeleton. Gromov's h-principle for contact embeddings guarantees existence and uni…
Let $M$ be a closed K-contact $(2n+1)$-manifold equipped with a quasi-regular K-contact structure. Rukimbira proved that the Reeb vector field $ξ$ of this structure has at least $n+1$ closed characteristics. We note that $ξ$ has at least $2n+1$ closed characteristics provided that the space of leaves of the foliation determined by $ξ$ is symplectically aspherical.
We show that the geometry of a Riemannian manifold (M,g) is sensitive to the apparently purely homotopy-theoretic invariant of M known as the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category, denoted cat_{LS}(M). Here we introduce a Riemannian analogue of cat_{LS}(M), called the systolic category of M. It is denoted cat_{sys}(M), and defined in terms of the existence of systolic inequalities satisfied by every metric g, as initiated by C. Loewner and later developed by M. Gromov. We compare the two categories. In all our examples, the inequality cat_{sys}(M) \le cat_{LS}(M) is satisfied, which typically turns …
We compute the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category and the topological complexity of no $k$-equal manifolds $M^{(k)}_d(n)$ for certain values of $d$, $k$ and $n$. This includes instances where $M^{(k)}_d(n)$ is known to be rationally non-formal. The key ingredient in our computations is the knowledge of the cohomology ring $H^*(M^{(k)}_d(n))$ as described by Dobrinskaya and Turchin. A fine tuning comes from the use of obstruction theory techniques.
In this paper we study the topology of cobordism categories of manifolds with corners. Specifically, if {Cob}_{d,<k>} is the category whose objets are a fixed dimension d, with corners of codimension less than or equal to k, then we identify the homotopy type of the classifying space B{Cob}_{d,<k>} as the zero space of a homotopy colimit of certain diagram of Thom spectra. We also identify the homotopy type of the corresponding cobordism category when extra tangential structure is assumed on the manifolds. These results generalize the results of Galatius, Madsen, Tillmann and Weiss, and the pr…
It follows from a theorem of Gromov that the stable systolic category of a closed manifold is bounded from below by the rational cup-length of the manifold. In the paper we study the inequality in the opposite direction. In particular, combining our results with Gromov's theorem, we prove the equality of stable systolic category and rational cup-length for simply connected manifolds of dimension less than 8.
We prove a new systolic volume lower bound for non-orientable n-manifolds, involving the stable 1-systole and the codimension 1 systole with coefficients in Z_2. As an application, we prove that Lusternik-Schnirelmann category and systolic category agree for non-orientable closed manifolds of dimension 3, extending our earlier result in the orientable case. Finally, we prove the homotopy invariance of systolic category.
We prove that manifolds of Lusternik-Schnirelmann category 2 necessarily have free fundamental group. We thus settle a 1992 conjecture of Gomez-Larranaga and Gonzalez-Acuna, by generalizing their result in dimension 3, to all higher dimensions. We examine its ramifications in systolic topology, and provide a sufficient condition for ensuring a lower bound of 3 for systolic category.
We construct a pairing, which we call factorization homology, between framed manifolds and higher categories. The essential geometric notion is that of a vari-framing of a stratified manifold, which is a framing on each stratum together with a coherent system of compatibilities of framings along links between strata. Our main result constructs labeling systems on disk-stratified vari-framed $n$-manifolds from $(\infty,n)$-categories. These $(\infty,n)$-categories, in contrast with the literature to date, are not required to have adjoints. This allows the following conceptual definition: the fa…
We introduce Manifold tensor categories, which make precise the notion of a tensor category with a manifold of simple objects. A basic example is the category of vector spaces graded by a Lie group. Unlike classic tensor category theory, our setup keeps track of the smooth (and topological) structure of the manifold of simple objects. We set down the necessary definitions for Manifold tensor categories and a generalisation we term Orbifold tensor categories. We also construct a number of examples, most notably two families of examples we call Interpolated Tambara-Yamagami categories and Interp…
Let $\mathcal{F}$ be a compact Hausdorff foliation on a compact manifold. Let ${E_2^{>0,\bullet}}=\oplus\{E_2^{p,q}\colon p>0,q\geq 0\}$ be the subalgebra of cohomology classes with positive transverse degree in the $E_2$ term of the spectral sequence of the foliation. We prove that the saturated transverse Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of $\mathcal{F}$ is bounded below by the length of the cup product in ${E_2^{>0,\bullet}}$. Other cohomological bounds are discussed.
On one hand, together with Pelle Steffens, we recently characterized the infinity category of derived manifolds up to equivalence by a universal property. On the other hand, it is shown in recent work of Behrend-Liao-Xu that the category of differential graded manifolds admits a homotopy theory. In this paper, we prove that the associated infinity category of dg-manifolds is equivalent to that of derived manifolds. This allows the well developed theory of dg-geometry to live in symbiosis with infinity categorical approach to derived differential geometry. As a consequence, we prove that a dg-C…
Let M be a smooth manifold, and let O(M) be the poset of open subsets of M. Let C be a category that has a zero object and all small limits. A homogeneous functor (in the sense of manifold calculus) of degree k from O(M) to C is called very good if it sends isotopy equivalences to isomorphisms. In this paper we show that the category VGHF of such functors is equivalent to the category of contravariant functors from the fundamental groupoid of Conf(k, M) to C, where Conf(k, M) stands for the unordered configuration space of k points in M. As a consequence of this result, we show that the catego…
Using the combinatorics of the underlying simplicial complex $K$, we give various upper and lower bounds for the Lusternik-Schnirelmann (LS) category of moment-angle complexes $\zk$. We describe families of simplicial complexes and combinatorial operations which allow for a systematic description of the LS category. In particular, we characterise the LS category of moment-angle complexes $\zk$ over triangulated $d$-manifolds $K$ for $d\leq 2$, as well as higher dimension spheres built up via connected sum, join, and vertex doubling operations. %This characterisation is given in terms of the co…
The stable systolic category of a closed manifold M indicates the complexity in the sense of volume. This is a homotopy invariant, even though it is defined by some relations between homological volumes on M. We show an equality of the stable systolic category and the real cup-length for the product of arbitrary finite dimensional real homology spheres. Also we prove the invariance of the stable systolic category under the rational equivalences for orientable 0-universal manifolds.
It is well known that any model for derived manifolds must form a higher category. In this paper, we propose a universal property for this higher category, classifying it up to equivalence. Namely, the $\infty$-category $\mathbf{DMfd}$ of derived manifolds has finite limits, is idempotent complete, and receives a functor from the category of manifolds which preserves transverse pullbacks and the terminal object, and moreover is universal with respect to these properties. We then show this universal property is equivalent to another one, intimately linking the $\infty$-category of derived manif…
In this paper we study cobordism categories consisting of manifolds which are endowed with geometric structure. Examples of such geometric structures include symplectic structures, flat connections on principal bundles, and complex structures along with a holomorphic map to a target complex manifold. A general notion of "geometric structure" is defined using sheaf theoretic constructions. Our main theorem is the identification of the homotopy type of such cobordism categories in terms of certain Thom spectra. This extends work of Galatius-Madsen-Tillmann-Weiss who identify the homotopy type of…
A model structure is defined on the category of derived differentiable schemes, and it is used to analyse the truncation 2-functor from derived manifolds to d-manifolds. It is proved that the induced 1-functor between the homotopy categories is full and essentially surjective, giving a bijection between the sets of equivalence classes of objects. An example is constructed, showing that this 1-functor is not faithful.
We define a simplicial category called the category of derived manifolds. It contains the category of smooth manifolds as a full discrete subcategory, and it is closed under taking arbitrary intersections in a manifold. A derived manifold is a space together with a sheaf of local $C^\infty$-rings that is obtained by patching together homotopy zero-sets of smooth functions on Euclidean spaces. We show that derived manifolds come equipped with a stable normal bundle and can be imbedded into Euclidean space. We define a cohomology theory called derived cobordism, and use a Pontrjagin-Thom argumen…
This paper examines the string topology category of a manifold, defined by Blumberg, Cohen and Teleman. Since the string topology category is a subcategory of a compactly generated triangulated category, the machinery of stratification, constructed by Benson, Krause and Iyengar, can be applied in order to gain an understanding of the string topology category. It is shown that an appropriate stratification holds when the manifold in question is a simply connected compact Lie group. This last result is used to derive some properties of the relevant string topology categories.
We develop the theory of derived differential geometry in terms of bundles of curved $L_\infty[1]$-algebras, i.e. dg manifolds of positive amplitudes. We prove the category of derived manifolds is a category of fibrant objects. Therefore, we can make sense of "homotopy fibered product" and "derived intersection" of submaifolds in a smooth manifold in the homotopy category of derived manifolds. We construct a factorization of the diagonal using path spaces. First we construct an infinite-dimensional factorization using actual path spaces motivated by the AKSZ construction, then we cut down to f…
