Let S be a closed connected real surface and f a smooth embedding or immersion of S into a complex surface X. Assuming that the number of complex points of the immersion (counted with algebraic multiplicities) is non-positive we prove that f can be uniformly approximated by an isotopic immersion g whose image g(S) in X has a basis of open Stein neighborhoods which are homotopy equivalent to g(S). We obtain precise results for surfaces in the complex projective plane CP^2 and find an immersed symplectic sphere in CP^2 with a Stein neighborhood. Conversely, the generalized adjunction inequality for embedded oriented real surfaces in complex surfaces shows that the existence of a Stein neighborhood implies non-positivity of the number of complex points.
We present a classification of 2-dimensional, taut, Stein manifolds with a proper $\R$-action. For such manifolds the globalization with respect to the induced local $\C$-action turns out to be Stein. As an application we determine all 2-dimensional taut, non-complete, Hartogs domains over a Riemann surface.
In this paper, we show that a compact real surface embedded in a complex surface has a regular Stein neighborhood basis, provided that there are only finitely many complex points on the surface, and that they are all flat and hyperbolic. An application to unions of totally real planes in $\CC^2$ is then given.
In this paper we investigate proper $\mbb{R}$--actions on hyperbolic Stein surfaces and prove in particular the following result: Let $D\subset\mbb{C}^2$ be a simply-connected bounded domain of holomorphy which admits a proper $\mbb{R}$--action by holomorphic transformations. The quotient $D/\mbb{Z}$ with respect to the induced proper $\mbb{Z}$--action is a Stein manifold. A normal form for the domain $D$ is deduced.
It is shown that any open Riemann surface can be immersed in any Stein manifold with (volume) density property and of dimension at least 2, if the manifold possesses an exhaustion with holomorphically convex compacts such that their complement is connected. The immersion can be made into an embedding if the dimension is at least 3. As an application, it is shown that Stein manifolds with (volume) density property and of dimension at least 3, are characterized among all other complex manifolds by their semigroup of holomorphic endomorphisms.
In this paper we construct open Stein neighbourhoods of compact sets of the form $A\cup K$ in a complex space, where $K$ is a compact holomorphically convex set, $A$ is a compact complex curve with boundary $bA$ of class $\mathscr C^2$ which may intersect $K$, and $A\cap K$ is $\mathscr O(A)$-convex.
We study the structure of complex points on real surfaces, embedded into complex Elliptic surfaces. We show, for example, that any compact surface has a totally real embedding into a blow-up of a K3 surface. We also exhibit smooth disc bundles over compact orientable surfaces that have a Stein structure as Stein domains inside Elliptic surfaces.
We prove that a relatively compact pseudoconvex domain with smooth boundary in an almost complex manifold admits a bounded strictly plurisubharmonic exhaustion function. We use this result for the study of convexity and hyperbolicity properties of these domains and the contact geometry of their boundaries.
An open subset U of a complex surface can be topologically perturbed to yield an open subset whose inherited complex structure is Stein, if and only if U is homeomorphic to the interior of a handlebody whose handles all have index equal or less than 2.
We give a characterization of the complex Euclidean space C^n, proving a global Newlander-Nirenberg's theorem on the representability of complex structures close to the standard complex structure on C^n.
Suppose that Y is a complex manifold with the property that any holomorphic map from a compact convex set in a complex Euclidean space C^n (for any n) to Y is a uniform limit of entire maps from C^n to Y. We prove that a holomorphic map from a closed complex subvariety X_0 in a Stein manifold X to the manifold Y extends to a holomorphic map of X to Y provided that it extends to a continuous map. We then establish the equivalence of four Oka-type properties of a complex manifold. We also generalize a theorem of Siu and Demailly on the existence of open Stein neighborhoods of Stein subvarieties …
Finite dimensional Stein spaces admitting a proper holomorphic embedding of the complex line are characterized, among all complex spaces, by their holomorphic endomorphism semigroup in the sense that any semigroup isomorphism induces either a biholomorphic or an antibiholomorphic map between them.
A simple characterization is given of open subsets of a complex surface that smoothly perturb to Stein open subsets. As applications, complex 2-space C^2 contains domains of holomorphy (Stein open subsets) that are exotic R^4's, and others homotopy equivalent to the 2-sphere but cut out by smooth, compact 3-manifolds. Pseudoconvex embeddings of Brieskorn spheres and other 3-manifolds into complex surfaces are constructed, as are pseudoconcave holomorphic fillings (with disagreeing contact and boundary orientations). Pseudoconcave complex structures on Milnor fibers are found. A byproduct of th…
In this article, we prove that if $Π: X\to Ω$ is a surjective holomorphic map, with $Ω$ a Stein space and $X$ a complex manifold of dimension $n\geq 3,$ and if, for every $x\in Ω$ there exists an open neighborhood $U$ such that $Π^{-1}(U)$ is Stein, then $X$ is Stein
Let $S$ be an intermediate Kato surface, $D$ the divisor consisting of all rational curves of $S$, $\widetilde{S}$ the universal covering of $S$ and $\widetilde{D}$ the preimage of $D$ in $\widetilde{S}$. We prove two results about the surface $\widetilde{S}\setminus \widetilde{D}$: it is Stein (which was already known when $S$ is either a Enoki or a Inoue-Hirzebruch surface) and we give a necessary and sufficient condition so that its holomorphic tangent bundle is holomorphically trivialisable. ----- Soient $S$ une surface de Kato intermédiaire, $D$ le diviseur formé des courbes rationnelles …
We study the classification of the pairs $(N, \,X)$ where $N$ is a Stein surface and $X$ is a complete holomorphic vector field with isolated singularities on $N$. We describe the role of transverse sections in the classification of $X$ and give necessary and sufficient conditions on $X$ in order to have $N$ biholomorphic to $\mathbb C^2$. As a sample of our results, we prove that $N$ is biholomorphic to $\mathbb C^2$ if $H^2(N,\mathbb Z)=0$, $X$ has a finite number of singularities and exhibits a non-nilpotent singularity with three separatrices or, equivalently, a singularity with first jet …
We study the Diederich-Fornæss exponent and relate it to non-existence of Stein domains with Levi-flat boundaries in complex manifolds. In particular, we prove that if the Diederich-Fornæss exponent of a smooth bounded Stein domain in an $n$-dimensional complex manifold is $>k/n$, then it has a boundary point at which the Levi-form has rank $\ge k$.
The topology of Stein surfaces and contact 3-manifolds is studied by means of handle decompositions. A simple characterization of homeomorphism types of Stein surfaces is obtained --- they correspond to open handlebodies with all handles of index lessthan or = 2. An uncountable collection of exotic R^4's is shown to admit Stein structures. New invariants of contact 3-manifolds are produced, including a complete (and computable) set of invariants for determining the homotopy class of a 2-plane field on a 3-manifold. These invariants are applicable to Seiberg-Witten theory. Several families of o…
This is a survey on the homotopy principle in complex analysis on Stein manifolds, also called the Oka principle in this context. We concentrate on the following topics: the Oka-Grauert principle (classification of holomorphic vector bundles); the homotopy principle for holomorphic mappings from Stein manifolds and, more generally, for sections of holomorphic submersions with sprays; question on removability of intersections of holomorphic mappings with complex subvarieties; embeddings and immersions of Stein manifolds in affine spaces of minimal dimension; embeddings of open Riemann surfaces …
In this paper we construct a Stein neighborhood basis for any compact subvariety $A$ with strongly pseudoconvex boundary $bA$ and Stein interior $A\backslash bA$ in a complex space $X$. This is an extension of a well known theorem of Siu. When $A$ is a complex curve, our result coincides with the result proved by Drinovec-Drnovšek and Forstnerič. We shall adapt their proof to the higher dimensional case, using also some ideas of Demailly's proof of Siu's theorem. For embedded strongly pseudoconvex domain in a complex manifold we also find a basis of tubular Stein neighborhoods. These results a…
We prove a complex version of Kostant's non-linear convexity theorem. Applications to the construction of G-invariant Grauert tubes of non-compact Riemannian symmetric G/K spaces are given.
It is shown that the unit ball in ${\mathbb C}^n$ is the only complex manifold that can universally cover both Stein and non-Stein strictly pseudoconvex domains.
We prove that a pseudoholomorphic diffeomorphism between two almost complex manifolds with boundaries satisfying some pseudoconvexity type condition cannot map a pseudoholomorphic disc in the boundary to a single point. This can be viewed as an almost complex analogue of a well-known theorem of J. E. Fornaess.
Stein neighborhood bases for complex--totally real unions
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science（布加勒斯特大学数学与计算机科学系）；Institute of Mathematics “Simion Stoilow” of the Romanian Academy（罗马尼亚科学院西米恩·斯托伊洛瓦数学研究所）
We give an example of a pseudoconvex domain in a complex manifold whose $L^2$-Dolbeault cohomology is non-Hausdorff, yet the domain is Stein. The domain is a smoothly bounded Levi-flat domain in a two complex-dimensional compact complex manifold. The domain is biholomorphic to a product domain in $\mathbb{C}^2$, hence Stein. This implies that for $q>0$, the usual Dolbeault cohomology with respect to smooth forms vanishes in degree $(p,q)$. But the $L^2$-Cauchy-Riemann operator on the domain does not have closed range on $(2,1)$-forms and consequently its $L^2$-Dolbeault cohomology is not Hausd…
In this paper we provide sufficient conditions for the graphs of holomorphic mappings on compact sets in complex manifolds to have Stein neighborhoods. We show that under these conditions the mappings have properties analogous to properties of holomorphic functions on compact sets in $\mathbb C^n$.
For discrete subsets in ${\bf C}^n$ the notion of being "tame" was defined by Rosay and Rudin. We propose a general definition of "tameness" for arbitrary complex manifolds and show that many results classically known for ${\bf C}^n$ may be generalized to semisimple complex Lie groups. For example, every permutation of $SL(2,{\bf Z})$ extends to a biholomorphic self-map of $SL(2,{\bf C}$.
We give an abstract definition, similar to the axioms of a Stein manifold, of a class of complex Banach manifolds in such a way that a manifold belongs to the class if and only if it is biholomorphic to a closed split complex Banach submanifold of a separable Banach space.
In this paper we prove results on the existence and homotopy classification of holomorphic submersions from Stein manifolds to other complex manifolds. We say that a complex manifold Y satisfies Property S_n for some integer n bigger or equal the dimension of Y if every holomorphic submersion from a compact convex set in C^n of a certain special type to Y can be uniformly approximated by holomorphic submersions from C^n to Y. Assuming this condition we prove the following. A continuous map f from an n-dimensional Stein manifold X to Y is homotopic to a holomorphic submersions of X to Y if and …
We develop complex function theory within certain algebras of holomorphic functions on coverings of Stein manifolds. This, in particular, includes the results on holomorphic extension from complex submanifolds, corona type theorems, properties of divisors, holomorphic analogs of the Peter-Weyl approximation theorem, Hartogs type theorems, characterization of uniqueness sets. The model examples of these algebras are: (1) Bohr's algebra of holomorphic almost periodic functions on tube domains; (2) algebra of all fibrewise bounded holomorphic functions (e.g., arising in the corona problem for $H^…
Let Z be a complex space and let S be a compact set in C^n x Z which is fibered over R^n (the real subspace of C^n). We give a necessary and sufficient condition for S to be a Stein compactum.
In this paper we introduce the notion of a formal complex contact structure on an odd dimensional complex manifold. Our main result is that every formal complex contact structure on a Stein manifold $X$ is homotopic to a holomorphic contact structure on a Stein domain $Ω\subset X$ which is diffeotopic to $X$. We also prove a parametric h-principle in this setting, analogous to Gromov's h-principle for contact structures on smooth open manifolds. On Stein threefolds we obtain a complete homotopy classification of formal complex contact structures. Our methods also furnish a parametric h-princip…
We establish basic results of complex function theory within certain algebras of holomorphic functions on coverings of Stein manifolds (such as algebras of Bohr's holomorphic almost periodic functions on tube domains or algebras of all fibrewise bounded holomorphic functions arising, e.g., in the corona problem for $H^\infty$). In particular, in this context we obtain results on holomorphic extension from complex submanifolds, properties of divisors, corona type theorems, holomorphic analogues of the Peter-Weyl approximation theorem, Hartogs type theorems, characterizations of uniqueness sets,…
A Hamiltonian action of a complex torus on a symplectic complex manifold is said to be {\it multiplicity free} if a general orbit is a lagrangian submanifold. To any multiplicity free Hamiltonian action of a complex torus $T\cong (\C^\times)^n$ on a Stein manifold $X$ we assign a certain 5-tuple consisting of a Stein manifold $Y$, an étale map $Y\to \t^*$, a set of divisors on $Y$ and elements of $H^2(Y,\Z)^{\oplus n}, H^2(Y,\C)$. We show that $X$ is uniquely determined by this invariants. Furthermore, we describe all 5-tuples arising in this way.
An open Riemann surface is called parabolic in case every bounded subharmonic function on it reduces to a constant. Several authors introduced seemingly different analogs of this notion for Stein manifolds of arbitrary dimension. In the first part of this note we compile these notions of parabolicity and give some immediate relations among them. In section 3 we relate some of these notions to the linear topological type of the Fréchet space of analytic functions on the given manifold. In sections 4 and 5 we look at some examples and show, for example, that the complement of the zero set of a W…
With the aid of the technique of variation of domains developed in Memoirs of Amer. Math. Soc., Vol. 209, No. 984, 2011, we characterize the pseudoconvex domains with smooth boundary in Hopf surfaces which are not Stein.
In this paper we find big Euclidean domains in complex manifolds. We consider open neighbourhoods of sets of the form $K\cup M$ in a complex manifold $X$, where $K$ is a compact $\mathscr O(U)$-convex set in an open Stein neighbourhood $U$ of $K$, $M$ is an embedded Stein submanifold of $X$, and $K\cap M$ is compact and $\mathscr O(M)$-convex. We prove a Docquier-Grauert type theorem concerning biholomorphic equivalence of neighbourhoods of such sets, and we give sufficient conditions for the existence of Stein neighbourhoods of $K\cup M$, biholomorphic to domains in $\mathbb C^n$ with $n=\dim…
In a previous work, we classified weakly complete surfaces which admit a real analytic plurisubharmonic exhaustion function; we showed that, if they are not proper over a Stein space, then they admit a pluriharmonic function, with compact Levi-flat level sets foliated with dense complex leaves. We called these Grauert type surfaces. In this note we investigate some properties of these surfaces. Namely, we prove that the only compact curves that can be contained in them are negative in the sense of Grauert and that the level sets of the pluriharmonic function are connected, thus completing the …
We built the pluripotential theory on almost complex surfaces. Using Bedford-Taylor type relative capacities we prove among others that J-holomorphic curves as well as negligible sets are pluripolar and Josefson's type theorem on almost Stein surfaces.
Let X and Y be complex manifolds. One says that maps from X to Y satisfy the Oka principle if the inclusion of the space of holomorphic maps from X to Y into the space of continuous maps is a weak homotopy equivalence. In 1957 H. Grauert proved the Oka principle for maps from Stein manifolds to complex Lie groups and homogeneous spaces, as well as for sections of fiber bundles with homogeneous fibers over a Stein base. In 1989 M. Gromov extended Grauert's result to sections of submersions over a Stein base which admit dominating sprays over small open sets in the base; for proof see [F. Forstn…
A Stein covering of a complex manifold may be used to realise its analytic cohomology in accordance with the Cech theory. If, however, the Stein covering is parameterised by a smooth manifold rather than just a discrete set, then we construct a cohomology theory in which an exterior derivative replaces the usual combinatorial Cech differential. Our construction is motivated by integral geometry and the representation theory of Lie groups.
Let X be an irreducible reduced complex space on which a connected compact Lie group K acts by holomorphic automorphisms. Let G be the complexification of K and g the Lie algebra of G. Following the theory of algebraic transformation groups, we call the complex space X spherical if X is normal and its tangent space at some point is generated by the vector fields from a Borel subalgebra b or g. We give several characterizations of spherical Stein spaces. In particular, we prove that a connected Stein manifold X is spherical if and only if the algebra of K-invariant differential operators on X i…
A unified summary is given of the existence theory of Stein manifolds in all dimensions, based on published and pending literature. Eliashberg's characterization of manifolds admitting Stein structures requires an extra delicate hypothesis in complex dimension 2, which can be eliminated by passing to the topological setting and invoking Freedman theory. The situation is quite similar if one asks which open subsets of a fixed complex manifold can be made Stein by an isotopy. As an application of these theorems, one can construct uncountably many diffeomorphism types of exotic R^4's realized as …
The paper is a survey of recent results in geometric representation theory describing group actions which induce multiplicity-free representations in the spaces of holomorphic functions. For connected compact Lie groups of automorphisms of Stein manifolds we characterize such actions in terms of antiholomorphic involutions. Some proofs are given and some results are new. For example, spherical complex spaces are defined for arbitrary real forms of complex reductive groups. Their properties, which we prove here, were known only for compact real forms. We also show that a complex compact homogen…
Karl Stein was one of the pillars of the German school of several complex variables. In this article his scientific contributions are outlined in historical perspective.
We provide sufficient conditions assuring that a suitably decorated 2-polyhedron can be thickened to a compact 4-dimensional Stein domain. We also study a class of flat polyhedra in 4-manifolds and find conditions assuring that they admit Stein, compact neighborhoods. We base our calculations on Turaev's shadows suitably "smoothed"; the conditions we find are purely algebraic and combinatorial. Applying our results, we provide examples of hyperbolic 3-manifolds admitting "many" positive and negative Stein fillable contact structures, and prove a 4-dimensional analogue of Oertel's result on inc…
Let X be a Stein manifold, A a closed complex subvariety of X, and f a continuous map from X to a complex manifold Y whose restriction to A is holomorphic. After a homotopic deformation of the Stein structure outside a neighborhood of A in X (and of its smooth structure when X is a Stein surface)we find a holomorphic map from X to Y which agrees with f on A and which is homotopic to f relative to A. The analogous results in the case when the variety A is empty have been obtained in the preprint math.CV/0507212.
Consider a complex Stein manifold X and a subanalytic relatively compact Stein open subset U of X.. We prove the vanishing on U of the holomorphic temperate cohomology.
We prove closing lemmas for automorphisms of a Stein manifold with the density property and for endomorphisms of an Oka-Stein manifold. In the former case we need to impose a new tameness condition. It follows that hyperbolic periodic points are dense in the tame non-wandering set of a generic automorphism of a Stein manifold with the density property and in the non-wandering set of a generic endomorphism of an Oka-Stein manifold. These are the first results about holomorphic dynamics on Oka manifolds. We strengthen previous results of ours on the existence and genericity of chaotic volume-pre…
The classical integral representation formulas for holomorphic functions defined on pseudoconvex domains in Stein manifolds play an important role in the constructive theory of functions of several complex variables. In this paper we construct similar formulas for cetain classes of holomorphic functions defined on coverings of such domains.
