Three-dimensional topology includes two vast domains: the study of geometric structures on 3-manifolds and the study of topological invariants of 3-manifolds, knots, etc. This book belongs to the second domain. We shall study an invariant called the maximal abelian torsion and denoted T. It is defined for a compact smooth (or piecewise-linear) manifold of any dimension and, more generally, for an arbitrary finite CW-complex X. The torsion T(X) is an element of a certain extension of the group ring Z[Hl(X)]. The torsion T can be naturally considered in the framework of simple homotopy theory. In particular, it is invariant under simple homotopy equivalences and can distinguish homotopy equivalent but non homeomorphic CW-spaces and manifolds, for instance, lens spaces. The torsion T can be used also to distinguish orientations and so-called Euler structures. Our interest in the torsion T is due to a particular role which it plays in three-dimensional topology. First of all, it is intimately related to a number of fundamental topological invariants of 3-manifolds. The torsion T(M) of a closed oriented 3-manifold M dominates (determines) the first elementary ideal of 7fl (M) and the Alexander polynomial of 7fl (M). The torsion T(M) is closely related to the cohomology rings of M with coefficients in Z and ZjrZ (r ;::: 2). It is also related to the linking form on Tors Hi (M), to the Massey products in the cohomology of M, and to the Thurston norm on H2(M).
Inhaltsverzeichnis
I Generalities on Torsions.- I.1 Torsions of chain complexes and CW-spaces.- I.2 Combinatorial Euler structures and their torsions.- I.3 The maximal abelian torsion.- I.4 Smooth Euler structures and their torsions.- II The Torsion versus the Alexander-Fox Invariants.- II.1 The first elementary ideal.- II.2 The case b1 ? 2.- II.3 The case b1 = 1.- II.4 Extension to 3-manifolds with boundary.- II.5 The Alexander polynomials.- III The Torsion versus the Cohomology Rings.- III.1 Determinant and Pfaffian for alternate trilinear forms.- III.2 The integral cohomology ring.- III.3 Square volume forms and refined determinants.- III.4 The cohomology ring mod r.- IV The Torsion Norm.- IV.1 The torsion polytope and the torsion norm.- IV.2 Comparison with the Thurston norm.- IV.3 Proof of Theorem 2.2.- V Homology Orientations in Dimension Three.- V.1 Relative torsions of chain complexes.- V.2 Induced homology orientations.- V.3 Homology orientations and link exteriors.- V.4 Homology orientations and surgery.- VI Euler Structures on 3-manifolds.- VI.1 Gluing of smooth Euler structures and the class c.- VI.2 Euler structures on solid tori and link exteriors.- VI.3 Gluing of combinatorial Euler structures and torsions.- VII A Gluing Formula with Applications.- VII.1 A gluing formula.- VII.2 The Alexander-Conway function and surgery.- VII.3 Proof of Formula (I.4.e).- VII.4 The torsion versus the Casson-Walker-Lescop invariant.- VII.5 Examples and computations.- VIII Surgery Formulas for Torsions.- VIII.1 Two lemmas.- VIII.2 A surgery formula for ?-torsions.- VIII.3 A surgery formula for the Alexander polynomial.- VIII.4 A surgery formula for ?(M) in the case b1(M) ? 1.- VIII.5 Realization of the torsion.- IX The Torsion Function.- IX.1 The torsion function, basic Euler structures,and gluing.- IX.2 Moments of the torsion function.- IX.3 Axioms for the torsion function.- IX.4 A surgery formula for the torsion function.- IX.5 Formal expansions in Q(H) with applications.- X Torsion of Rational Homology Spheres.- X.1 The torsion and the first elementary ideal.- X.2 The torsion versus the linking form.- X.3 The torsion versus the cohomology ring mod r.- X.4 A gluing formula.- X.5 A surgery formula.- X.6 The torsion function and its moments.- XI Spinc Structures.- XI.1 Spinc structures on 3-manifolds.- XI.2 The torsion function versus the Seiberg-Witten invariants.- XI.3 Spin structures on 3-manifolds.- XII Miscellaneous.- XII.1 Torsions of connected sums.- XII.2 The torsion versus the Massey products.- XII.3 Genus estimates for ?r-surfaces.- Open Problems.
