A classification of smooth embeddings of 3-manifolds in 6-space (Q944244): Difference between revisions

The paper studies the classical \textsl{Knotting Problem} in differential topology, namely for a given smooth \(n\)-manifold \(N\) and a given number \(m\) to describe the isotopy classes of embeddings \(N\to{\mathbb R}^m\). There is a vast literature on this problem and adequate references are given. Among the remaining open problems, the author addresses specifically the case \((m, n) = (6, 3)\) for \(N\) a closed connected orientable 3-manifold, and, more generally, \(2m = 3n + 3\). The main result is a description of the set \(\text{Emb}^6(N)\) of embeddings of the 3-manifold \(N\) into \({\mathbb R}^6\) up to isotopy. The description is given in terms of invariants due to Whitney and Kreck, the definitions of which are properly recalled in the paper.