Generalized counterexamples to the Seifert conjecture (Q1918524): Difference between revisions

The famous Seifert problem asserts that every dynamical system on the 3-sphere \(S^3\) with no singular points has a periodic trajectory. The main purpose of this note is to establish that a foliation of any codimension of any manifold can be modified in a real analytic or piecewise-linear fashion so that all minimal sets have codimension 1. The dynamical systems on \(S^3\) are investigated. Theorem: The sphere \(S^3\) has an analytic dynamical system such that all limit sets are 2-dimensional. In particular, it has no circular trajectories. In PL category, the authors prove the following theorem: A 1-foliation of a manifold of dimension at least 3 can be modified in a PL fashion so there are no closed leaves but all minimal sets are 1-dimensional. Moreover, if the manifold is closed, then there is an aperiodic PL modification with only one minimal set, and the minimal set is 1-dimensional. The method: all counterexamples to the Seifert conjecture described here are based on constructions of aperiodic plugs. The exposition is clear and all the fundamental concepts are defined.