Cappell-Shaneson homotopy spheres are standard (Q974087): Difference between revisions

In 1976, \textit{S. E. Cappell} and \textit{J. L. Shaneson} [Ann. Math. (2) 104, 61--72 (1976; Zbl 0345.57003)] proposed a family \(\Sigma_m\), \(m \in \mathbb Z\), of candidate manifolds to be exotic copies of \(S^4\). The example \(\Sigma_0\) alone has been the subject of intense study: in 1979, \textit{S. Akbulut} and \textit{R. Kirby} [Topology 18, 75--82 (1979; Zbl 0465.57013)] showed that \(\Sigma_0\) was obtained from a Gluck construction of \(S^4\), and they later produced a pleasingly symmetric handlebody picture of it [\textit{S. Akbulut} and \textit{R. Kirby}, ibid. 24, 375--390 (1985; Zbl 0584.57009)]. Finally, \textit{R. E. Gompf} [ibid. 30, No.~1, 97--115 (1991; Zbl 0715.57016)] showed that \(\Sigma_0\) is diffeomorphic to \(S^4\). In the paper under review, S. Akbulut completes the picture by showing that the entire family \(\Sigma_m\) is diffeomorphic to \(S^4\). The proof is a clever inductive use of Kirby Calculus to reduce to the previously known case of \(\Sigma_0\). Subsequent work of \textit{R. E. Gompf} [Algebr. Geom. Topol. 10, No. 3, 1665--1681 (2010; Zbl 1244.57061)] has shown that a larger family of Cappell-Shaneson spheres are also diffeomorphic to \(S^4\).