A classification of \(S^{3}\)-bundles over \(S^{4}\) (Q1405271)

The authors consider \(S^3\)-bundles over \(S^4\) with structure group \(\text{SO}(4)\). It is known that the set of equivalence classes of such bundles is in one-to-one correspondence with \(\pi_3(\text{SO}(4))\cong \mathbb{Z}\oplus\mathbb{Z}\) and also there is a choice of generators \(\rho\) and \(\sigma\) of \(\pi_3(\text{SO}(4))\) such that \(\rho(u)v= uvu^{-1}\) and \(\sigma(u)v= uv\) identifying \(S^3\) with the unit quaternions. This choice of generators provides, for any pair of integers \((m,n)\), a vector bundle corresponding to the element \(m\rho\oplus n\sigma\in \pi_3(\text{SO}(4))\). Denote by \(M_{m,n}\) the total space of its associated sphere bundle. Then the purpose of this paper is to give a complete classification of these manifolds \(M_{m,n}\) up to orientation preserving and reversing homotopy equivalence, homeomorphism and diffeomorphism. But one sees it suffices to work with \(n\geq 0\) by use of the \textit{I. M. James} and \textit{J. H. L. Whitehead} device [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. 5, 148-166 (1955; Zbl 0067.15901)]. The results are stated in Theorem 1.1, 1.2 and 1.5 together with Corollaries 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6. They are not only interesting in principle but also computable since they are described in terms of congruences of \(m\) and \(n\). The proof of the homotopy equivalence case uses PL-surgery theory which enables one to deduce the homotopy classification as a consquence of the PL-homeomorphism classification. So the authors begin by classifying \(M_{m,n}\) up to PL-homeomorphism and homeomorphism. This is done along the lines of the lines of David. L. Wilkens' approach [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 4, 27-31 (1972; Zbl 0241.57018)] using two topological invariants \({p_1\over 2}\) and \(s_1\). The diffeomorphism classification is deeply related to PL-homeomorphism classification. The authors prove that \(M_{m,n}\) and \(M_{m',n}\) are diffeomorphic if and only if they are PL-homeomorphic and their \(\mu\)-invariants coincide, i.e., they have the same invariants \({p_1\over 2}\) and \(\mu\).