Homotopy types of the components of spaces of embeddings of compact polyhedra into 2-manifolds (Q2577111)

The homotopy types of the identity components of homeomorphism groups of 2-manifolds have been classified by \textit{M. E. Hamstrom} [Ill. J. Math. 10, 503--573 (1966; Zbl 0151.33002)], \textit{G. P Scott} [Topology 9, 97--109 (1970; Zbl 0151.33002)] and the author [Topology Appl. 108, 123--136 (2000; Zbl 0967.57031)]. In this paper the author considers the problem of classifying the homotopy type of spaces of embeddings of compact connected polyhedra into 2-manifolds. Suppose \(M\) is a connected 2-manifold and \(X\) is a compact connected subpolyhedron of \(M\) with respect to some triangulation of \(M\). Let \({\mathcal E}(X, M)\) denote the space of topological embeddings of \(X\) into \(M\) with the compact-open topology and let \({\mathcal E}(X, M)_0\) denote the connected component of the inclusion \(i_X : X\subset M\) in \({\mathcal E}(X, M)\). The purpose of this article is to describe the homotopy type of \({\mathcal E}(X, M)_0\) in terms of the subgroup \(i_{X_*}\pi_1(X) = \text{Im} [i_{X_*}:\pi_1(X)\to\pi(M)]\). If \(X\) is a point of \(M\) then \({\mathcal E}(X,M)\cong M\), and if \(X\) is a closed 2-manifold then \(X = M\) and \({\mathcal E}(X, M)_0={\mathcal H}(M)_0\), whose homotopy type is known from the papers of Hamstrom and Scott [op. cit]. Thus the author considers the case that \(X\) is neither a point nor a closed 2-manifold. The main results of the paper are the following three theorems: Theorem 1.1. Suppose \(i_{X_*}\pi_1(X)\) is not a cylic subgroup of \(\pi_1(M)\). (1) \({\mathcal E}(X,M)_0\simeq *\) if \(M\not\cong \mathbb T^2,\mathbb K^2\). (2) \({\mathcal E}(X,M)_0\simeq \mathbb T^2\) if \(M\cong \mathbb T^2\). (3) \({\mathcal E}(X,M)_0\simeq \mathbb S^1\) if \(M\cong \mathbb K^2\). Theorem 1.2. Suppose \(i_{X_*}\pi_1(X)\) is a nontrivial cyclic subgroup of \(\pi_1(M)\). (1) \({\mathcal E}(X,M)_0\simeq \mathbb S^1\) if \(M\not\cong\mathbb P^2,\mathbb T^2,\mathbb K^2\). (2) \({\mathcal E}(X,M)_0\simeq \mathbb T^2\) if \(M\cong\mathbb T^2\). (3) Suppose \(M\cong\mathbb K^2\). (i) \({\mathcal E}(X,M)_0\simeq \mathbb T^2\) if \(X\) is contained in an annulus which does not separate \(M\). (ii) \({\mathcal E}(X,M)_0\simeq \mathbb S^1\) otherwise. (4) Suppose \(M\cong\mathbb P^2\). (i) \({\mathcal E}(X,M)_0\simeq SO(3)/\mathbb Z_2\) if \(X\) is an orientation reserving circle in \(M\). (ii) \({\mathcal E}(X,M)_0\simeq S0(3)\) otherwise. Finally the author considers the case where \(X\) is null homotopic in \(M\). A Riemannian manifold structure is chosen on \(M\) and \(S(TM)\) denotes the unit circle bundle of the tangent bundle \(TM\). When \(M\) is nonorientable, \(\widetilde M\) denotes the orientable double cover of M. In this case the following theorem holds. Theorem 1.3. Suppose \(i_{X_*}\pi_1(X)=1\) (i.e. \(X\simeq *\) in \(M\)). (1) \({\mathcal E}(X,M)_0\simeq S(TM)\) if \(X\) is an arc or \(M\) is orientable. (2) \({\mathcal E}(X,M)_0\simeq S(TM)\) if \(X\) is not an arc and \(M\) is nonorientable.