Symplectic \(4\)-manifolds with \(K = 0\) and the Lubotzky alternative (Q2428810)

Let \(M\) be a smooth 4-manifold that admits a free circle action and \(N\) be the orbit space, a smooth 3-manifold. Let \(e\in H^2(N; \mathbb Z)\) be the Euler class of the \(S^1\)-bundle \(M\) over \(N\). The authors show that if \(M\) is a symplectic manifold with trivial canonical class \(K=0\), then \(N\) is a torus bundle over a circle. If \(e\) is non-torsion, we have \(b_1(N)>1\) by the Gysin exact sequence. The authors define the virtual Betti number \(vb_1(N; R) =\sup\{b_1(\tilde N; R)\;| \tilde N\to N\text{ is a finite cover}\}\) or \(=\infty\) if there exist finite covers with arbitrary large first \(R\)-Betti number with \(R=\mathbb Z\text{ or }\mathbb Z_p\), and show that the condition \(K=0\) implies that \(vb_1(N)\leq3\), by a condition on the sum of coefficients of the Seiberg-Witten invariant of \(N\), derived from constraints from \textit{C. H. Taubes} [Math. Res. Lett. 1, No. 6, 809--822 (1994; Zbl 0853.57019); ibid. 2, No. 1, 9--13 (1995; Zbl 0854.57019)]. Then, by arguments involving a Thurston norm argument, \(N\) is a torus bundle or a hyperbolic manifold with \(vb_1(N)\leq3\). As a consequence of \textit{V. Turaev} [Torsions of 3-dimensional manifolds. Progress in Mathematics (Boston, Mass.). 208. Basel: Birkhäuser (2002; Zbl 1012.57002)] and the Lubotzky alternative, if \(\pi_1(N)\) is a finitely generated linear group, then \(vb_1(N; \mathbb F_p)=\infty\) for any prime \(p\). The problem is reduced to the case where the Alexander polynomial has sum of coefficients that vanishes mod \(p\), violating the coefficient sum of the Seiberg-Witten invariant of \(N\). Therefore the possibility of a hyperbolic manifold \(N\) is excluded and the result with non-torsion Euler class is proved. In the case where \(e\) is torsion, the proof for a torus bundle structure of \(N\) is reduced to the product case \(S^1\times N\) by the authors' result [J. Am. Math. Soc. 21, No. 2, 597--610 (2008; Zbl 1142.57014)].