Topological classification of gradient-like diffeomorphisms on 3-manifolds. (Q1426429)

This work classifies orientation-preserving gradient-like diffeomorphisms of connected closed oriented 3-manifolds up to topological conjugacy. As a very geometric complete invariant of such a diffeomorphism \(f:M\to M\), a so-called global scheme is introduced, i.e., a quadruple \((V_f,\alpha_f, \Gamma_f^u, \Gamma_f^s)\) consisting of a connected closed oriented 3-manifold \(V_f\), a nontrivial 1-dimensional integer cohomology class \(\alpha_f\) of \(V_f\), and two mutually transverse families of disjoint tori or Klein bottles, subject to further conditions. Removing the attracting periodic orbits and the 1-dimensional unstable manifolds of saddle periodic orbits, both with respect to \(f\) and \(f^{-1}\), yields an invariant submanifold \(\widetilde M\). \(V_f:= \widetilde M/f\) by definition, the projection \(\widetilde M\to V_f\) is a covering map, with covering translations induced by the \(f^n\), and \(\alpha_f\) corresponds to the homomorphism \(\pi_1(V_f)\to Z\) defined by the above infinite cyclic covering. The elements of \(\Gamma^u_f\), \(\Gamma^s_f\) stem from the 2-dimensional unstable or stable manifolds of the saddle periodic orbits.