Lefschetz fibrations with small slope (Q2447189)

This paper studies the geography problem for Lefschetz fibrations over \(S^2\). Let \(\sigma\) and \(e\) be the signature and the Euler number of a closed oriented smooth \(4\)-manifold. Recall for an almost complex closed \(4\)-manifold, we define the holomorphic Euler number \(\chi_h:=(\sigma+e)/4\) and know the Chern number \(K^2=3\sigma+2e\). Let \(f: X\rightarrow C\) be a fibration structure with fiber genus \(g\) and base genus \(k\). One could define relative numerical invariants \(\chi_f:=\chi_h-(g-1)(k-1)\) and \(K_f^2:=K^2-8(g-1)(k-1)\). When \(f\) is a relatively minimal holomorphic fibration of a complex surface, we have \(\chi_f\geq 0\) (Beauville's inequality), \(K_f^2\geq 0\) (Arakelov inequality), and \(4-4/g\leq \lambda_f:=K_f^2/\chi_f\leq 12\) when \(\chi_f\neq 0\) (Xiao's slope inequality). A natural question (attributed to Hain) is when the slope inequality \(\lambda_f\geq 4-4/g\) holds for every relatively minimal genus \(g\) Lefschetz fibration \(f:X\rightarrow S^2\). For each \(g\geq 3\), this paper constructs Lefschetz fibrations with \(\lambda_f< 4-4/g\) which are simply connected minimal symplectic \(4\)-manifolds. Notice that all hyperelliptic Lefschetz fibrations, especially all Lefschetz fibrations with \(g\leq 2\), satisfy the slope inequality. The key trick of the construction is a lantern relation replacement of a positive relator which has slope \(4-4/g\). The precise form of slope inequality for Lefschetz fibrations with \(b_2^+=1\) is also studied.