Embedded genus-2 surfaces in four-manifolds (Q1373187)

The authors study the effect of the following smooth operation on Donaldson invariants. Let \(Z_1, Z_2\) be smooth, closed, oriented four-manifolds with \(b^{+}_2(Z_i)>1\) and \(b^{+}_2(Z_i)-b_1(Z_i)\) odd. Suppose that \(Z_1, Z_2\) contain smoothly embedded genus-2 surfaces \(\Sigma_1\hookrightarrow Z_1, \Sigma_2\hookrightarrow Z_2\) with \((\Sigma_1)^2=-1\), and \((\Sigma_2)^2=+1\). Let \(X_i=Z_i\setminus nd(\Sigma_i)\). Let us fix a \(\phi_0: \Sigma_1\to \Sigma_2\) diffeomorphism. Take a \(\phi:\partial X_1\to\partial X_2\) orientation-reversing diffeomorphism covering \(\phi_0\), and define \(Z=X_1\cup_{\phi} X_2\). Under some technical restrictions, the authors prove a product formula which expresses certain Donaldson invariants of \(Z\) in terms of Donaldson invariants of \(Z_1\) and \(Z_2\). Then they generalize this formula computing all Donaldson invariants of \(Z\) in terms of \(\phi_0\), where \(\phi_0: \Sigma_1\to \Sigma_2\) is an admissible diffeomorphism, and the Donaldson invariants of \(Z_1\) and \(Z_2\). The authors apply their results to prove a conjecture of Fintushel and Stern on Donaldson invariants of Horikawa surfaces and to construct several families of symplectic manifolds computing their Donaldson invariants by means of generalized product formula.