Coloured graphs representing manifolds and universal maps (Q1115449)

By techniques of maps on surfaces and coloured maps representing manifolds in this paper is described a family of pseudocomplexes K(m,n) which satisfy the following property: To every closed, orientable, P.L., (m-1)-manifold (m\(\geq 3)\), M, there is associated an even integer I(M), such that, for each even \(n\geq I(M)\), M is the quotient of a pseudocomplex K(m,n) by the action of a finite index subgroup, N, of a crystallographic group with signature (0;[n/2,\(...^{m},n/2])\). As an application the lenticular spaces are characterized as the unique 3- manifolds M, such that \(I(M)=4\). It is proved also that every closed, oriented, P.L. (m-1)-manifold is the quotient of a pseudocomplex K(m,\(\infty)\) by the action of a subgroup of finite index of the triangle group \(\Gamma\) (2,m,\(\infty)\).