Whitehead\(_ 3\) is a ``slice'' link (Q1124169)

In this paper it is shown that the Whitehead double Wh(L) of a two component link L is slice (topologically flat) if and only if the linking number of L is zero. In particular \(Wh_ 3=Wh(Wh_ 1)\) is slice. Here \(Wh_ 1\) is the Whitehead double of the Hopf link. This case acts as a marker for the general case. The slicing is obtained by building abstractly a 4-manifold with appropriate boundary and then performing surgery. This has to be done by hand rather than quoting a surgery theorem since the relevant fundamental group F(x,y) has exponential growth.