Link homotopy in the 2-metastable range (Q1373493)

A link map is a continuous map \(f: S^p \sqcup S^q\to S^m\) for which the spheres \(S^p\) and \(S^q\) have disjoint images. A link homotopy is a continuous 1-parameter family of link maps. The set \(\pi_0\) (space of link maps \(S^p\sqcup S^q\to S^m\)) is called the link homotopy set and is denoted by \(LM^m_{p,q}\). The authors investigate \(LM^m_{p,q}\) in the 2-metastable range of dimensions, i.e. when, among the dimensions in the play, the following inequality holds: \(2p+2q \leq 3m-5\). Let \(n=p+q-m+1\). Then the link invariant, called \(\alpha\)-invariant, \(\alpha:LM^m_{p,q}\to \pi^S_n\) is injective in the range \(2p+2q \leq 3m-5\) and surjective in the range \(2p+2q\leq 3m-4\), where \(\pi^S_n\) denotes the stable homotopy group. This result significantly improves a result announced by [\textit{V. M. Nezhinskij}, J. Sov. Math. 53, No. 3, 296-302 (1991); translation from Zap. Nauchn. Semin. Leningr. Otd. Mat. Inst. Steklova 168, 114-124 (1988; Zbl 0684.57010)]. Since Nezhinskij's result is used in the proof, the authors have given a proof in an appendix. Furthermore, the above results are dimensionally sharp what is demonstrated by examples. It is also proved that in the range \(2p+2q\leq 3m-5\) the following equivalence relations among link maps coincide: link homotopy, singular concordance and singular framed bordism.