Knots as topological invariants for gradient-like diffeomorphisms of the sphere \(S^3\) (Q1591067)

Let \(f\) denote a gradient-like diffeomorphism of a smooth compact orientable 3-manifold \(M\), with nonwandering set \(\Omega(f)\) consisting of exactly four fixed points \(\{\omega_1,\omega_2,\sigma,\alpha\}\), where \(\omega_1\) and \(\omega_2\) are sinks, \(\sigma\) a saddle point whose stable manifold \(W^s(\sigma)\) has dimension 2, and \(\alpha\) a source. \( {\mathcal G}_0\) denotes the set of such diffeomorphisms \(f\), independently of the choice of the manifold \( M\). The stable manifold \(W^s(\sigma)\) cuts \(M\setminus\{\alpha\}\) into two connected components which are the basins of the sinks \(\omega_1\) and \(\omega_2\). Therefore, the stable manifold of each sink \(\omega_i\) contains exactly one connected component (a ``separatrix'') of \(W^u(\sigma)\setminus\sigma\), which is denoted by \(W_i^u(\sigma)\). For \(i=1,2\), the quotient of \((W^s(\omega_i)\setminus\{\omega_i\})\) by \(f\) is a smooth compact 3-manifold diffeomorphic to \(S^2\times\mathbb{R}\), and the quotient of the separatrix \(W_i^u(\sigma)\) by \(f\) induces a circle \(\gamma_i(f)\) embedded in \(N_i\), whose homotopy class is \([\gamma_i(f)]=1\) in the infinite cyclic group \(\pi_1(N_i)\). The authors prove the following results: Theorem 1. For every diffeomorphism \(f\in{\mathcal G}_0\), there is \(i\in\{1,2\}\) such that the knot \(\gamma_i(f)\) is equivalent to the trivial knot. Theorem 2. For every equivalence class \(\gamma\) of knots in \(S^2\times S^1\), whose homotopy class is \([\gamma]=1\), there exists a gradient-like diffeomorphism \(f_{\gamma}:S^3\to S^3\) such that \(f\in{\mathcal G}_0\) and \(\gamma(f_{\gamma})\) is equivalent to \(\gamma\). Theorem 3. Let \(f\) and \(g\) be two gradient-like diffeomorphisms belonging to \({\mathcal G}_0\). Then \(f\) is topologically conjugate to \(g\) if and only if the knots \(\gamma(f)\) and \(\gamma(g)\) are equivalent.