Non-zero degree maps between \(2n\)-manifolds (Q1888695)

Let \(M\) and \(L\) be closed \((n-1)\)-connected \(2n\)-manifolds with \(n>1\). The authors give a necessary and sufficient condition for a homomorphism \(\phi : H^n(L,\mathbb{Z}) \to H^n(M,\mathbb{Z})\) to be realizable by a map \(f: M \to N\). The condition is obtained by using a Thom-Pontrjagin construction, and it is computable. The result implies that each closed \((n-1)\)-connected \(2n\)-manifold with \(n>1\) admits selfmaps of degree larger than 1. In the case of dimension 4, the authors use surgery arguments to give a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a degree \(k\) map from a closed orientable 4-manifold \(M\) to a closed simply connected 4-manifold \(L\). The condition involves the intersection forms of the manifolds. In particular, this shows that there is a map \(f: M \to L\) of degree 1 if and only if the intersection form of \(L\) is isomorphic to a direct summand of the intersection form of \(M\).