On \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-Thurston norms and pseudo-horizontal surfaces in orientable Seifert 3-manifolds (Q2131795)

In this paper, the author gives a method to compute the \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-Thurston norm for every \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-homology class in an orientable Seifert manifold \(M\) with orientable base orbifold. For a possibly disconnected and possibly non-orientable closed surface \(S\), written as the union of its components \(S=S_1\cup \cdots\cup S_n\), the complexity of \(S\) is defined to be \(\sum_{i=1}^n\max{\{0,-\chi(S_i)\}}\). For any \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-coefficient homology class \(\alpha \in H_2(M;\mathbb{Z}_2)\), its \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-Thurston norm \(\|\alpha\|_{\mathbb{Z}_2-Th}\) is defined to be the minimum of the complexity of embedded subsurfaces of \(M\) that represent \(\alpha\). An embedded subsurface of \(M\) containing no \(S^2\) or \(\mathbb RP^2\) component that represents \(\alpha\) and realizes \(\|\alpha\|_{\mathbb{Z}_2-Th}\) is called \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-taut, and a \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-taut surface must be geometrically incompressible. A pseudo-vertical (pseudo-horizontal) surface in a Seifert manifold is a generalization of the classical vertical (horizontal) surface, and it can be non-orientable. More precisely, a pseudo-vertical (pseudo-horizontal) surface is vertical (horizontal) in the complement of a neighborhood of singular fibers, and its intersection with a neighborhood of each singular fiber is either a family of meridian disks or a geometrically incompressible non-orientable surface (classified by \textit{G. E. Bredon} and \textit{J. W. Wood} [Invent. Math. 7, 83--110 (1969; Zbl 0175.20504)]). By \textit{C. Frohman}'s work [Topology Appl. 23, 103--116 (1986; Zbl 0606.57007)], up to isotopy, every geometrically incompressible surface in a Seifert manifold is vertical, or horizontal, or pseudo-vertical, or pseudo-horizontal. Since vertical and horizontal surfaces are classical objects, and there are only finitely many types of pseudo-vertical surfaces, the bulk of this paper is devoted to studying pseudo-horizontal surfaces. Each pseudo-horizontal surface is determined by pairs of integers \((\lambda_1,\mu_1),\dots, (\lambda_n,\mu_n)\) (one pair for each singular fiber) satisfying certain conditions, and the author gives a formula for the genus of this pseudo-horizontal surface (Theorem 3.5). To compute the \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-Thurston norm in Seifert manifolds, the author first computes a uniform upper bound for \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-Thurston norms of all elements in \(H_2(M;\mathbb{Z}_2)\), and uses this uniform upper bound to give an upper bound of all \(|\lambda_i|\) and \(|\mu_i|\). So for each \(\alpha\in H_2(M;\mathbb{Z}_2)\), to compute \(\|\alpha\|_{\mathbb{Z}_2-Th}\), it remains to compute the complexity of finitely many surfaces. The author also gives examples for which a pseudo-vertical surface is not \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-taut, a pseudo-horizontal surface is not \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-taut, and a pseudo-vertical surface is isotopic to a pseudo-horizontal surface and they are both \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-taut.