Algorithmic homeomorphism of 3-manifolds as a corollary of geometrization (Q2305331)

The author proves two results on the homeomorphism problem for closed oriented 3-manifolds. The first one is as follows. Suppose that \(M_1\) and \(M_2\) are two finite simplicial complexes that represent closed oriented 3-manifolds. Then, as a corollary of the geometrization theorem, it is \textit{recursive} (decidable, computable) to determine if there is an orientation-preserving homeomorphism between \(M_1\) and \(M_2\). The author calls this a ``semi-historical result'' which goes back to Thurston and Riley who suggest that the geometrization theorem should imply an algorithm for the homeomorphism problem for closed, oriented, triangulated 3-manifolds. ``We give a self-contained proof, with several variations at each stage, that uses only the statement of the geometrization theorem, basic hyperbolic geometry, and old results from combinatorial topology and computer science.'' The second main result of the paper states that the oriented homeomorphism problem for closed, oriented 3-manifolds is \textit{elementary recursive}, i.e. there is an algorithm whose execution time is bounded by a bounded power of exponentials. ``In contrast to the first theorem, the proof of the second one does use normal surface theory, as well as Mostow rigidity, and improved bounds on the computational complexity of solving algebraic equations.'' The author gives also many comments and a survey on the history and development of these two results.