Coincidence theory for spaces which fiber over a nilmanifold (Q2388414)

Let \(f, g \colon X \to Y\) be connected finite polyhedra. A Nielsen coincidence number \(N(f, g)\) due to \textit{C. Brooks} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 259, 101--108 (1973; Zbl 0273.55011)] furnishes a lower bound for the number of coincidences, that is solutions to \(\hat f(x) = \hat g(x)\), among all maps \(\hat f\) homotopic to \(f\) and \(\hat g\) homotopic to \(g\). The exact calculation of the integer \(N(f, g)\) is far beyond the reach of present techniques except in very special cases. But there is a restricted question worth asking: when is \(N(f, g) = 0\)? In some circumstances, \(N(f, g) = 0\) has the important consequence that all coincidences can be eliminated by homotopy. Previous work of the author and \textit{D. L. Gonçalves} [Forum Math. 13, 133--141 (2001; Zbl 0961.55004)] established a useful sufficient condition for \(N(f, g) = 0\) in the case that \(Y\) is a compact nilmanifold. In the present paper, the restriction on \(Y\) is that there is a fibration \(p \colon Y \to N\) with base \(N\) a compact nilmanifold and connected fibers. This class of spaces is significantly more general than that of compact nilmanifolds. The sufficient condition for \(N(f, g) = 0\) is that \(R(pf, pg)\), the number of orbits of the action of the fundamental group of \(X\) on that of \(Y\) defined by \(\sigma \cdot \alpha \to (pg)_\#(\sigma) \alpha (pf)_\#(\sigma)^{-1}\) for \(\sigma \in \pi_1(X), \alpha \in \pi_1(Y)\), be infinite. If \(g\) is the constant map \(g(X) = a\), then \(R(pf, pg) = \infty\) implies that there is a homotopy of \(f\) to a map \(\hat f\) with \(\hat f(a)^{-1} = \emptyset\). As an interesting consequence of the main result, the author shows that, for \(p \colon Y \to N\) as before, if \(f \colon Y \to Y\) a map such that \(R(pf, p) = \infty\), then the classical Nielsen fixed point number \(N(f)\) is zero. This result holds even if \(f\) is not in the homotopy class of any self-map of \(Y\) that is fiber-preserving with respect to \(p\). The paper concludes with several carefully described examples that nicely illustrate the results previously presented.