Coincidence and self-coincidence of maps between spheres (Q2409467)

The authors continue their joint work on coincidences of maps between spheres [Bol. Soc. Mat. Mex., III. Ser. 10, 181--192 (2004; Zbl 1097.55001)] and [C. R., Math., Acad. Sci. Paris 342, No. 7, 511--513 (2006; Zbl 1091.55007)]: Let \(f_1,f_2:S^m\to S^n\) be mappings (which are always assumed to be continuous and essential). Then \((f_1,f_2)\) are said to be homotopy disjoint if there are maps \(q_1,q_2:S^m\to S^n\) such that \(q_1\) (\(q_2\)) is homotopic to \(f_1\) (\(f_2)\) and \(q_1(x)\not=q_2(x)\) for all \(x\in S^m\). For \(f:S^m\to S^n\) the pair \((f,f)\) is said to be homotopy disjoint by a small deformation if for every \(\epsilon>0\) there is an \(\epsilon\)-approximation \(g:S^m\to S^n\) for \(f\) with \(f(x)\not=g(x)\) for all \(x\in S^m\). Denote by \(\iota_{2n}\in\pi_{2n}S^{2n}\) and by \(\eta_{2n}\in\pi_{2n+1}S^{2n+1}\) generators. Using heavy machinery from algebraic topology the authors prove the following results: Let \(n\not=1,2,4\) and \(f_1,f_2:S^{4n-1}\to S^{2n}\) a pair of maps and write \(f_i=k_i[\iota_{2n},\iota_{2n}]+\beta_i\). Then (1) \((f_1,f_2)\) can be made coincidence-free iff \(k_1=k_2\) and \(\beta_2=-\beta_1\). (2) If \(n\) is even and \(f_1=f_2=:f\) the pair \((f,f)\) is homotopy disjoint iff \(f\) is homotopy disjoint by a small deformation. (3) If \(n\) is odd and \((f,f)\) is homotopy disjoint then \((f,f)\) is not homotopy disjoint by a small deformation if \([f]=k[\iota_{2n},\iota_{2n}]+\beta\) with \(k\) odd and \(\beta\) is of order at most 2. Let now \(f:S^{4n}\to S^{2n}\). One says that \(f\) is of type 1 if the first Hopf-Hilton invariant \(H_0([f])=0\) and of type 2 if \(H_0([f])=\eta_{4n-1}\). Let then \(n\) be even and \(f,f_1,f_2:S^{4n}\to S^{2n}\). Then (1) if \([f_1]\) and \([f_2]\) are of type 1 then \((f_1,f_2)\) is homotopy disjoint iff \([f_1]+[f_2]=0\) and (2) if \([f_1]\) and \([f_2]\) are of type 2 then \((f_1,f_2)\) is homotopy disjoint iff \([f_1]+[f_2]=[\eta_{2n},\iota_{2n}]\). (3) If \([f_1]\) and \([f_2]\) are of different types then \((f_1,f_2)\) cannot be homotopy disjoint. (4) If \([f]\) is of type 1 then \((f,f)\) is homotopy disjoint iff \(2[f]=0\) (5) If \([f]\) is of type 2 then \((f,f)\) cannot be homotopy disjoint. In this case one can say even more: \((f,f)\) is homotopy disjoint by a small deformation iff \([f]\) belongs to the subgroup of \(\pi_{4n}S^{2n}\) consisting of \(0\) and all elements of order two and \([f]\) is of the form \((\bar{0},\epsilon_2,\dotsc,\epsilon_r)\) with \(\epsilon_j\in\{\bar{0},\bar{1}\}\). In the next section the authors study coincidences of maps into \(S^{2n}\) for \(n=1,2,4\). In the final section they provide infinitely many examples of pairs which are homotopy disjoint but not by a small deformation.