The \(L^2\)-torsion function and the Thurston norm of 3-manifolds (Q2416397)

The \(L^2\)-Alexander torsion, or \(L^2\)-torsion function, is in its simplest incarnation a function on the positive reals associated to a pair \((N, \phi)\) where \(N\) is a 3-manifold (compact with empty or toroidal boundary) and \(\phi \in H^1(N, \mathbb R)\). Its value \(\rho^{(2)}(N, \phi)(t)\) at \(t\) is the \(L^2\)-torsion of the universal covering of \(N\) with coefficients associated to the representation \(g \mapsto t^{\phi(g)}\). Concretely it can be computed as the Fuglede-Kadison determinant of a matrix with coefficients in the group ring \(\mathbb R\pi\) where \(\pi\) is the fundamental group of \(N\). This function is well-defined only up to a integer power of \(t\). In general one can take more data into account: adding a spin structure (or Euler structure) removes the indeterminacy in the definition; and it is possible to add to the input a morphism from \(\pi\) to a group \(G\) through which \(\phi\) factors, in this review we will stay within the simplest setting. We note that twisted \(L^2\)-invariants are studied in a more general setting in work of the second author of the paper under review [J. Topol. Anal. 10, No. 4, 723--816 (2018; Zbl 1411.57037)] and that these results are used here. Even though \(\rho^{(2)}(N, \phi)\) is well-defined only up to powers of \(t\) its degree of growth can be defined by \[ \deg(\rho^{(2)}(N, \phi)) = \limsup_{t\to+\infty}(\log\rho^{(2)}(N, \phi)(t)/\log(t)) - \liminf_{t\to+\infty}(\log\rho^{(2)}(N, \phi)(t)/\log(t)) \] provided both terms are finite, which was observed in [loc. cit]. It was conjectured by the authors and \textit{J. Dubois} [J. Topol. 9, No. 3, 889--926 (2016; Zbl 1355.57009)] that this degree equals the Thurston norm of the cohomology class \(\phi\), and this was proven there when \(\phi\) is fibered or \(N\) is a Seifert manifold (or more generally a graph manifold). In this paper the authors complete the proof to deal with the case where \(\phi \in H^1(N, \mathbb Q)\). A similar stronger result was proven by \textit{Y. Liu} [Invent. Math. 207, No. 3, 981--1030 (2017; Zbl 1383.57019)], where he does not need the hypothesis that the class is rational and he establishes various other regularity properties in \(t\) of the torsion function as well.