Planar open books with four binding components (Q2431280)

The author determines support norm \(sn()\), support genus \(sg()\) and binding number \(bn()\) for all contact structures on \(S^3\). The first result is following: let \(\xi_n\) be the overtwisted contact structure on \(S^3\) with \(d_3(\xi_n)= n\), then \(sg(\xi_n)= 0\) for all \(n\) and \(bn(\xi_{1/2})= 2\); \(bn(\xi_{-1/2})= bn(\xi_{3/2})= 3\); \(bn(\xi_n)= 4\) for all \(n\neq -1/2,1/2,3/2\); \(sn(\xi_{1/2})= 0\); \(sn(\xi_{-1/2})= sn(\xi_{3/2})= 1\); and \(sn(\xi_n)= 2\) for all \(n\neq -1/2,1/2,3/2\). Another result is about the conjecture of \textit{K. Honda}, \textit{W. H. Kazez} and \textit{G. Matić} [J. Differ. Geom. 83, No. 2, 289--311 (2009; Zbl 1186.53098)] that if the monodromy is given by a right-veering diffeomorphism that does not admit a destabilization (in the sense of Giroux stabilization) then the supported contact structure is tight. A counterexample is given: there exists an open book \((S,\phi)\) on the Poincaré homology sphere \(\Sigma(2,3,5)\) where \(S\) is a four-holed sphere and \(\phi=\tau^5_a \tau^2_b \tau_c\tau_d\tau^{-2}_e\) which is right-veering and not destabilizable such that the supported contact structure is an overtwisted contact structure. Here \(a\), \(b\), \(c\), \(d\), \(e\), \(f\), \(g\) are generators of the mapping class group of the four-holed sphere. Moreover the author proves some results about a family of elements in the mapping class group of the four-holed sphere. If \(\phi= \tau^\alpha_a \tau^\beta_b \tau^\gamma_c \tau^\delta_d \tau^\varepsilon_e \tau^\eta_f\), then \(\phi\) admits a positive factorization if and only if \(\min\{\alpha,\beta,\gamma,\delta\}\geq \max\{-\varepsilon, -\eta, 0\}\). Furthermore, this latter condition is satisfied if and only if the Ozsváth-Szabó contact invariant \(c^+(\phi)\) of the contact structure supported by \((S,\phi)\) is not equal to zero.