Lagrangian submanifolds and Lefschetz pencils (Q2491054)

Let \((M,\omega)\) be a symplectic manifold such that \([\omega/2\pi]\in H^2(M;\mathbb{R})\) admits a lift to an integer cohomology class and let \(h\in H^2(M;\mathbb{Z})\) be one such lifting. Using asymptotically holomorphic techniques (see the first author, [Geom. Funct. Anal. 7, 971--995 (1997; Zbl 0912.53020)]; [\textit{S. K. Donaldson}, J. Differ. Geom. 44, 666--705 (1996; Zbl 0883.53032), J. Differ. Geom., 53, 205--236 (1999; Zbl 1040.53094)]) has proved the existence of a symplectic Lefschetz pencil whose fibers are homologous to the Poincaré dual of \(kh\), for \(k\) large enough. Such Lefschetz pencils are called Donaldson Lefschetz pencils by the authors. Let \(\mathcal{L}\) be a Lagrangian submanifold of \(M\) and let \(f: \mathcal{L}\to [0,1]\) be a Morse function. Following \textit{S. K. Donaldson's} ideas [Zbl 0883.53032], adapting ideas of the first author [Zbl 0912.53020] and using results from other papers [the first author, [Invent. Math. 139, 551--602 (2000; Zbl 1080.53084)]; the first author, \textit{D. Gayet} and \textit{J. P. Mohsen}, [Math. Ann. 321, 739--754 (2001; Zbl 1005.53049)]; \textit{S. K. Donaldson} [Zbl 1040.53094], the authors prove the existence of a sequence of Donaldson Lefschetz pencils \(\phi_k:M-B_k\to \mathbb{CP}^1\) with \(B_k\) and \(\mathcal{L}\) disjoint, such that, for \(k\) large, \(\phi_k(\mathcal{L})\) is a smooth embedded arc in \(\mathbb{CP}^1\). Moreover, they show that there exists a parametrization of this arc \(\gamma_k:[0,1]\to \phi_k(\mathcal{L})\) such that \((\gamma_k^{-1}\circ\phi_k)| _\mathcal{L}\) is a Morse function isotopic (among Morse functions) to \(f\). After proving a parametric version of this result for a given \(1\)-parametric family of simply connected Lagrangian submanifolds of \(M\), the authors construct a one-to-one correspondence between the set of Hamiltonian isotopy classes of Lagrangian (resp., twisted) spheres in \((M,\omega)\) and the quotient of the set of asymptotically stable sequences of (resp., twisted) matching paths up to homotopy (for a fixed sequence of Donaldson pencils) with respect to a natural action of the fundamental group of the space of all sequences of Donaldson pencils. Following ideas of S. Donaldson and P. Seidel [Lectures on four-dimensional Dehn twists, preprint math.SG/0309012], the connection between automorphisms of the monodromy data of a symplectic Lefschetz pencil \(\phi\) and symplectomorphisms of the total space of the pencil is discussed. In particular, the asymptotic surjectivity as \(k\to \infty\) of a natural homomorphism \(\rho:\Gamma(\phi)\)(= the group of combinatorial automorphisms of \(\phi\))\(\to \pi_0(\text{Symp}(M,\omega))\) is shown, and various natural elements of \(\ker(\rho)\) are exhibited. The implications for matching paths and the relation with the projective dual of the discriminant curve of a projection to \(\mathbb{CP}^2\) is also discussed.