Mass flow for noncompact manifolds (Q2518787)

Let \(M\) be a connected, second-countable manifold without boundary equipped with a ``good'' measure \(\mu_ o\). Let \({\mathcal H}_ c(M,\mu_ o)\) be the group of \(\mu_ o\)-measure-preserving homeomorphisms of \(M\) with compact support endowed with the Whitney topology, and let \({\mathcal H}_{c,o}(M,\mu_ o)\) be the path component of the identity. The mass flow homomorphism is a group homomorphism from the universal covering space of \({\mathcal H}_{c,o}(M,\mu_ o)\), viewed as a space of paths modulo homotopy, to the first homology group \(H_ 1(M,\mathbb R)\). \textit{A.~Fathi} [Ann.~Sci.~Éc.~Norm.~Supér.~(4) 13, 45--93 (1980; Zbl 0443.58011)] studied mass flow homomorphisms in which homology is viewed as a set of homotopy classes of maps into the circle for only compact manifolds. In this paper, the author generalizes and reformulates Fathi's results to the non-compact case. The use of handles and tubular neighborhoods is replaced by the use of neighborhoods only. The new version of the definition of the mass flow homomorphism relies on a real homology theory based on measures. Making use of a quotient process, the mass flow homomorphism on \({\mathcal H}_{c,o}(M,\mu_ o)\) is effectively defined, giving rise to an important commutative diagram that is studied in details. Also, it is shown that the mass flow is surjective and its kernel is generated by its elements supported in topological \(n\)-balls. If the dimension \(n\) of \(M\) is at least three, then the kernel is a simple group equal to the commutator subgroup of \({\mathcal H}_{c,o}(M,\mu_ o)\).