Taut foliations leafwise branch cover \(S^2\) (Q2667202)

Let \(M\) be a closed oriented manifold of dimension \(3\), endowed with an oriented, cooriented foliation \(\mathcal F\) of dimension \(2\). \(\mathcal F\) is called taut if there is a compact global transversal to the leaves. Other descriptions of tautness are well known, and a new one is given in the paper: the existence of a map \(\phi:M\to S^2\) whose restriction to every leaf is a branched cover. The existence of \(\phi\) gives tautness with the following easy argument. After assuming that \(\phi\) is in a general position, where the branching points are of degree 2, we have, either \(M=S^2\times S^1\) foliated by the \(S^2\times\text{point}\), or the branching points form a compact global transversal. The difficult part is to show the existence of \(\phi\) when \(\mathcal F\) is taut. Two short analytic proofs are given, one using a deep result of \textit{B. Deroin} [J. Inst. Math. Jussieu 7, No. 1, 67--91 (2008; Zbl 1153.32004)], based on previous results of \textit{É. Ghys} [Panor. Synth. 8, 49--95 (1999; Zbl 1018.37028)] and \textit{A. Candel} [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 26, No. 4, 489--516 (1993; Zbl 0785.57009)], and another one using deep results of \textit{Y. M. Eliashberg} and \textit{W. P. Thurston} [Confoliations. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (1998; Zbl 0893.53001)], \textit{J. Bowden} [Geom. Funct. Anal. 26, No. 5, 1255--1296 (2016; Zbl 1362.57037)], \textit{W. H. Kazez} and \textit{R. Roberts} [Geom. Topol. 21, No. 6, 3601--3657 (2017; Zbl 1381.57014)], \textit{Y. Eliashberg} [ibid. 8, 277--293 (2004; Zbl 1067.53070)], \textit{J. B. Etnyre} [Algebr. Geom. Topol. 4, 73--80 (2004; Zbl 1078.53074)] and \textit{S. K. Donaldson} [J. Differ. Geom. 53, No. 2, 205--236 (1999; Zbl 1040.53094)]. The author also provides two additional purely combinatorial proofs, which are explicit and constructive. The paper also relates invariants of \(\phi\) with invariants of \(\mathcal F\), like the Euler class \(e(T\mathcal F)\), the pull-back \(\phi^*e(S^2)\) of the Euler class of \(S^2\), invariant transverse measures of \(\mathcal F\), and the Hopf invariant of \(\phi\). Finally, the classes that can be realized as \(\phi^*e(S^2)\) are studied.