Foliated vector fields without periodic orbits (Q312281)

Let \(M\) be a closed connected smooth \((n+m)\)-dimensional manifold endowed with a smooth foliation \(\mathcal F\) of dimension \(n\geq3\). Let \(\mathfrak X_{\text{ns}}(M,\mathcal F)\) be the space of nonsingular vector fields tangent to the leaves, and let \(\mathfrak X_{\text{no}}(M,\mathcal F)\) be its subspace of vector fields without closed orbits. The main theorem of the paper states that the inclusion map \(\mathfrak X_{\text{no}}(M,\mathcal F)\hookrightarrow\mathfrak X_{\text{ns}}(M,\mathcal F)\) is a weak homotopy equivalence. Even in the case \(m=0\) (a single leaf), this theorem slightly improves the known results, which state that this inclusion induces a bijection between the corresponding sets of connected components. The proof uses parametric versions of the famous plugs constructed by Wilson and Kuperberg. Now, let \(\mathcal F\) be a foliation of dimension \(2\) on a compact connected \(3\)-dimensional manifold \(M\), so that \(\partial M\) is a union of leaves. It is said that \((M,\mathcal F)\) is a generalized Reeb component if moreover no pair of points on \(\partial M\) can be joined by a curve transverse to \(\mathcal F\), and all the leaves in the interior of \(M\) are proper and without holonomy. In this case, the authors show that, if \(M\) is not homeomorphic to \(\mathbb T^2\times[0,1]\), then any non-singular vector field tangent to the leaves has at least two closed orbits.