Packing numbers of rational ruled four-manifolds (Q362554)

For \(c>0\) let \(B^{2n}(c)=\{(x_1,\dots,x_n,y_1,\dots,y_n)\in\mathbb{R}^{2n}\mid \pi\sum_j(x_i^2+y_i^2)\leq c\}\) an let \(\sqcup_kB^{2n}(c)\) denote the disjoint union of \(k\) balls \(B^{2n}(c)\) being equipped with the standard structure \(\omega_0=\sum_jdx_j\wedge dy_j\). The \(k\)th \textit{Gromov width} and the \(k\)th \textit{packing number} of a symplectic manifold \((M^{2n},\omega)\) are defined by \[ \begin{aligned} &{\mathsf w}_k(M^{2n},\omega)=\sup\{c\mid \exists\;\sqcup_kB^{2n}(c)@>{s}>>{\hookrightarrow} (M^{2n},\omega)\},\\ &p_k(M^{2n},\omega)=\sup\{{\mathrm{vol}}(\sqcup_kB^{2n}(c))\mid \exists\;\sqcup_kB^{2n}(c)@>{s}>>{\hookrightarrow} (M^{2n},\omega)\}/{\mathrm {vol}}(M^{2n},\omega) \end{aligned} \] respectively. Here \(@>{s}>>{\hookrightarrow}\) means the symplectic embedding. Clearly, \(p_k(M^{2n},\omega)\leq 1\) if \({\mathrm {vol}}(M^{2n},\omega)<\infty\). When \(p_k(M^{2n},\omega)=1\) (resp. \(p_k(M^{2n},\omega)<1\)) we say that there is a full packing (resp. packing) obstruction in \((M^{2n},\omega)\) by \(k\) balls. If \(p_k(M^{2n},\omega)=1\) for some \(k\in\mathbb{N}\) then \(N_{\mathrm {stab}}(M^{2n},\omega)=\min\{m\in\mathbb{N}\mid p_k(M^{2n},\omega)=1\;\forall k\geq m\}\) is called the \textit{stability number} for full packings in \((M^{2n},\omega)\). Historically, the estimates and computations of these numbers were firstly studied by \textit{M. Gromov} [Invent. Math. 82, 307--347 (1985; Zbl 0592.53025)], then by \textit{D. McDuff} and \textit{L. Polterovich} [Invent. Math. 115, No. 3, 405--429 (1994; Zbl 0833.53028)] and by \textit{P. Biran} [Geom. Funct. Anal. 7, No. 3, 420--437 (1997; Zbl 0892.53022); Invent. Math. 136, No. 1, 123--155 (1999; Zbl 0930.53052)]. When \((M^{2n},\omega)\) is the rational ruled surface, the paper under review gives explicit computation formulae for these numbers and discusses some corollaries and applications. The main tool used is a modified version of the reduction algorithm by \textit{B.-H. Li} and \textit{T.-J. Li} [Asian J. Math. 6, No. 1, 123--144 (2002; Zbl 1008.57024); J. Math. Kyoto Univ. 46, No. 3, 583--593 (2006; Zbl 1139.57032)].