Four-manifolds which admit {Z_p x Z_p} actions (Q4530798)

The paper proves that simply-connected four-manifolds which admit locally linear, homologically trivial \(Z_{p} \times Z_{p}\) actions are homeomorphic to connected sums of \(CP^{2}\), \(\overline{CP}^{2}\) and \(S^{2} \times S^{2}\) (with the exception of the pseudofree action of \(Z_{3} \times Z_{3}\) on the Chern manifold, a manifold homotopy equivalent to \(CP^{2}\) with nonzero Kirby-Siebenmann invariant). Let \(M\) be a four-manifold with \(b_{1}=0\) and \(b_{2}\geq 1\) equipped with a locally linear, effective, homologically trivial \(Z_{p} \times Z_{p}\) action. Then, with two exceptions where the action is fixed-point free, the singular set \(\Sigma\) consists of \(b_{2}+2\) spheres equipped with rotation actions, intersecting pairwise at their poles, and arranged into a single closed loop. Each sphere represents a primitive homology class, and together these classes generate \(H_{2}(M)\). The exceptions are: \(b_{2}=1\), \(p=3\) and the action is pseudo-free (\(\Sigma\) consists of isolated points); \(b_{2}=2\), the intersection form is hyperbolic and \(p=2\). This implies that the intersection form of \(M\) is a sum of copies of \((\pm 1)\) and hyperbolic forms. The main result follows from this. The paper also gives an equivariant decomposition theorem of such actions. In such decomposition, one of the summands may be a non-standard action on the 4-sphere, which are not classified. This paper generalizes [\textit{P. Orlik} and \textit{F. Raymond}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 152, 531-559 (1970; Zbl 0216.20202)] and complements the results of \textit{R. Fintushel} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 230, 147-171 (1977; Zbl 0362.57014)] and \textit{T. Yoshida} [Math. J. Okayama Univ. 20, 25-40 (1978; Zbl 0382.57021)].