Surgical distance between Lens spaces (Q719101)

Let \(\mathcal{M}\) be the set of orientation preserving homeomorphism types of closed connected orientable \(3\)-manifolds. The paper under review introduces a metric, called surgical distance, on \(\mathcal{M}\). For two types \(M\) and \(M'\), the surgical distance between \(M\) and \(M'\) is the minimal length of the sequence \(M=M_0, M_1, \dots, M_n=M'\), where \(M_{i+1}\) is obtained from \(M_i\) by Dehn surgery on a knot in \(M_i\). By the fundamental result due to \textit{W.B.R. Lickorish} [Ann. Math. (2) 76, 531--540 (1962; Zbl 0106.37102)] and \textit{A. H. Wallace} [Can. J. Math. 12, 503--528 (1960), J. Math. Mech. 10, 773--809 (1961; Zbl 0108.36101)], the above distance is well defined. The surgical distance is a generalization of the surgery number introduced by \textit{D. Auckly} [in: Proceedings of the 1993 Georgia international topology conference. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society. 21--34 (1997; Zbl 0889.57022)]. In general, it seems to be very difficult to determine the surgical distance between two types of \(3\)-manifolds. As a variation, the authors introduce the hyperbolic surgical distance. It requires that Dehn surgery is performed along a hyperbolic knot at each stage. The imitation theory of \textit{A. Kawauchi} [Topology Appl. 146-147, 67--82 (2005; Zbl 1083.57010)] guarantees that it is also well defined. Many examples show that these two distances can take distinct values. The main body of the paper under review deals with lens spaces. Let \(\mathcal{L}\) be the subset of \(\mathcal{M}\) corresponding to lens spaces, including \(S^3\), \(S^2\times S^1\) and \(\mathbb{R}P^3\). Then for any two types of lens spaces, the surgical distance is one, and Kawauchi shows that the hyperbolic surgical distance is at most two. The main result of the paper claims that for any \(L\in \mathcal{L}\), there are infinitely many \(L_i\in \mathcal{L}\) having hyperbolic surgical distance one apart from \(L\). This family is constructed by using the Berge knot in a solid torus. Some example calculations are done. Also, this paper includes several interesting questions concerning surgical distance.