Exotic rational elliptic surfaces without 1-handles (Q945646)

Problem 4.18 of \textit{R. Kirby}'s problem list [AMS/IP Stud. Adv. Math. 2(pt.2), 35--473 (1997; Zbl 0888.57014)] asks whether a simply connected, closed 4-manifold possesses a handle decomposition without 1-handles. In [Handlebody decompositions of complex surfaces, Mem. Am. Math. Soc. 350 (1986; Zbl 0631.57009)], \textit{J. Harer, A. Kas} and \textit{R. Kirby} conjectured that every handle decomposition of \(E(1)_{2,3}\) requires at least one 1-handle. Using rational blow-downs and Kirby calculus, the author shows that there exists a smooth 4-manifold \(E_3'\) which is homeomorphic to \(E(1)_{2,3},\) has the same Seiberg-Witten invariant as \(E(1)_{2,3},\) and admits a handle decomposition without 1-handles and 3-handles. This example either gives a counterexample to the Harer-Kas-Kirby conjecture or provides an example of a simply connected closed smooth 4-manifold with the same Seiberg-Witten invariant as \(E(1)_{2,3}\) that is homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to it. The author also provides examples \(E_q\) which are homeomorphic to \(E(1)_{2,q}\) for \(q=3,5\) have the same Seiberg-Witten invariants, and possess a handle decomposition without 1-handles.