Homeomorphisms, homotopy equivalences and chain complexes

arXiv1205.3024MaRDI QIDQ6232977FDOQ6232977

Authors: Spiros Adams-Florou 

Publication date: 14 May 2012

Abstract: This thesis concerns the relationship between bounded and controlled topology and how these can be used to recognise which homotopy equivalences of reasonable topological spaces are homotopic to homeomorphisms. Let $f:XoY$ be a simplicial map of finite-dimensional locally finite simplicial complexes. We prove that $f$ has contractible point inverses if and only if it is an $epsilon$-controlled homotopy equivalences for all $epsilon>0$, if and only if $fimesmathrmid:XimesmathbbRoYimesmathbbR$ is a homotopy equivalence bounded over the open cone $O(Y^{+})$ of Pedersen and Weibel. This approach can be generalised to algebra using geometric categories: the $X$-controlled categories $mathbb{A}^{\ast }(X)$, $mathbb{A}_{\ast }(X)$ of Ranicki and Weiss together with the bounded categories $mathcal{C}_M(mathbbA)$ of Pedersen and Weibel. Analogous to the barycentric subdivision of a simplicial complex, we define the algebraic subdivision of a chain complex over that simplicial complex. The main theorem of the thesis is that a chain complex $C$ is chain contractible in $mathbbA(X)$ if and only if $$ is boundedly chain contractible when measured in $O(X^{+})$ for a functor $$ defined appropriately using algebraic subdivision and for $mathbbA=mathbb{A}^{\ast }$ or $mathbb{A}_{\ast }$. We prove a squeezing result: a chain complex with a small enough chain contraction has arbitrarily small chain contractions. We conclude with consequences for Poincar'e Duality spaces. Squeezing tells us that a $PL$ Poincar'e duality space with small enough Poincar'e duality is a homology manifold and the main theorem tells us that a $PL$ Poincar'e duality space $X$ is a homology manifold if and only if $XimesmathbbR$ has bounded Poincar'e duality when measured in the open cone $O(X^{+})$.

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Surgery obstructions, Wall groups (57R67)

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