Homotopy classes of 2 disjoint \(2p\)-spheres in \(\mathbb{R}^{3p+1}\) (Q1917062)

Link maps \(f:S^{2p}\coprod S^{2p}\to S^{3p+1}\) (i.e. the two spheres have disjoint images) are classified up to link homotopies (i.e. deformations through such link maps). The authors show that for \(p\neq 3,7\), \(p>1\) this classification is performed entirely by the generalized linking number \(\alpha(f)\neq \pi^S_p\) (and that all elements in this stable homotopy group actually occur as values of \(\alpha\)). Since the dimension constellation of this result lies outside of the ``metastable range'', the authors have to develop new techniques which center around the homotopy type of the complement of a generic image of one sphere in another. Along the way they prove that here every link map is homotopic to an embedded link.