Smooth group actions on 4-manifolds and Seiberg-Witten theory (Q5931423)

Let \(X\) be a smooth closed spin 4-manifold with first Betti number \(b_1(X)=0\) and signature \(\sigma(X)\leq 0\). The author studies the topology of \(X\) in the presence of a spin structure preserving \(G\)-action, where \(G\) is a compact Lie (or finite) group, by applying Seiberg-Witten theory. Inequalities relating the second Betti number \(b_2(X)\), \(\sigma(X)\), and \(G\) are obtained. The main theorems are: (i) If \(X\) admits an odd type \({\mathbb Z}_{2^p}\) action preserving the spin structure, then \(b_2(X) \geq {5\over{4}} |\sigma(X)|+2p+2\), provided \(b_2^+(X;{\mathbb Z}_2) \neq b_2^+ - {1\over{8}} |\sigma(X)|\), \(b_2^+(X;{\mathbb Z}_{2^p}) > 0\) and in addition, \(b_2^+(X;{\mathbb Z}_{2^p}) < b_2^+\) if \(p \geq 2\), where \({\mathbb Z}_2 \subset {\mathbb Z}_{2^p}\); (ii) If \(H_1(X;{\mathbb Z}_2)=0\) and \(X\) admits an even type involution \(\tau\) preserving the spin structure, then the number \(k\) of fixed points of \(\tau\) is divisible by \(8\) and satisfies \(k \leq 8(b_2^+(X;\tau)-1) + {1\over{2}}\sigma(X)\).