The kernel conjecture for isotopy extension and barbell implantations

Let Emb(S1,S1×S3;S01)\operatorname{Emb}(S^1,S^1\times S^3;S^1_0) be the based embedding space, and let Diff(S1×B3fix)\operatorname{Diff}(S^1\times B^3\operatorname{fix}\partial) and Diff(B4fix)\operatorname{Diff}(B^4\operatorname{fix}\partial) denote the corresponding diffeomorphism groups. Isotopy extension induces a map

p:π1Emb(S1,S1×S3;S01)π0(Diff(S1×B3fix)/Diff(B4fix)).p:\pi_1 \operatorname{Emb}(S^1,S^1\times S^3;S^1_0)\longrightarrow \pi_0\left(\operatorname{Diff}(S^1\times B^3\operatorname{fix}\partial)/\operatorname{Diff}(B^4\operatorname{fix}\partial)\right).

For the relevant invariant W2W_2, kernel conjecture. The kernel of pp is the subgroup with W2=0W_2=0. In particular, the implantations βθk\beta_{\theta_k} for k2k\geq 2 and βαk\beta_{\alpha_k} for k1k\geq 1 are isotopically nontrivial. This would identify the precise obstruction detected by isotopy extension and establish infinitely many nontrivial implantation classes.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Ryan Budney and David Gabai, “Knotted 3-balls in S^4”, arXiv:1912.09029 (2021).

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