The oriented connected-endomorphism conjecture for the 2-sphere

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Let LSO⊗\mathbb{L}_{SO}^\otimes be the proposed oriented ∞\infty-operad, and let Ω2Bord⁡3SO\Omega^2\operatorname{Bord}_3^{SO} be the symmetric monoidal ∞\infty-category of oriented 3-dimensional bordisms. Write End⁡Ω2Bord⁡3SO⊗(S2)\operatorname{End}_{\Omega^2\operatorname{Bord}_3^{SO}}^\otimes(S^2) for the oriented ∞\infty-endomorphism operad of S2S^2, and End⁡Ω2Bord⁡3SO⊗,conn⁡(S2)\operatorname{End}_{\Omega^2\operatorname{Bord}_3^{SO}}^{\otimes,\operatorname{conn}}(S^2) for its suboperad consisting of connected bordisms. The oriented connected-endomorphism conjecture. There is a map of ∞\infty-operads

fSO:LSO⊗→End⁡Ω2Bord⁡3SO⊗(S2),f_{SO}:\mathbb{L}_{SO}^\otimes\to\operatorname{End}_{\Omega^2\operatorname{Bord}_3^{SO}}^\otimes(S^2),

whose image is End⁡Ω2Bord⁡3SO⊗,conn⁡(S2)\operatorname{End}_{\Omega^2\operatorname{Bord}_3^{SO}}^{\otimes,\operatorname{conn}}(S^2), and fSOf_{SO} is an equivalence

LSO⊗→∼End⁡Ω2Bord⁡3SO⊗,conn⁡(S2).\mathbb{L}_{SO}^\otimes\overset{\sim}{\to}\operatorname{End}_{\Omega^2\operatorname{Bord}_3^{SO}}^{\otimes,\operatorname{conn}}(S^2).

This would identify the proposed oriented operad with the connected part of the full oriented ∞\infty-endomorphism operad of the 2-sphere. The source gives no resolution evidence, so the conjecture remains open.

References

Primary source

Chris Li, “Topological Field Theories and the Algebraic Structures of the Two-Sphere”, arXiv:2605.20846 (2026).

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