On Heegaard splittings with finite many pairs of disjoint compression disks

Abstract

Suppose $V\cup_S W$ is a weakly reducible Heegaard splitting of a closed 3-manifold which admits only $n$ pairs of disjoint compression disks on distinct sides and $g>2$. We show $V\cup_S W$ admits an untelescoping: $(V_1\cup_{S_1}W_1)\cup_F(W_2\cup_{S_2}V_2)$ such that $W_i$ has only one separating compressing disk and $d(S_i)\geq 2$, for $i=1,~2$. If $n>1$, at least one of $d(S_i)$ is 2 and $S$ is a critical Heegaard surface.