Splitting links by integer homology spheres

Abstract

For every $n \ge 3$, we construct 2-component links in $S^{n+1}$ that are a split by an integer homology $n$-sphere, but not by $S^n$. In the special case $n=3$, i.e. that of 2-links in $S^4$, we produce an infinite family of links $L_\ell$ and of integer homology spheres $Y_\ell$ such that the link $L_\ell$ is (topologically or smoothly) split by $Y_\ell$ and by no other integer homology sphere in the family.