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D. Kotschick

Publications and source records attributed to D. Kotschick.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2025

Doubles without open book decompositions from higher signatures

We show that in every even dimension there are closed manifolds that are doubles, but have no open book decomposition. In high dimensions, this contradicts the conclusions in Ranicki's book on high-dimensional knot theory. In all dimensions, examples arise from the non-multiplicativity of the signature in fibre bundles. We discuss many examples and applications in dimension four, where this phenomenon is related to the simplicial volume.

math.GT↗
arXiv2024

Born geometry via K\"unneth structures and recursion operators

We propose a simple definition of a Born geometry in the framework of K\"unneth geometry. While superficially different, this new definition is equivalent to the known definitions in terms of para-quaternionic or generalized geometries. We discuss integrability of Born structures and their associated connections. In particular we find that for integrable Born geometries the Born connection is obtained by a simple averaging under a conjugation from the K\"unneth connection. We also give examples of integrable Born geometries on nilmanifolds.

math.DG↗
arXiv2022

Sasaki versus K\"ahler groups

We study fundamental groups of compact Sasaki manifolds and show that compared to K\"ahler groups, they exhibit rather different behaviour. This class of groups is not closed under taking direct products, and there is often an upper bound on the dimension of a Sasaki manifold realising a given group. The richest class of Sasaki groups arises in dimension 5.

math.DG↗
arXiv2021

Sasaki structures distinguished by their basic Hodge numbers

In all odd dimensions $\geq 5$ we produce examples of manifolds admitting pairs of Sasaki structures with different basic Hodge numbers. In dimension $5$ we prove more precise results, for example we show that on connected sums of copies of $S^2\times S^3$ the number of Sasaki structures with different basic Hodge numbers within a fixed homotopy class of almost contact structures is unbounded. All the Sasaki structures we consider are negative in the sense that the basic first Chern class is represented by a negative definite form of type $(1,1)$. We also discuss the relation of these results to contact topology.

math.DG↗
arXiv2020

The complex geometry of two exceptional flag manifolds

We discuss the complex geometry of two complex five-dimensional Kähler manifolds which are homogeneous under the exceptional Lie group $G_2$. For one of these manifolds rigidity of the complex structure among all Kählerian complex structures was proved by Brieskorn, for the other one we prove it here. We relate the Kähler assumption in Brieskorn's theorem to the question of existence of a complex structure on the six-dimensional sphere, and we compute the Chern numbers of all $G_2$-invariant almost complex structures on these manifolds.

math.DG↗
arXiv2017

Engel structures and weakly hyperbolic flows on four-manifolds

We study pairs of Engel structures on four-manifolds whose intersection has constant rank one and which define the same even contact structure, but induce different orientations on it. We establish a correspondence between such pairs of Engel structures and a class of weakly hyperbolic flows. This correspondence is analogous to the correspondence between bi-contact structures and projectively or conformally Anosov flows on three-manifolds found by Eliashberg--Thurston and by Mitsumatsu.

math.DS↗
arXiv2016

Presentability by products for some classes of groups

In various classes of infinite groups, we identify groups that are presentable by products, i.e. groups having finite index subgroups which are quotients of products of two commuting infinite subgroups. The classes we discuss here include groups of small virtual cohomological dimension and irreducible Zariski dense subgroups of appropriate algebraic groups. This leads to applications to groups of positive deficiency, to fundamental groups of three-manifolds and to Coxeter groups. For finitely generated groups presentable by products we discuss the problem of whether the factors in a presentation by products may be chosen to be finitely generated.

math.GR↗
arXiv2013

Updates on Hirzebruch's 1954 Problem List

We present updates to the problems on Hirzebruch's 1954 problem list focussing on open problems, and on those where substantial progress has been made in recent years. We discuss some purely topological problems, as well as geometric problems about (almost) complex structures, both algebraic and non-algebraic, about contact structures, and about (complementary pairs of) foliations.

math.HO↗
arXiv2013

Entropies, volumes, and Einstein metrics

We survey the definitions and some important properties of several asymptotic invariants of smooth manifolds, and discuss some open questions related to them. We prove that the (non-)vanishing of the minimal volume is a differentiable property, which is not invariant under homeomorphisms. We also formulate an obstruction to the existence of Einstein metrics on four-manifolds involving the volume entropy. This generalizes both the Gromov--Hitchin--Thorpe inequality and Sambusetti's obstruction.

math.DG↗
arXiv2013

Kaehlerian three-manifold groups

We prove that if the fundamental group of an arbitrary three-manifold -- not necessarily closed, nor orientable -- is a Kaehler group, then it is either finite or the fundamental group of a closed orientable surface.

math.GT↗
arXiv2013

Geometric formality and non-negative scalar curvature

We classify manifolds of small dimension that admit both, a Riemannian metric of non-negative scalar curvature, and a -- a priori different -- metric for which all wedge products of harmonic forms are harmonic. For manifolds whose first Betti numbers are sufficiently large, this classification extends to higher dimensions.

math.DG↗
arXiv2012

The Hodge ring of Kaehler manifolds

We determine the structure of the Hodge ring, a natural object encoding the Hodge numbers of all compact Kaehler manifolds. As a consequence of this structure, there are no unexpected relations among the Hodge numbers, and no essential differences between the Hodge numbers of smooth complex projective varieties and those of arbitrary Kaehler manifolds. The consideration of certain natural ideals in the Hodge ring allows us to determine exactly which linear combinations of Hodge numbers are birationally invariant, and which are topological invariants. Combining the Hodge and unitary bordism rings, we are also able to treat linear combinations of Hodge and Chern numbers. In particular, this leads to a complete solution of a classical problem of Hirzebruch's.

math.AG↗
arXiv2012

On three-manifolds dominated by circle bundles

We determine which three-manifolds are dominated by products. The result is that a closed, oriented, connected three-manifold is dominated by a product if and only if it is finitely covered either by a product or by a connected sum of copies of the product of the two-sphere and the circle. This characterization can also be formulated in terms of Thurston geometries, or in terms of purely algebraic properties of the fundamental group. We also determine which three-manifolds are dominated by non-trivial circle bundles, and which three-manifold groups are presentable by products.

math.GT↗
arXiv2012

The deficiencies of Kaehler groups

Generalizing the theorem of Green--Lazarsfeld and Gromov, we classify Kaehler groups of deficiency at least two. As a consequence we see that there are no Kaehler groups of even and strictly positive deficiency. With the same arguments we prove that Kaehler groups that are non-Abelian and are limit groups in the sense of Sela are surface groups.

math.GR↗
arXiv2011

Topologically invariant Chern numbers of projective varieties

We prove that a rational linear combination of Chern numbers is an oriented diffeomorphism invariant of smooth complex projective varieties if and only if it is a linear combination of the Euler and Pontryagin numbers. In dimension at least three we prove that only multiples of the top Chern number, which is the Euler characteristic, are invariant under diffeomorphisms that are not necessarily orientation-preserving. These results solve a long-standing problem of Hirzebruch's. We also determine the linear combinations of Chern numbers that can be bounded in terms of Betti numbers.

math.GT↗
arXiv2011

Characteristic numbers of algebraic varieties

A rational linear combination of Chern numbers is an oriented diffeomorphism invariant of smooth complex projective varieties if and only if it is a linear combination of the Euler and Pontryagin numbers. In dimension at least three only multiples of the top Chern number, which is the Euler characteristic, are invariant under diffeomorphisms that are not necessarily orientation-preserving. In the space of Chern numbers there are two distinguished subspaces, one spanned by the Euler and Pontryagin numbers, the other spanned by the Hirzebruch--Todd numbers. Their intersection is the span of the Euler number and the signature.

math.AG↗