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Kathryn Mann

Publications and source records attributed to Kathryn Mann.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2020

$C^0$ stability of boundary actions and inequivalent Anosov flows

We give a topological stability result for the action of the fundamental group of a compact manifold of negative curvature on its boundary at infinity: any nearby action of this group by homeomorphisms of the sphere is semi-conjugate to the standard boundary action. Using similar techniques we prove a global rigidity result for the "slithering actions" of 3-manifold groups that come from skew-Anosov flows. As applications, we construct hyperbolic 3-manifolds that admit arbitrarily many topologically inequivalent Anosov flows, answering a question from Kirby's problem list, and also give a more conceptual proof of a theorem of the second author on {\em global} $C^0$--rigidity of geometric surface group actions on the circle.

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arXiv2020

There are no exotic actions of diffeomorphism groups on 1-manifolds

Let $M$ be a manifold, $N$ a 1-dimensional manifold. Assuming $r \neq \dim(M)+1$, we show that any nontrivial homomorphism $ρ: \text{Diff}^r_c(M)\to \text{Homeo}(N)$ has a standard form: necessarily $M$ is $1$-dimensional, and there are countably many embeddings $ϕ_i: M\to N$ with disjoint images such that the action of $ρ$ is conjugate (via the product of the $ϕ_i$) to the diagonal action of $\text{Diff}^r_c(M)$ on $M \times M \times ...$ on $\bigcup_i ϕ_i(M)$, and trivial elsewhere. This solves a conjecture of Matsumoto. We also show that the groups $\text{Diff}^r_c(M)$ have no countable index subgroups.

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arXiv2020

Automatic continuity for homeomorphism groups of noncompact manifolds

We extend the proof of automatic continuity for homeomorphism groups of manifolds to non-compact manifolds and manifolds with marked points and their mapping class groups. Specifically, we show that, for any manifold $M$ homeomorphic to the interior of a compact manifold, and a set $X \subset M$ homeomorphic to the union of a Cantor set and finite set, the relative homeomorphism group $\mathrm{Homeo}(M, X)$ and the mapping class group $\mathrm{Homeo}(M, X)/\mathrm{Homeo}_0(M,X)$ have the property that any homomorphism from such a group to any separable topological group is necessarily continuous.

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arXiv2020

Large scale geometry of big mapping class groups

We study the large-scale geometry of mapping class groups of surfaces of infinite type, using the framework of Rosendal for coarse geometry of non locally compact groups. We give a complete classification of those surfaces whose mapping class groups have local coarse boundedness (the analog of local compactness). When the end space of the surface is countable or tame, we also give a classification of those surface where there exists a coarsely bounded generating set (the analog of finite or compact generation, giving the group a well-defined quasi-isometry type) and those surfaces with mapping class groups of bounded diameter (the analog of compactness).

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arXiv2019

Unboundedness of some higher Euler classes

In this paper, we study Euler classes in groups of homeomorphisms of Seifert fibered 3-manifolds. We show that, in contrast to the familiar Euler class for $\mathrm{Homeo}_0(S^1)^δ$, these Euler classes for $\mathrm{Homeo}_0(M^3)^δ$ are unbounded classes. In fact, we give examples of flat topological M bundles over a genus 3 surface whose Euler class takes arbitrary values.

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arXiv2019

Reconstructing maps out of groups

We show that, in many situations, a homeomorphism $f$ of a manifold $M$ may be recovered from the (marked) isomorphism class of a finitely generated group of homeomorphisms containing $f$. As an application, we relate the notions of {\em critical regularity} and of {\em differentiable rigidity}, give examples of groups of diffeomorphisms of 1-manifolds with strong differential rigidity, and in so doing give an independent, short proof of a recent result of Kim and Koberda that there exist finitely generated groups of $C^α$ diffeomorphisms of a 1-manifold $M$, not embeddable into $\mathrm{Diff}^β(M)$ for any $β> α> 1$.

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arXiv2018

Rigidity of mapping class group actions on $S^1$

The mapping class group $\mathrm{Mod}_{g, 1}$ of a surface with one marked point can be identified with an index two subgroup of $\mathrm{Aut}(π_1 Σ_g)$. For a surface of genus $g \geq 2$, we show that any action of $\mathrm{Mod}_{g, 1}$ on the circle is either semi-conjugate to its natural action on the Gromov boundary of $π_1 Σ_g$, or factors through a finite cyclic group. For $g \geq 3$, all finite actions are trivial. This answers a question of Farb.

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arXiv2018

Realization problems for diffeomorphism groups

We discuss recent results and open questions on the broad theme of (Nielsen) realization problems. Beyond realizing subgroups of mapping class groups, there are many other natural instances where one can ask if a surjection from a group of diffeomorphisms of a manifold to another group admits a section over particular subgroups. This survey includes many open problems, and some short proofs of new results that are illustrative of key techniques; drawing attention to parallels between problems arising in different areas.

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arXiv2017

A characterization of Fuchsian actions by topological rigidity

We prove that any rigid representation of $π_1Σ_g$ in $\mathrm{Homeo}_+(S^1)$ with Euler number at least $g$ is necessarily semi-conjugate to a discrete, faithful representation into $\mathrm{PSL}(2,\mathbb{R})$. Combined with earlier work of Matsumoto, this precisely characterizes Fuchsian actions by a topological rigidity property. Though independent, this work can be read as an introduction to the companion paper {\em rigidity and geometricity for surface group actions on the circle}, by the same authors.

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arXiv2017

Ping-pong configurations and circular orders on free groups

We discuss actions of free groups on the circle with "ping-pong" dynamics; these are dynamics determined by a finite amount of combinatorial data, analogous to Schottky domains or Markov partitions. Using this, we show that the free group $F_n$ admits an isolated circular order if and only if n is even, in stark contrast with the case for linear orders. This answers a question from (Mann, Rivas, 2016). Inspired by work of Alvarez, Barrientos, Filimonov, Kleptsyn, Malicet, Menino and Triestino, we also exhibit examples of "exotic" isolated points in the space of all circular orders on $F_2$. Analogous results are obtained for linear orders on the groups $F_n \times \mathbb{Z}$.

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arXiv2017

Strong distortion in transformation groups

We discuss boundedness and distortion in transformation groups. We show that the groups $\mathrm{Diff}^r_0(\mathbb{R}^n)$ and $\mathrm{Diff}^r(\mathbb{R}^n)$ have the strong distortion property, whenever $0 \leq r \leq \infty, r \neq n+1$. This implies in particular that every abstract length function on these groups is bounded. With related techniques we show that, for $M$ a closed manifold or homeomorphic to the interior of a compact manifold with boundary, the groups $\mathrm{Diff}_0^r(M)$ satisfy a relative Higman embedding type property, introduced by Schreier. This answers a problem asked by Schreier in the famous Scottish Book.

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arXiv2017

Group orderings, dynamics, and rigidity

Let G be a countable group. We show there is a topological relationship between the space CO(G) of circular orders on G and the moduli space of actions of G on the circle; as well as an analogous relationship for spaces of left orders and actions on the line. In particular, we give a complete characterization of isolated left and circular orders in terms of strong rigidity of their induced actions of G on $S^1$ and R. As an application of our techniques, we give an explicit construction of infinitely many nonconjugate isolated points in the spaces CO(F_{2n}) of circular orders on free groups disproving a conjecture from Baik--Samperton, and infinitely many nonconjugate isolated points in the space of left orders on the pure braid group P_3, answering a question of Navas. We also give a detailed analysis of circular orders on free groups, characterizing isolated orders.

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arXiv2017

On the number of circular orders on a group

We give a classification and complete algebraic description of groups allowing only finitely many (left multiplication invariant) circular orders. In particular, they are all solvable groups with a specific semi-direct product decomposition. This allows us to also show that the space of circular orders of any group is either finite or uncountable. As a special case and first step, we show that the space of circular orderings of an infinite Abelian group has no isolated points, hence is homeomorphic to a cantor set.

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arXiv2016

Large scale geometry of homeomorphism groups

Let M be a compact manifold. We show the identity component $\mathrm{Homeo}_0(M)$ of the group of self-homeomorphisms of M has a well-defined quasi-isometry type, and study its large scale geometry. Through examples, we relate this large scale geometry to both the topology of M and the dynamics of group actions on M. This gives a rich family of examples of non-locally compact groups to which one can apply the large-scale methods developed in previous work of the second author.

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arXiv2016

PL(M) admits no Polish group topology

We show that the group of piecewise linear homeomorphisms of any compact PL manifold does not admit a Polish group topology. This uses a) new results on the relationship between topologies on groups of homeomorphisms, their algebraic structure, and the topology of the underlying manifold, and b) new results on the structure of certain subgroups of PL(M). The proof also shows that the group of piecewise projective homeomorphisms of the circle has no Polish group topology.

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arXiv2015

Rigidity and flexibility of group actions on the circle

We survey rigidity results for groups acting on the circle in various settings, from local to global and $C^0$ to smooth. Our primary focus is on actions of surface groups, with the aim of introducing the reader to recent developments and new tools to study groups acting by homeomorphisms.

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arXiv2015

Automatic continuity for homeomorphism groups and applications

Let M be a compact manifold, possibly with boundary. We show that the group of homeomorphisms of M has the automatic continuity property: any homomorphism from Homeo(M) to any separable group is necessarily continuous. This answers a question of C. Rosendal. If N is a submanifold of M, the group of homeomorphisms of M that preserve N also has this property. Various applications of automatic continuity are discussed, including applications to the topology and structure of groups of germs of homeomorphisms. In an appendix with Frederic Le Roux we also show, using related techniques, that the group of germs at a point of homeomorphisms of Rn is strongly uniformly simple.

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