arXiv subjects

Neil Hoffman

Publications and source records attributed to Neil Hoffman.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2016

The 3D-index and normal surfaces

Dimofte, Gaiotto and Gukov introduced a powerful invariant, the 3D-index, associated to a suitable ideal triangulation of a 3-manifold with torus boundary components. The 3D-index is a collection of formal power series in $q^{1/2}$ with integer coefficients. Our goal is to explain how the 3D-index is a generating series of normal surfaces associated to the ideal triangulation. This shows a connection of the 3D-index with classical normal surface theory, and fulfills a dream of constructing topological invariants of 3-manifolds using normal surfaces.

math.GT↗

arXiv2013

Verified computations for hyperbolic 3-manifolds

For a given cusped 3-manifold $M$ admitting an ideal triangulation, we describe a method to rigorously prove that either $M$ or a filling of $M$ admits a complete hyperbolic structure via verified computer calculations. Central to our method are an implementation of interval arithmetic and Krawczyk's Test. These techniques represent an improvement over existing algorithms as they are faster, while accounting for error accumulation in a more direct and user friendly way.

math.GT↗

arXiv2013

Null-homologous exotic surfaces in 4-manifolds

In this paper we exhibit infinite families of embedded tori in 4-manifolds that are topologically isotopic but smoothly distinct. The interesting thing about these tori is that they are topologically trivial in the sense that each bounds a topologically embedded solid handlebody. This implies that there are stably ribbon surfaces in 4-manifolds that are not ribbon.

math.GT↗

arXiv2013

On manifolds with multiple lens space filings

An irreducible 3--manifold with torus boundary either is a Seifert fibered space or admits at most three lens space fillings according to the Cyclic Surgery Theorem. We examine the sharpness of this theorem by classifying the non-hyperbolic manifolds with more than one lens space filling, classifying the hyperbolic manifolds obtained by filling of the Minimally Twisted 5 Chain complement that have three lens space fillings, showing that the doubly primitive knots in $S^3$ and $S^1 \times S^2$ have no unexpected extra lens space surgery, and showing that the Figure Eight Knot Sister Manifold is the only non-Seifert fibered manifold with a properly embedded essential once-punctured torus and three lens space fillings.

math.GT↗

arXiv2012

On knot complements that decompose into regular ideal dodecahedra

Aitchison and Rubinstein constructed two knot complements that can be decomposed into two regular ideal dodecahedra. This paper shows that these knot complements are the only knot complements that decompose into n regular ideal dodecahedra, providing a partial solution to a conjecture of Neumann and Reid.

math.GT↗

arXiv2011

Small knot complements, exceptional surgeries, and hidden symmetries

This paper provides two obstructions to small knot complements in $S^3$ admitting hidden symmetries. The first obstruction is being cyclically commensurable with another knot complement. This result provides a partial answer to a conjecture of Boileau, Boyer, Cebanu, and Walsh. We also provide a second obstruction to admitting hidden symmetries in the case where a small knot complement covers a manifold admitting some symmetry and at least two exceptional surgeries.

math.GT↗

arXiv2008

Double bubbles in $S^3$ and $H^3$

We prove the double bubble conjecture in the three-sphere $S^3$ and hyperbolic three-space $H^3$ in the cases where we can apply Hutchings theory: 1) in $S^3$, each enclosed volume and the complement occupy at least 10% of the volume of $S^3$; 2) in $H^3$, the smaller volume is at least 85% that of the larger. A balancing argument and asymptotic analysis reduce the problem in $S^3$ and $H^3$ to some computer checking. The computer analysis has been designed and fully implemented for both spaces.

math.DG↗