Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

Siddhartha Gadgil

Publications and source records attributed to Siddhartha Gadgil.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2008

Watson-Crick pairing, the Heisenberg group and Milnor invariants

We study the secondary structure of RNA determined by Watson-Crick pairing without pseudo-knots using Milnor invariants of links. We focus on the first non-trivial invariant, which we call the Heisenberg invariant. The Heisenberg invariant, which is an integer, can be interpreted in terms of the Heisenberg group as well as in terms of lattice paths. We show that the Heisenberg invariant gives a lower bound on the number of unpaired bases in an RNA secondary structure. We also show that the Heisenberg invariant can predict \emph{allosteric structures} for RNA. Namely, if the Heisenberg invariant is large, then there are widely separated local maxima (i.e., allosteric structures) for the number of Watson-Crick pairs found.

q-bio.BM↗
arXiv2006

Homeomorphisms and the homology of non-orientable surfaces

We show that, for a closed non-orientable surface $F$, an automorphism of $H_1(F,\Z)$ is induced by a homeomorphism of $F$ if and only if it preserves the (mod 2) intersection pairing. We shall also prove the corresponding result for punctured surfaces.

math.GN↗
arXiv2004

Embedded spheres in S^2\times S^1#...#S^2\times S^1

We give an algorithm to decide which elements of pi_2(S^2\times S^1#...#S^2\times S^1) can be represented by embedded spheres. Such spheres correspond to splittings of the free group on k generators. Equivalently our algorithm decides whether, for a handlebody N, an element in pi_2(N,\partial N) can be represented by an embedded disc. We also give an algorithm to decide when classes in $π_2(S^2\times S^1#...#S^2\times S^1)$ can be represented by disjoint embedded spheres. We introduce the splitting complex of a free group which is analogous to the complex of curves of a surface. We show that the splitting complex of the free group on k generators embeds in the complex of curves of a surface of genus $k$ as a quasi-convex subset.

math.GT↗
arXiv2004

Limits of functions and elliptic operators

We show that a subspace $S$ of the space of real analytical functions on a manifold that satisfies certain regularity properties is contained in the set of solutions of a linear elliptic differential equation. The regularity properties are that $S$ is closed in $L^2(M)$ and that if a sequence of functions $f_n$ in $S$ converges in $L^2(M)$, then so do the partial derivatives of the functions $f_n$.

math.DG↗
arXiv2004

Heegaard Floer theory and property P

This paper has been withdrawn due to an error in the proof. The paper implicitly assumed that every homotopically trivial knot is related to the unknot by negative crossings, which is false (as was pointed out to the author by Peter Ozsvath).

math.GT↗
arXiv2004

On the geometric simple connectivity of open manifolds

One proves that there exists an obstruction to an open simply connected $n$-manifold of dimension $n\geq 5$ being geometrically simply connected. In particular there exist uncountably many simply connected $n$-manifolds which are not w.g.s.c. One proves that for $n\neq 4$ an $n$-manifold proper homotopy equivalent to a w.g.s.c. polyhedron is w.g.s.c. (for $n=4$ it is only end compressible). We analyze further the case $n=4$ and Poénaru's conjecture.

math.GT↗
arXiv2003

The derived series and virtual Betti numbers

The virtual Betti number conjecture states that any hyperbolic three-manifold has a finite cover with positive first Betti number. We show that this would follow if it were known that the derived series of the fundamental group $G$ of a hyperbolic three-manifold satisfies a certain stability property. The stability property is the statement that if all the quotients $G^i/G^{i+1}$ of the derived series $G^i$ of $G$ are finite, then the derived series stabilises. The proof involves basic facts regarding finite group actions on homology spheres.

math.GT↗
arXiv2002

Contact Structures on elliptic 3-manifolds

We show that an oriented elliptic 3-manifold admits a universally tight positive contact structure iff the corresponding group of deck transformations on $S^3$ preserves a standard contact structure pointwise. We also relate univerally tight contact structures on 3-manifolds covered by $S^3$ to the exceptional isomorphism $SO(4)=(SU(2)\times SU(2))/{\pm 1}$. The main tool used is equivariant framings of 3-manifolds.

math.GT↗
arXiv2001

Equivariant framings, lens spaces and Contact structures

We construct a simple topological invariant of certain 3-manifolds, including quotients of the 3-sphere by finite groups, based on the fact that the tangent bundle of an orientable 3-manifold is trivialisable. This invariant is strong enough to yield the classification of lens spaces of odd, prime order. We also use properties of this invariant to show that there is an oriented 3-manifold with no universally tight contact structure. We generalise and sharpen this invariant to an invariant of a finite covering of a 3-manifold.

math.GT↗
arXiv2001

Topological geodesics and virtual rigidity

We introduce the notion of a topological geodesic in a 3-manifold. Under suitable hypotheses on the fundamental group, for instance word-hyperbolicity, topological geodesics are shown to have the useful properties of, and play the same role in several applications as, geodesics in negatively curved spaces. This permits us to obtain virtual rigidity results for 3-manifolds.

math.GT↗
arXiv2001

Cobordisms and Reidemeister torsions of homotopy lens spaces

We show that any 3-dimensional homotopy lens space M^3 that is simple-homotopy equivalent to a lens space L(p,q) is topologically s-cobordant to the lens space. It follows that M has the same multi-signature as L(p,q) and the action of π_1(M) on the universal cover of M embeds in an orthogonal action on S^7.

math.GT↗