ENGLISH

4-Manifolds and Kirby Calculus

By Andras I. Stipsicz , Robert E. Gompf

Book information

Publisher
American Mathematical Society
Year
1999
ISBN
0821809946, 9780821809945
LCC
QA613.2 .G66 1999
Language
english
Format
DJVU
Filesize
9 MB (9704299 bytes)
Series
Graduate Studies in Mathematics 20
Pages
570\570
Topic
Education
Time added
2011-06-04 13:46:07

Description

The past two decades have brought explosive growth in 4-manifold theory. Many books are currently appearing that approach the topic from viewpoints such as gauge theory or algebraic geometry. This volume, however, offers an exposition from a topological point of view. It bridges the gap to other disciplines and presents classical but important topological techniques that have not previously appeared in the literature. Part I of the text presents the basics of the theory at the second-year graduate level and offers an overview of current research. Part II is devoted to an exposition of Kirby calculus, or handlebody theory on 4-manifolds. It is both elementary and comprehensive. Part III offers in depth a broad range of topics from current 4-manifold research. Topics include branched coverings and the geography of complex surfaces, elliptic and Lefschetz fibrations, $h$-cobordisms, symplectic 4-manifolds, and Stein surfaces. Applications are featured, and there are over 300 illustrations and numerous exercises with solutions in the book.

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