Discrete Morse theory on $ΩS^2$

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Johnson, Lacey, Knudson, Kevin
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Johnson, Lacey
Knudson, Kevin
author_facet Johnson, Lacey
Knudson, Kevin
contents A classical result in Morse theory is the determination of the homotopy type of the loop space of a manifold. In this paper, we study this result through the lens of discrete Morse theory. This requires a suitable simplicial model for the loop space. Here, we use Milnor's $\textrm{F}^+\textrm{K}$ construction to model the loop space of the sphere $S^2$, describe a discrete gradient on it, and identify a collection of critical cells. We also compute the action of the boundary operator in the Morse complex on these critical cells, showing that they are potential homology generators. A careful analysis allows us to recover the calculation of the first homology of $ΩS^2$.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2407_12156
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Discrete Morse theory on $ΩS^2$
Johnson, Lacey
Knudson, Kevin
Algebraic Topology
57Q70, 55P35
A classical result in Morse theory is the determination of the homotopy type of the loop space of a manifold. In this paper, we study this result through the lens of discrete Morse theory. This requires a suitable simplicial model for the loop space. Here, we use Milnor's $\textrm{F}^+\textrm{K}$ construction to model the loop space of the sphere $S^2$, describe a discrete gradient on it, and identify a collection of critical cells. We also compute the action of the boundary operator in the Morse complex on these critical cells, showing that they are potential homology generators. A careful analysis allows us to recover the calculation of the first homology of $ΩS^2$.
title Discrete Morse theory on $ΩS^2$
topic Algebraic Topology
57Q70, 55P35
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.12156