A classification of smooth embeddings of 3-manifolds in 6-space

We work in the smooth category. If there are knotted embeddings S^n\to R^m, which often happens for 2m<3n+4, then no concrete complete description of embeddings of n-manifolds into R^m up to isotopy was known, except for disjoint unions of spheres. Let N be a closed connected orientable 3-manifold. Our main result is the following description of the set Emb^6(N) of embeddings N\to R^6 up to isotopy. The Whitney invariant W : Emb^6(N) \to H_1(N;Z) is surjective. For each u \in H_1(N;Z) the Kreck invariant \eta_u : W^{-1}u \to Z_{d(u)} is bijective, where d(u) is the divisibility of the projection of u to the free part of H_1(N;Z). The group Emb^6(S^3) is isomorphic to Z (Haefliger). This group acts on Emb^6(N) by embedded connected sum. It was proved that the orbit space of this action maps under W bijectively to H_1(N;Z) (by Vrabec and Haefliger's smoothing theory). The new part of our classification result is determination of the orbits of the action. E. g. for N=RP^3 the action is free, while for N=S^1\times S^2 we construct explicitly an embedding f : N \to R^6 such that for each knot l:S^3\to R^6 the embedding f#l is isotopic to f. Our proof uses new approaches involving the Kreck modified surgery theory or the Boechat-Haefliger formula for smoothing obstruction.Comment: 32 pages, a link to http://www.springerlink.com added, to appear in Math. Zei

Non-linear finite WW-symmetries and applications in elementary systems

In this paper it is stressed that there is no {\em physical} reason for symmetries to be linear and that Lie group theory is therefore too restrictive. We illustrate this with some simple examples. Then we give a readable review on the theory finite $W$-algebras, which is an important class of non-linear symmetries. In particular, we discuss both the classical and quantum theory and elaborate on several aspects of their representation theory. Some new results are presented. These include finite $W$ coadjoint orbits, real forms and unitary representation of finite $W$-algebras and Poincare-Birkhoff-Witt theorems for finite $W$-algebras. Also we present some new finite $W$-algebras that are not related to $sl(2)$ embeddings. At the end of the paper we investigate how one could construct physical theories, for example gauge field theories, that are based on non-linear algebras.Comment: 88 pages, LaTe