Generalized symplectic rational blowdowns

Abstract

We prove that the generalized rational blowdown, a surgery on smooth 4-manifolds, can be performed in the symplectic category.Comment: Version 2: Correction of a minor error pointed out by an anonymous referee, correction of typos and improvement of exposition. Published by Algebraic and Geometric Topology at http://www.maths.warwick.ac.uk/agt/AGTVol1/agt-1-26.abs.htm