text/ncat.tex
changeset 96 cfad31292ae6
parent 95 b51fcceb1d57
child 97 e924dd389d6e
equal deleted inserted replaced
95:b51fcceb1d57 96:cfad31292ae6
   158 \xxpar{Product (identity) morphisms:}
   158 \xxpar{Product (identity) morphisms:}
   159 {Let $X$ be homeomorphic to a $k$-ball and $D$ be homeomorphic to an $m$-ball, with $k+m \le n$.
   159 {Let $X$ be homeomorphic to a $k$-ball and $D$ be homeomorphic to an $m$-ball, with $k+m \le n$.
   160 Then we have a map $\cC(X)\to \cC(X\times D)$, usually denoted $a\mapsto a\times D$ for $a\in \cC(X)$.
   160 Then we have a map $\cC(X)\to \cC(X\times D)$, usually denoted $a\mapsto a\times D$ for $a\in \cC(X)$.
   161 If $f:X\to X'$ and $\tilde{f}:X\times D \to X'\times D'$ are maps such that the diagram
   161 If $f:X\to X'$ and $\tilde{f}:X\times D \to X'\times D'$ are maps such that the diagram
   162 \[ \xymatrix{
   162 \[ \xymatrix{
   163 	X\times D \ar[r]^{\tilde{f}} \ar[d]^{\pi} & X'\times D' \ar[d]^{\pi} \\
   163 	X\times D \ar[r]^{\tilde{f}} \ar[d]_{\pi} & X'\times D' \ar[d]^{\pi} \\
   164 	X \ar[r]^{f} & X'
   164 	X \ar[r]^{f} & X'
   165 } \]
   165 } \]
   166 commutes, then we have $\tilde{f}(a\times D) = f(a)\times D'$.}
   166 commutes, then we have $\tilde{f}(a\times D) = f(a)\times D'$.}
   167 
   167 
   168 \nn{Need to say something about compatibility with gluing (of both $X$ and $D$) above.}
   168 \nn{Need to say something about compatibility with gluing (of both $X$ and $D$) above.}
   174 We start with the plain $n$-category case.
   174 We start with the plain $n$-category case.
   175 
   175 
   176 \xxpar{Isotopy invariance in dimension $n$ (preliminary version):}
   176 \xxpar{Isotopy invariance in dimension $n$ (preliminary version):}
   177 {Let $X$ be homeomorphic to the $n$-ball and $f: X\to X$ be a homeomorphism which restricts
   177 {Let $X$ be homeomorphic to the $n$-ball and $f: X\to X$ be a homeomorphism which restricts
   178 to the identity on $\bd X$ and is isotopic (rel boundary) to the identity.
   178 to the identity on $\bd X$ and is isotopic (rel boundary) to the identity.
   179 Then $f(a) = a$ for all $a\in \cC(X)$.}
   179 Then $f$ acts trivially on $\cC(X)$; $f(a) = a$ for all $a\in \cC(X)$.}
   180 
   180 
       
   181 We will strengthen the above axiom in two ways.
       
   182 (Amusingly, these two ways are related to each of the two senses of the term
       
   183 ``pseudo-isotopy".)
       
   184 
       
   185 First, we require that $f$ act trivially on $\cC(X)$ if it is pseudo-isotopic to the identity
       
   186 in the sense of homeomorphisms of mapping cylinders.
       
   187 This is motivated by TQFT considerations:
       
   188 If the mapping cylinder of $f$ is homeomorphic to the mapping cylinder of the identity,
       
   189 then these two $n{+}1$-manifolds should induce the same map from $\cC(X)$ to itself.
       
   190 \nn{is there a non-TQFT reason to require this?}
       
   191 
       
   192 Second, we require that product (a.k.a.\ identity) $n$-morphisms act as the identity.
       
   193 Let $X$ be an $n$-ball and $Y\sub\bd X$ be at $n{-}1$-ball.
       
   194 Let $J$ be a 1-ball (interval).
       
   195 We have a collaring homeomorphism $s_{Y,J}: X\cup_Y (Y\times J) \to X$.
       
   196 We define a map
       
   197 \begin{eqnarray*}
       
   198 	\psi_{Y,J}: \cC(X) &\to& \cC(X) \\
       
   199 	a & \mapsto & s_{Y,J}(a \cup ((a|_Y)\times J)) .
       
   200 \end{eqnarray*}
       
   201 \nn{need to say something somewhere about pinched boundary convention for products}
       
   202 We will call $\psi_{Y,J}$ an extended isotopy.
       
   203 It can be thought of as the action of the inverse of
       
   204 a map which projects a collar neighborhood of $Y$ onto $Y$.
       
   205 (This sort of collapse map is the other sense of ``pseudo-isotopy".)
       
   206 \nn{need to check this}
       
   207 
       
   208 The revised axiom is
       
   209 
       
   210 \xxpar{Pseudo and extended isotopy invariance in dimension $n$:}
       
   211 {Let $X$ be homeomorphic to the $n$-ball and $f: X\to X$ be a homeomorphism which restricts
       
   212 to the identity on $\bd X$ and is pseudo-isotopic or extended isotopic (rel boundary) to the identity.
       
   213 Then $f$ acts trivially on $\cC(X)$.}
       
   214 
       
   215 \nn{need to rephrase this, since extended isotopies don't correspond to homeomorphisms.}
   181 
   216 
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   219 
   185 \medskip
   220 \medskip