Oriented cover

(Difference between revisions)
Jump to: navigation, search
(Added two links to other pages)
Line 2: Line 2:
== Introduction ==
== Introduction ==
<wikitex>;
<wikitex>;
This page is based on \cite{Ranicki2002|Definition 4.56}. Let $p:\widetilde{X} \to X$ be a regular covering of a connected space with orientation character $w(X)\in H^1(X;\Zz_2) = \Hom(\pi_1(X),\Zz_2)$. Let $\pi$ denote the group of covering translations. Since $\widetilde{X}$ is a regular cover $\pi_1(\widetilde{X})$ is a normal subgroup of $\pi_1(X)$ and $\pi \cong \pi_1(X)/\pi_1(\widetilde{X})$ (See \cite{Hatcher2002|Proposition 1.39}). Let $q: \pi_1(X) \to \pi$ denote the quotient map. The orientation character of the cover factors as $$w(\widetilde{X}) = w(X)\circ p_*,$$ which corresponds to the intuition that the cover $\widetilde{X}$ is orientable if all loops in $\widetilde{X}$ project to orientable loops in $X$.
+
This page is based on \cite{Ranicki2002|Definition 4.56}. Let $p:\widetilde{X} \to X$ be a regular covering of a connected space with [[Orientation character|orientation character]] $w(X)\in H^1(X;\Zz_2) = \Hom(\pi_1(X),\Zz_2)$. Let $\pi$ denote the group of covering translations. Since $\widetilde{X}$ is a regular cover $\pi_1(\widetilde{X})$ is a normal subgroup of $\pi_1(X)$ and $\pi \cong \pi_1(X)/\pi_1(\widetilde{X})$ (See \cite{Hatcher2002|Proposition 1.39}). Let $q: \pi_1(X) \to \pi$ denote the quotient map. The orientation character of the cover factors as $$w(\widetilde{X}) = w(X)\circ p_*,$$ which corresponds to the intuition that the cover $\widetilde{X}$ is orientable if all loops in $\widetilde{X}$ project to orientable loops in $X$.
{{beginthm|Lemma}}
{{beginthm|Lemma}}
Line 27: Line 27:
== Examples ==
== Examples ==
<wikitex>;
<wikitex>;
The two most important examples of oriented covers are the universal cover $(\widetilde{X},\pi_1(X),w(X))$ and the orientation double cover $(X^w,\Zz_2,\id_{\Zz_2})$. These correspond to the two extreme cases of factoring the orientation character via $\pi_1(X)$ and $\Zz_2$ respectively. Every oriented cover is a regular cover of $X^w$ and has $\widetilde{X}$ as a regular cover.
+
The two most important examples of oriented covers are the universal cover $(\widetilde{X},\pi_1(X),w(X))$ and the [[Orientation covering|orientation double cover]] $(X^w,\Zz_2,\id_{\Zz_2})$. These correspond to the two extreme cases of factoring the orientation character via $\pi_1(X)$ and $\Zz_2$ respectively. Every oriented cover is a regular cover of $X^w$ and has $\widetilde{X}$ as a regular cover.
</wikitex>
</wikitex>

Revision as of 17:03, 19 April 2013

This page has not been refereed. The information given here might be incomplete or provisional.

Contents

1 Introduction

This page is based on [Ranicki2002, Definition 4.56]. Let p:\widetilde{X} \to X be a regular covering of a connected space with orientation character w(X)\in H^1(X;\Zz_2) = \Hom(\pi_1(X),\Zz_2). Let \pi denote the group of covering translations. Since \widetilde{X} is a regular cover \pi_1(\widetilde{X}) is a normal subgroup of \pi_1(X) and \pi \cong \pi_1(X)/\pi_1(\widetilde{X}) (See [Hatcher2002, Proposition 1.39]). Let q: \pi_1(X) \to \pi denote the quotient map. The orientation character of the cover factors as
\displaystyle w(\widetilde{X}) = w(X)\circ p_*,
which corresponds to the intuition that the cover \widetilde{X} is orientable if all loops in \widetilde{X} project to orientable loops in X.

Lemma 1.1. The cover \widetilde{X} is orientable if and only if the orientation character w(X) factors through \pi.

Proof. Consider the diagram

\displaystyle \xymatrix{ \pi_1(\widetilde{X}) \ar[dr]^-{w(\widetilde{X})} \ar[d] ^-{p_*}& \\ \pi_1(X) \ar[d]^-{q}\ar[r]^{w(X)} & \Zz_2 \\ \pi \ar@{-->}[ur]^-{w} &  }

If there exists a w such that w(X) = w\circ q, then w(\widetilde{X}) = w\circ q\circ p_* = 0. Conversely if w(\widetilde{X}) = 0 then the map

\displaystyle \begin{array}{rcl} w:\pi & \to & \Zz_2 \\ {[\alpha]} & \mapsto & w(X)(\alpha)\end{array}

for any representative \alpha\in \pi_1(X) of [\alpha]\in \pi is well defined and factors w(X).

\square

In light of this we make the following definition.

2 Definition

An oriented cover (\widetilde{X},\pi,w) of a (connected) space X with an orientation character w(X)\in H^1(X;\Zz_2) = \Hom(\pi_1(X),\Zz_2) is a regular covering of X with group of covering translations \pi, together with an orientation character w:\pi \to \Zz_2 such that

\displaystyle \xymatrix{   w(X): \pi_1(X) \ar[r] & \pi \ar[r]^-{w} & \Zz_2.  }

3 Examples

The two most important examples of oriented covers are the universal cover (\widetilde{X},\pi_1(X),w(X)) and the orientation double cover (X^w,\Zz_2,\id_{\Zz_2}). These correspond to the two extreme cases of factoring the orientation character via \pi_1(X) and \Zz_2 respectively. Every oriented cover is a regular cover of X^w and has \widetilde{X} as a regular cover.

4 References

Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox