Year: 2008
Type: preprint
Abstract: Let EMBED(k,d) be the following algorithmic problem: Given a finite simplicial complex K of dimension at most k, does there exist a (piecewise linear) embedding of K into R^d? Known results easily imply polynomiality of EMBED(k,2) (k=1,2; the case k=1, d=2 is graph planarity) and of EMBED(k,2k) for all k>2 (even if k is not considered fixed). We observe that the celebrated result of Novikov on the algorithmic unsolvability of recognizing the 5-sphere implies that EMBED(d,d) and EMBED(d-1,d) are undecidable for each d>4. Our main result is NP-hardness of EMBED(2,4) and, more generally, of EMBED(k,d) for all k,d with d>3 and d\geq k \geq (2d-2)/3. These dimensions fall outside the so-called metastable range of a theorem of Haefliger and Weber, which characterizes embeddability using the deleted product obstruction. Our reductions are based on examples, due to Segal, Spież, Freedman, Krushkal, Teichner, and Skopenkov, showing that outside the metastable range the deleted product obstruction is not sufficient to characterize embeddability.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Matoušek, Jiří, Tancer, Martin, Wagner, Uli
Language: English
Subfield: Geometry and Topology
Field: Mathematics
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2952147238