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Alexander's trick

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to the identity. Each of the steps in the homotopy could be smoothed (smooth the transition), but the homotopy (the overall map) has a singularity at
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However, this is much easier to prove than the result discussed above: it is called radial extension (or coning) and is also true
437:{\displaystyle J(x,t)={\begin{cases}tf(x/t),&{\text{if }}0\leq \|x\|<t,\\x,&{\text{if }}t\leq \|x\|\leq 1.\end{cases}}} 1100: 230: 471:
calls this "combing all the tangles to one point". In the original 2-page paper, J. W. Alexander explains that for each
1455: 1384: 1350: 42: 1297:{\displaystyle F\colon D^{n}\to D^{n}{\text{ with }}F(rx)=rf(x){\text{ for all }}r\in {\text{ and }}x\in S^{n-1}} 741: 1109: 756: 1460: 184: 1332: 1406: 178:: every homeomorphism which fixes the boundary is isotopic to the identity relative to the boundary. 567: 329: 95: 693: 667: 65: 38: 1434: 1362: 1039: 927: 874: 841: 808: 103: 1424: 1414: 1354: 474: 468: 1376: 1072: 593: 500: 143: 70: 1372: 623: 1410: 960: 1429: 1388: 1003: 983: 907: 673: 649: 547: 527: 450: 17: 1449: 1320: 1316: 1309: 1033: 54: 1315:
The failure of smooth radial extension and the success of PL radial extension yield
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Visually, the homeomorphism is 'straightened out' from the boundary, 'squeezing'
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Two homeomorphisms of the n-ball which agree on the boundary sphere are isotopic
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
1358: 62: 1438: 1419: 134: 1349:. London Mathematical Society Student Texts. Vol. 18. Cambridge: 98: 670:
at the origin "jumps" from an infinitely stretched version of
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can be extended to a homeomorphism of the entire ball
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This underlines that the Alexander trick is a 167:that are isotopic on the boundary are isotopic. 8: 544:at a different scale, on the disk of radius 418: 412: 377: 371: 1157:{\displaystyle f\colon S^{n-1}\to S^{n-1}} 1428: 1418: 1282: 1267: 1241: 1203: 1197: 1184: 1172: 1142: 1123: 1111: 1080: 1074: 1047: 1041: 1005: 985: 962: 935: 929: 909: 882: 876: 849: 843: 816: 810: 789: 776: 758: 695: 675: 651: 625: 601: 595: 569: 549: 529: 508: 502: 476: 452: 401: 360: 344: 324: 301: 267: 252: 232: 211: 198: 186: 151: 145: 111: 105: 78: 72: 798:{\displaystyle f,g\colon D^{n}\to D^{n}} 750:: isotopic on boundary implies isotopic 220:{\displaystyle f\colon D^{n}\to D^{n}} 140:More generally, two homeomorphisms of 1347:Braids and coverings: selected topics 805:are two homeomorphisms that agree on 7: 1304:defines a homeomorphism of the ball. 25: 1345:Hansen, Vagn Lundsgaard (1989). 590:it is reasonable to expect that 1264: 1252: 1238: 1232: 1220: 1211: 1190: 1135: 782: 744:construction, but not smooth. 727: 715: 709: 697: 583:{\displaystyle t\rightarrow 0} 574: 352: 338: 318: 306: 243: 237: 204: 1: 1032:for the statement that every 289:, then an isotopy connecting 293:to the identity is given by 733:{\displaystyle (x,t)=(0,0)} 1477: 1389:"On the deformation of an 1351:Cambridge University Press 1028:Some authors use the term 1164:be a homeomorphism, then 1359:10.1017/CBO9780511613098 980:is then an isotopy from 904:, so we have an isotopy 620:The subtlety is that at 617:merges to the identity. 37:, is a basic result in 1062:{\displaystyle S^{n-1}} 950:{\displaystyle g^{-1}f} 897:{\displaystyle S^{n-1}} 864:{\displaystyle g^{-1}f} 831:{\displaystyle S^{n-1}} 126:{\displaystyle S^{n-1}} 1333:Clutching construction 1298: 1158: 1090: 1063: 1014: 994: 974: 951: 918: 898: 865: 832: 799: 734: 684: 660: 640: 611: 584: 558: 538: 518: 491: 490:{\displaystyle t>0} 461: 438: 283: 221: 161: 127: 88: 18:Alexander's Trick 1420:10.1073/pnas.9.12.406 1299: 1159: 1091: 1089:{\displaystyle D^{n}} 1064: 1015: 995: 975: 952: 924:from the identity to 919: 899: 866: 833: 800: 735: 685: 661: 641: 612: 610:{\displaystyle J_{t}} 585: 559: 539: 519: 517:{\displaystyle J_{t}} 492: 462: 439: 284: 222: 162: 160:{\displaystyle D^{n}} 128: 89: 87:{\displaystyle D^{n}} 1171: 1110: 1103:, but not smoothly. 1073: 1040: 1004: 984: 961: 928: 908: 875: 842: 809: 757: 694: 674: 650: 624: 594: 568: 548: 528: 501: 475: 467:down to the origin. 451: 300: 231: 185: 144: 104: 71: 33:, also known as the 1411:1923PNAS....9..406A 1243: for all  871:is the identity on 639:{\displaystyle t=0} 497:the transformation 254: for all  94:which agree on the 1456:Geometric topology 1294: 1154: 1101:piecewise-linearly 1086: 1059: 1010: 990: 973:{\displaystyle gJ} 970: 947: 914: 894: 861: 828: 795: 730: 680: 666:"disappears": the 656: 636: 607: 580: 554: 534: 514: 487: 457: 434: 429: 279: 217: 157: 123: 84: 39:geometric topology 1270: 1244: 1206: 1013:{\displaystyle f} 993:{\displaystyle g} 917:{\displaystyle J} 683:{\displaystyle f} 659:{\displaystyle f} 557:{\displaystyle t} 537:{\displaystyle f} 460:{\displaystyle f} 404: 363: 255: 31:Alexander's trick 16:(Redirected from 1468: 1442: 1432: 1422: 1385:Alexander, J. W. 1380: 1303: 1301: 1300: 1295: 1293: 1292: 1271: 1268: 1245: 1242: 1207: 1205: with  1204: 1202: 1201: 1189: 1188: 1163: 1161: 1160: 1155: 1153: 1152: 1134: 1133: 1106:Concretely, let 1095: 1093: 1092: 1087: 1085: 1084: 1068: 1066: 1065: 1060: 1058: 1057: 1024:Radial extension 1019: 1017: 1016: 1011: 999: 997: 996: 991: 979: 977: 976: 971: 956: 954: 953: 948: 943: 942: 923: 921: 920: 915: 903: 901: 900: 895: 893: 892: 870: 868: 867: 862: 857: 856: 837: 835: 834: 829: 827: 826: 804: 802: 801: 796: 794: 793: 781: 780: 739: 737: 736: 731: 689: 687: 686: 681: 665: 663: 662: 657: 645: 643: 642: 637: 616: 614: 613: 608: 606: 605: 589: 587: 586: 581: 563: 561: 560: 555: 543: 541: 540: 535: 523: 521: 520: 515: 513: 512: 496: 494: 493: 488: 469:William Thurston 466: 464: 463: 458: 443: 441: 440: 435: 433: 432: 405: 402: 364: 361: 348: 288: 286: 285: 280: 278: 277: 256: 253: 226: 224: 223: 218: 216: 215: 203: 202: 166: 164: 163: 158: 156: 155: 132: 130: 129: 124: 122: 121: 93: 91: 90: 85: 83: 82: 21: 1476: 1475: 1471: 1470: 1469: 1467: 1466: 1465: 1446: 1445: 1405:(12): 406–407. 1383: 1369: 1344: 1341: 1329: 1321:twisted spheres 1313: 1278: 1269: and  1193: 1180: 1169: 1168: 1138: 1119: 1108: 1107: 1076: 1071: 1070: 1043: 1038: 1037: 1030:Alexander trick 1026: 1002: 1001: 982: 981: 959: 958: 931: 926: 925: 906: 905: 878: 873: 872: 845: 840: 839: 812: 807: 806: 785: 772: 755: 754: 692: 691: 672: 671: 648: 647: 622: 621: 597: 592: 591: 566: 565: 546: 545: 526: 525: 504: 499: 498: 473: 472: 449: 448: 428: 427: 399: 390: 389: 358: 325: 298: 297: 263: 229: 228: 207: 194: 183: 182: 173: 147: 142: 141: 107: 102: 101: 74: 69: 68: 51: 43:J. W. Alexander 35:Alexander trick 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1474: 1472: 1464: 1463: 1461:Homeomorphisms 1458: 1448: 1447: 1444: 1443: 1381: 1367: 1340: 1337: 1336: 1335: 1328: 1325: 1317:exotic spheres 1312: 1310:Exotic spheres 1307: 1306: 1305: 1291: 1288: 1285: 1281: 1277: 1274: 1266: 1263: 1260: 1257: 1254: 1251: 1248: 1240: 1237: 1234: 1231: 1228: 1225: 1222: 1219: 1216: 1213: 1210: 1200: 1196: 1192: 1187: 1183: 1179: 1176: 1151: 1148: 1145: 1141: 1137: 1132: 1129: 1126: 1122: 1118: 1115: 1083: 1079: 1056: 1053: 1050: 1046: 1025: 1022: 1009: 989: 969: 966: 946: 941: 938: 934: 913: 891: 888: 885: 881: 860: 855: 852: 848: 825: 822: 819: 815: 792: 788: 784: 779: 775: 771: 768: 765: 762: 729: 726: 723: 720: 717: 714: 711: 708: 705: 702: 699: 679: 655: 635: 632: 629: 604: 600: 579: 576: 573: 553: 533: 511: 507: 486: 483: 480: 456: 445: 444: 431: 426: 423: 420: 417: 414: 411: 408: 400: 398: 395: 392: 391: 388: 385: 382: 379: 376: 373: 370: 367: 359: 357: 354: 351: 347: 343: 340: 337: 334: 331: 330: 328: 323: 320: 317: 314: 311: 308: 305: 276: 273: 270: 266: 262: 259: 251: 248: 245: 242: 239: 236: 214: 210: 206: 201: 197: 193: 190: 172: 169: 154: 150: 120: 117: 114: 110: 81: 77: 55:homeomorphisms 50: 47: 41:, named after 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1473: 1462: 1459: 1457: 1454: 1453: 1451: 1440: 1436: 1431: 1426: 1421: 1416: 1412: 1408: 1404: 1400: 1399: 1394: 1392: 1386: 1382: 1378: 1374: 1370: 1368:0-521-38757-4 1364: 1360: 1356: 1352: 1348: 1343: 1342: 1338: 1334: 1331: 1330: 1326: 1324: 1322: 1318: 1311: 1308: 1289: 1286: 1283: 1279: 1275: 1272: 1261: 1258: 1255: 1249: 1246: 1235: 1229: 1226: 1223: 1217: 1214: 1208: 1198: 1194: 1185: 1181: 1177: 1174: 1167: 1166: 1165: 1149: 1146: 1143: 1139: 1130: 1127: 1124: 1120: 1116: 1113: 1104: 1102: 1097: 1081: 1077: 1054: 1051: 1048: 1044: 1035: 1034:homeomorphism 1031: 1023: 1021: 1007: 987: 967: 964: 944: 939: 936: 932: 911: 889: 886: 883: 879: 858: 853: 850: 846: 823: 820: 817: 813: 790: 786: 777: 773: 769: 766: 763: 760: 751: 749: 745: 743: 724: 721: 718: 712: 706: 703: 700: 677: 669: 653: 633: 630: 627: 618: 602: 598: 577: 571: 551: 531: 509: 505: 484: 481: 478: 470: 454: 424: 421: 415: 409: 406: 396: 393: 386: 383: 380: 374: 368: 365: 355: 349: 345: 341: 335: 332: 326: 321: 315: 312: 309: 303: 296: 295: 294: 292: 274: 271: 268: 264: 260: 257: 249: 246: 240: 234: 212: 208: 199: 195: 191: 188: 179: 177: 170: 168: 152: 148: 138: 136: 118: 115: 112: 108: 100: 97: 79: 75: 67: 64: 60: 56: 48: 46: 44: 40: 36: 32: 19: 1402: 1396: 1390: 1346: 1314: 1105: 1098: 1029: 1027: 752: 748:General case 747: 746: 619: 446: 290: 180: 175: 174: 139: 58: 52: 34: 30: 29: 524:replicates 63:dimensional 1450:Categories 1339:References 957:. The map 564:, thus as 227:satisfies 1287:− 1276:∈ 1250:∈ 1191:→ 1178:: 1147:− 1136:→ 1128:− 1117:: 1052:− 937:− 887:− 851:− 821:− 783:→ 770:: 575:→ 422:≤ 419:‖ 413:‖ 410:≤ 378:‖ 372:‖ 369:≤ 272:− 261:∈ 205:→ 192:: 176:Base case 116:− 49:Statement 1439:16586918 1387:(1923). 1327:See also 403:if  362:if  135:isotopic 96:boundary 1430:1085470 1407:Bibcode 1377:1247697 838:, then 57:of the 1437:  1427:  1393:-cell" 1375:  1365:  99:sphere 171:Proof 1435:PMID 1363:ISBN 1319:via 668:germ 482:> 381:< 133:are 66:ball 53:Two 1425:PMC 1415:doi 1355:doi 1036:of 1000:to 753:If 181:If 1452:: 1433:. 1423:. 1413:. 1401:. 1395:. 1373:MR 1371:. 1361:. 1353:. 1323:. 1096:. 1020:. 742:PL 646:, 425:1. 137:. 45:. 1441:. 1417:: 1409:: 1403:9 1391:n 1379:. 1357:: 1290:1 1284:n 1280:S 1273:x 1265:] 1262:1 1259:, 1256:0 1253:[ 1247:r 1239:) 1236:x 1233:( 1230:f 1227:r 1224:= 1221:) 1218:x 1215:r 1212:( 1209:F 1199:n 1195:D 1186:n 1182:D 1175:F 1150:1 1144:n 1140:S 1131:1 1125:n 1121:S 1114:f 1082:n 1078:D 1055:1 1049:n 1045:S 1008:f 988:g 968:J 965:g 945:f 940:1 933:g 912:J 890:1 884:n 880:S 859:f 854:1 847:g 824:1 818:n 814:S 791:n 787:D 778:n 774:D 767:g 764:, 761:f 728:) 725:0 722:, 719:0 716:( 713:= 710:) 707:t 704:, 701:x 698:( 678:f 654:f 634:0 631:= 628:t 603:t 599:J 578:0 572:t 552:t 532:f 510:t 506:J 485:0 479:t 455:f 416:x 407:t 397:, 394:x 387:, 384:t 375:x 366:0 356:, 353:) 350:t 346:/ 342:x 339:( 336:f 333:t 327:{ 322:= 319:) 316:t 313:, 310:x 307:( 304:J 291:f 275:1 269:n 265:S 258:x 250:x 247:= 244:) 241:x 238:( 235:f 213:n 209:D 200:n 196:D 189:f 153:n 149:D 119:1 113:n 109:S 80:n 76:D 61:- 59:n 20:)

Index

Alexander's Trick
geometric topology
J. W. Alexander
homeomorphisms
dimensional
ball
boundary
sphere
isotopic
William Thurston
germ
PL
homeomorphism
piecewise-linearly
Exotic spheres
exotic spheres
twisted spheres
Clutching construction
Cambridge University Press
doi
10.1017/CBO9780511613098
ISBN
0-521-38757-4
MR
1247697
Alexander, J. W.
"On the deformation of an n-cell"
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Bibcode
1923PNAS....9..406A

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