On the Topological Structure Of Complex Tangencies to Embeddings of $S^3$ into ${\mathbb{C}}^3$

Abstract

In the mid-1980's, M. Gromov used his machinery of the $h$-principle to prove that there exists totally real embeddings of $S^3$ into ${\mathbb{C}}^3$. Subsequently, Patrick Ahern and Walter Rudin explicitly demonstrated such a totally real embedding. In this paper, we consider the generic situation for such embeddings, namely where complex tangents arise as codimension-2 subspaces. We first consider the Heisenberg group $\mathbb{H}$ and generate some interesting results there-in. Then, by using the biholomorphism of $\mathbb{H}$ with the 3-sphere minus a point, we demonstrate that every homeomorphism-type of knot in $S^3$ may arise precisely as the set of complex tangents to an embedding $S^3\hookrightarrow {\mathbb{C}}^3$. We also make note of the (non-generic) situation where complex tangents arise along surfaces.

Formal version published at: New York J. of Math. Vol. 18 (2012), 295-313