Existence and classification of $b$-contact structures

Abstract

A $b$-contact structure on a $b$-manifold $(M,Z)$ is a Jacobi structure on $M$ satisfying a transversality condition along the hypersurface $Z$. We show that, in three dimensions, $b$-contact structures with overtwisted three-dimensional leaves satisfy an existence $h$-principle that allows prescribing the induced singular foliation. We give a method to classify $b$-contact structures on a given $b$-manifold and use it to give a classification on $S^3$ with either a two-sphere or an unknotted torus as the critical surface. We also discuss generalizations to higher dimensions.

arXiv comment35 pages. Final version to appear in Publicacions Matemàtiques

Cited by in corpus (1)

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