Given a prime , a group is called residually if the intersection of its -power index normal subgroups is trivial. A group is called virtually residually if it has a finite index subgroup which is residually . It is well-known that finitely generated linear groups over fields of characteristic zero are virtually residually for all but finitely many . In particular, fundamental groups of hyperbolic -manifolds are virtually residually . It is also well-known that fundamental groups of -manifolds are residually finite. In this paper the authors prove a common generalization of these results: every -manifold group is virtually residually for all but finitely many . This gives evidence for the conjecture (Thurston) that fundamental groups of -manifolds are linear groups.

Every eight years since 1961, the University of Georgia has hosted a major international topology conference aimed at disseminating important recent results and bringing together researchers at different stages of their careers. This volume contains the proceedings of the 2009 conference, which includes survey and research articles concerning such areas as knot theory, contact and symplectic topology, 3-manifold theory, geometric group theory, and equivariant topology. Among other highlights of the volume, a survey article by Stefan Friedl and Stefano Vidussi provides an accessible treatment of their important proof of Taubes' conjecture on symplectic structures on the product of a 3-manifold and a circle, and an intriguing short article by Dennis Sullivan opens the door to the use of modern algebraic-topological techniques in the study of finite-dimensional models of famously difficult problems in fluid dynamics. Continuing what has become a tradition, this volume contains a report on a problem session held at the conference, discussing a variety of open problems in geometric topology.

The structure space of a closed topological -manifold classifies bundles whose fibers are closed -manifolds equipped with a homotopy equivalence to . The authors construct a highly connected map from to a concoction of algebraic -theory and algebraic -theory spaces associated with . The construction refines the well-known surgery theoretic analysis of the block structure space of in terms of -theory.

Considers the 3 -dimensional gravitational n -body problem, n32 , in spaces of constant Gaussian curvature k10 , i.e. on spheres S 3 ?1 , for ?>0 , and on hyperbolic manifolds H 3 ?1, for ?

In general, little is known about the representation theory of quantum groups (resp., algebraic groups) when l (resp., p ) is smaller than the Coxeter number h of the underlying root system. For example, Lusztig's conjecture concerning the characters of the rational irreducible G -modules stipulates that p=h. The main result in this paper provides a surprisingly uniform answer for the cohomology algebra H (u ? ,C) of the small quantum group.

The field of 3-manifold topology has made great strides forward since 1982 when Thurston articulated his influential list of questions. Primary among these is Perelman's proof of the Geometrization Conjecture, but other highlights include the Tameness Theorem of Agol and Calegari-Gabai, the Surface Subgroup Theorem of Kahn-Markovic, the work of Wise and others on special cube complexes, and, finally, Agol's proof of the Virtual Haken Conjecture. This book summarizes all these developments and provides an exhaustive account of the current state of the art of 3-manifold topology, especially focusing on the consequences for fundamental groups of 3-manifolds. As the first book on 3-manifold topology that incorporates the exciting progress of the last two decades, it will be an invaluable resource for researchers in the field who need a reference for these developments. It also gives a fast-paced introduction to this material. Although some familiarity with the fundamental group is recommended, little other previous knowledge is assumed, and the book is accessible to graduate students. The book closes with an extensive list of open questions which will also be of interest to graduate students and established researchers.

Joseph and Hodges-Levasseur (in the A case) described the spectra of all quantum function algebras on simple algebraic groups in terms of the centers of certain localizations of quotients of by torus invariant prime ideals, or equivalently in terms of orbits of finite groups. These centers were only known up to finite extensions. The author determines the centers explicitly under the general conditions that the deformation parameter is not a root of unity and without any restriction on the characteristic of the ground field. From it he deduces a more explicit description of all prime ideals of than the previously known ones and an explicit parametrization of .