Almost normal surfaces in 3-manifolds

Stocking, Michelle

doi:10.1090/S0002-9947-99-02296-5

Almost normal surfaces in 3-manifolds
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by Michelle Stocking

Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 352 (2000), 171-207

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1090/S0002-9947-99-02296-5

Published electronically: September 21, 1999

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Abstract:

J. H. Rubinstein introduced the theory of almost normal surfaces to solve several homeomorphism problems for 3-manifolds. A. Thompson simplified Rubinstein’s algorithm for recognizing the 3-sphere by using almost normal surface theory and thin position. This paper discusses higher genus analogues to A. Thompson’s work.

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