## Algebraic & Geometric Topology

### The plastikstufe – a generalization of the overtwisted disk to higher dimensions

Klaus Niederkrüger

#### Abstract

In this article, we give a first prototype-definition of overtwistedness in higher dimensions. According to this definition, a contact manifold is called overtwisted if it contains a plastikstufe, a submanifold foliated by the contact structure in a certain way. In three dimensions the definition of the plastikstufe is identical to the one of the overtwisted disk. The main justification for this definition lies in the fact that the existence of a plastikstufe implies that the contact manifold does not have a (semipositive) symplectic filling.

#### Article information

Source
Algebr. Geom. Topol., Volume 6, Number 5 (2006), 2473-2508.

Dates
Revised: 17 November 2006
Accepted: 19 November 2006
First available in Project Euclid: 20 December 2017

https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.agt/1513796644

Digital Object Identifier
doi:10.2140/agt.2006.6.2473

Mathematical Reviews number (MathSciNet)
MR2286033

Zentralblatt MATH identifier
1129.53056

#### Citation

Niederkrüger, Klaus. The plastikstufe – a generalization of the overtwisted disk to higher dimensions. Algebr. Geom. Topol. 6 (2006), no. 5, 2473--2508. doi:10.2140/agt.2006.6.2473. https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.agt/1513796644

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