Symplectic $(-2)$-spheres and the symplectomorphism group of small rational 4-manifolds, II

For $(mathbb{C} P^2 # 5{overline {mathbb{C} P^2}},omega)$, let $N_{omega}$ be the number of $(-2)$-symplectic spherical homology classes.We completely determine the Torelli symplectic mapping class group (Torelli SMCG): the Torelli SMCG is trivial if $N_{omega}>8$; it is $pi_0(Diff^+(S^2,5))$ if $N_{omega}=0$ (by Paul Seidel and Jonathan Evans); it is $pi_0(Diff^+(S^2,4))$ in the remaining case. Further, we completely determine the rank of $pi_1(Symp(mathbb{C} P^2 # 5{overline {mathbb{C} P^2}}, omega)$ for any given symplectic form. Our results can be uniformly presented regarding Dynkin diagrams of type $mathbb{A}$ and type $mathbb{D}$ Lie algebras. We also provide a solution to the smooth isotopy problem of rational $4$-manifolds.

Symplectic rational $G$-surfaces and equivariant symplectic cones

We give characterizations of a finite group $G$ acting symplectically on a rational surface ($mathbb{C}P^2$ blown up at two or more points). In particular, we obtain a symplectic version of the dichotomy of $G$-conic bundles versus $G$-del Pezzo surfaces for the corresponding $G$-rational surfaces, analogous to a classical result in algebraic geometry. Besides the characterizations of the group $G$ (which is completely determined for the case of $mathbb{C}P^2# Noverline{mathbb{C}P^2}$, $N=2,3,4$), we also investigate the equivariant symplectic minimality and equivariant symplectic cone of a given $G$-rational surface.

Note on a theorem of Bangert

We generalize Bangerts non-hyperbolicity result for uniformly tamed almost complex structures on standard symplectic $R^{2n}$ to asymtotically standard symplectic manifolds.