Relative H-Principle and Contact Geometry

Jacob Taylor

Published 2022-10-06Version 1

We show that if $F(M)$ is some space of holonomic solutions with space of formal solutions $F^f(M)$ that satisfies a certain relative $h$-principle, then the non-relative map $F(M) \to F^f(M)$ admits a section up to homotopy. We apply this to the relative $h$-principle for overtwisted contact structures proved by Borman-Eliashberg-Murphy to find infinite cyclic subgroups in the homotopy groups of the contactomorphism group of $M$.