The Borsuk-Ulam theorem for n-valued maps between surfaces

Abstract

In this work we analysed the validity of a type of Borsuk-Ulam theorem for multimaps between surfaces. We developed an algebraic technique involving braid groups to study this problem for $n$-valued maps. As a first application we described when the Borsuk-Ulam theorem holds for splits and non-splits multimaps $\phi \colon X \multimap Y$ in the following two cases: $(i)$ $X$ is the $2$-sphere eqquiped with the antipodal involution and $Y$ is either a closed surface or the Euclidean plane; $(ii)$ $X$ is a closed surface different of the $2$-sphere eqquiped with a free involution $\tau$ and $Y$ is the Euclidean plane. The results are exhaustive and in the case $(ii)$ are described in terms of an algebraic condition involving the first integral homology group of the orbit space $X / \tau$.