Symplectic configurations: a homological and computer-aided approach

Abstract: We formulated a homological and computer-aided approach to study certain unions of symplectic surfaces, called symplectic configurations, in a rational $4$-manifold $X=CP^2# N\overline{CP<sup>2}$. We addressed several fundamental theoretical questions, and also as a technical device, developed a symplectic analog of the so-called quadratic Cremona transformations in complex algebraic geometry. As an application, we gave a new proof that a certain line arrangement in $CP<sup>2$, called Fano planes, does not exist in the symplectic category. The nonexistence of Fano planes in the holomorphic category was due to Hirzebruch, and in the topological category, it was first proved by Ruberman and Starkston. Our proof in the symplectic category is independent to both.