Graph manifolds have virtually positive Seifert volume

Abstract

This paper shows that the Seifert volume of each closed non-trivial graph manifold is virtually positive. As a consequence, for each closed orientable prime 3-manifold $N$, the set of mapping degrees $\c{D}(M,N)$ is finite for any 3-manifold $M$, unless $N$ is finitely covered by either a torus bundle, or a trivial circle bundle, or the 3-sphere.