Slope detection, foliations in graph manifolds, and L-spaces

Abstract

A graph manifold rational homology $3$-sphere $W$ with a left-orderable fundamental group admits a co-oriented taut foliation, though it is unknown whether it admits a smooth co-oriented taut foliation. In this paper we extend the gluing theorem of arXiv:1401.7726 to graph manifold rational homology solid tori and use this to show that there are smooth foliations on the pieces of $W$ which come close to matching up on its JSJ tori. This is applied to prove that a graph manifold with left-orderable fundamental group is not an L-space.