Equivariant cohomological rigidity for four-dimensional Hamiltonian $\mathbf{S^1}$-manifolds

Abstract

For manifolds equipped with group actions, we have the following natural question: To what extent does the equivariant cohomology determine the equivariant diffeotype? We resolve this question for Hamiltonian circle actions on compact, connected symplectic four-manifolds. They are equivariantly diffeomorphic if and only if their equivariant cohomology rings are isomorphic as algebras over the equivariant cohomology of a point. In fact, we prove a stronger claim: each isomorphism between their equivariant cohomology rings is induced by an equivariant diffeomorphism.