Detecting embedded surfaces using finite quotients

Abstract

We give conditions on a Haken hyperbolic rational homology three sphere that imply that any other 3-manifold with profinitely equivalent fundamental group must also be Haken. In the appendix, we show that a regular finite-sheeted cover of an aspherical integral homology three-sphere with positive first Betti number must have first Betti number at least four. We also show that this lower bound is sharp.