Paires de structures de contact sur les variétés de dimension trois

Abstract

We introduce a notion of positive pair of contact structures on a 3-manifold which generalizes a previous definition of Eliashberg-Thurston and Mitsumatsu. Such a pair gives rise to a locally integrable plane field $λ$. We prove that if $λ$ is uniquely integrable and if both structures of the pair are tight, then the integral foliation of $λ$ doesn't contain any Reeb component whose core curve is homologous to zero. Moreover, the ambient manifold carries a Reebless foliation. We also show a stability theorem "à la Reeb" for positive pairs of tight contact structures.

21 pages, we correct several mistakes of v1