We study Lagrangian embeddings of a class of two-dimensional cell complexes $L_{ p,q}$ into the complex projective plane. These cell complexes, which we call pinwheels, arise naturally in algebraic geometry as vanishing cycles for quotient singularities of type $\frac{ 1}{ p^2}(pq-1,1)$ (Wahl singularities). We show that if a pinwheel admits a Lagrangian embedding into $\mathbf{ CP}^2$ then $p$ is a Markov number and we completely characterise $q$. We also show that a collection of Lagrangian pinwheels $L_{ p_i,q_i}$, $i=1,\ldots,N$, cannot be made disjoint unless $N\leq 3$ and the $p_i$ form part of a Markov triple. These results are the symplectic analogue of a theorem of Hacking and Prokhorov, which classifies complex surfaces with quotient singularities admitting a $\mathbf{ Q}$-Gorenstein smoothing whose general fibre is $\mathbf{ CP}^2$.
Categories: math.SG math.AG math.GT