English

The compression theorem I

Geometric Topology 2014-11-11 v3

Abstract

This the first of a set of three papers about the Compression Theorem: if M^m is embedded in Q^q X R with a normal vector field and if q-m > 0, then the given vector field can be straightened (ie, made parallel to the given R direction) by an isotopy of M and normal field in Q X R. The theorem can be deduced from Gromov's theorem on directed embeddings [M Gromov, Partial differential relations, Springer-Verlag (1986); 2.4.5 C'] and is implicit in the preceeding discussion. Here we give a direct proof that leads to an explicit description of the finishing embedding. In the second paper in the series we give a proof in the spirit of Gromov's proof and in the third part we give applications.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.math/9712235,
  title  = {The compression theorem I},
  author = {Colin Rourke and Brian Sanderson},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/9712235},
  year   = {2014}
}

Comments

This is a shortened version of "The compression theorem": applications have been omitted and will be published as part III. For a preliminary version of part III, see section 5 onwards of version 2 of this paper. This version (v3) is published by Geometry and Topology at http://www.maths.warwick.ac.uk/gt/GTVol5/paper14.abs.html