Differential Topology

November 14, 2012

Week 46/Lecture 9 - Exercises

(1) Let f : M → R be a C r -function, r ≥ 2. A critical (=singular) point x of f is called non-

2
degenerate if in a chart around x, the Hessian Hx (f ) := ∂x∂i ∂xf


j
(x) of f at x is non-degenerate,
i.e. det Hx (f ) 6= 0. A function f all whose critical points are non-degenerate is called a Morse
function.

(a) Let f be a smooth function defined on an open subset U ⊂ Rn . Prove that the vectors
(a1 , . . . , an ) ∈ Rn such that

fa (x) := f (x) + a1 x1 + · · · + an xn

is a Morse function form a dense subset of Rn .

(Hint: consider the regular values of g : U → Rn , g(x) := dx f and apply Sard’s Theorem.)
(b) Prove that every smooth manifold admits a Morse function. Proceed as follows:
i. Suppose M is embedded into RN . Show that any point of M has an open neighbor-
hood U such that some of the standard coordinates (x1 , . . . , xN ) define a coordinate
system on U .
ii. Cover M be a countable family of these coordinate neighborhoods and make use of
the result for the local case, which was established in (a).

(2) Let X be a C r -mapping class on (M, N ), r ∈ N.

(a) Show that there are restriction and inclusion maps, i.e.:
i. If L ⊂ L0 , U ⊂ U 0 , the restriction map C r (U 0 , V ) → C r (U, V ) induces a map

XL0 (U 0 , V ) → XL (U, V ).

ii. If V ⊂ V 0 , the inclusion map C r (U, V ) → C r (U, V 0 ) induces a map

XL (U, V ) → XL (U, V 0 ).

(b) Let f ∈ XL (M, N ) and suppose that (K, U, V ) satisfies K ⊂ L and f (U ) ⊂ V . Prove that
f |U ∈ XL (U, V ).
r
(c) Let L, U, V be such that XL (U, V ) ⊂ CW (U, V ) is open and dense. Given W ⊂ M open
r
with L ⊂ W ⊂ U , show that XL (W, V ) ⊂ CW (W, V ) is open and dense.