Virtual Poincaré polynomial of the link of a real algebraic variety (Q1944803): Difference between revisions

Given a real algebraic variety \(X\subset\mathbb R^n\) and a point \(p\in X\) the local conic structure theorem implies that for \(\varepsilon>0\) small enough the topological type (indeed the semialgebraic topological type) of the intersection \(X\cap\mathbb S^{n-1}(p,\varepsilon)\) of \(X\) with the sphere in \(\mathbb R^n\) of radius \(\varepsilon\) centered at \(p\) does not depend on \(\varepsilon\). Therefore, it makes sense to define such intersection as the link of \(X\) at \(p\). In particular, Sullivan Theorem [\textit{D. Sullivan}, in: Proc. Liverpool Singularities-Sympos. I, Dept. Pure Math. Univ. Liverpool 1969--1970, 165--168 (1971; Zbl 0227.32005)] asserts that the Euler characteristic of the link at any point of a real algebraic variety is even. The eveness of this Euler characteristic provides a topological characterization of real algebraic curves, but in higher dimensions other obstructions for a topological space to be homeomorphic (or semialgebraically homeomorphic) to a real algebraic variety appear. These obstructions are detected by means of resolution towers, the real spectrum, stratifications and algebraically constructible functions, among other tools. The virtual Poincaré polynomial \(\beta(X)\) of a Zariski constructible set \(X\) was introduced in [\textit{C. McCrory} and \textit{A. Parusiński}, C. R., Math., Acad. Sci. Paris 336, No. 9, 763--768 (2003; Zbl 1073.14071)]. It is a well-defined (up to regular isomorphism) polynomial whose coefficients are integer numbers that coincide with the Betti numbers with \(\mathbb Z_2\)-coefficients if \(X\) is a proper non-singular real algebraic variety. It was proved in [\textit{G. Fichou}, Compos. Math. 141, No. 3, 655--688 (2005; Zbl 1080.14070)], see also [\textit{C. McCrory} and \textit{A. Parusiński}, Math. Sci. Res. Inst. Publ. 58, 121--160 (2011; Zbl 1240.14012)], that \(\beta(X)=\beta(Y)\) whenever \(X\) and \(Y\) are Nash diffeomorphic real compact algebraic varieties. The main result of the article under review states a fundamental result: the virtual Poincaré polynomial is well-defined for the link at a point of a real algebraic variety. The proof is not easy but very well written and it heavily relies on results by \textit{E. Bierstone} and \textit{P. D. Milman} [Invent. Math. 128, No. 2, 207--302 (1997; Zbl 0896.14006)].