Lusternik-Schnirelmann category and embedding finite covering maps, principal \(G\)-bundles into bundles (Q1814863)

An imbedding of a finite covering map \(\pi:E\to X\) into a vector bundle \(p:V\to X\) is a map \(H:E\to V\) which maps \(E\) homeomorphically onto its image \(H(E)\) in \(V\) such that \(pH=\pi\). The author defines \(\psi\text{-cat }E\) as the least integer \(k\) with the property that \(X\) may be covered by \(k\) open sets \(\{U_1,\dots,U_k\}\) such that \(\pi/U_j:\pi^{-1}(U_j)\to U_j\) is trivial for each \(j\). It is shown that if \(\psi\text{-cat }E\leq k\) and \(X\) is connected, locally path-connected and paracompact, then \(\pi\) can be imbedded into the trivial real \(k\)-plane bundle over \(X\). The author also obtains, under suitable conditions, a result for imbedding a principal \(G\)-bundle into the Whitney sum of a number of \(F\)-vector bundles where \(F\) are the reals or complex numbers and \(G\) acts linearly on \(F\).