Composition operators with closed range for smooth injective symbols (Q664723)

For an injective \(C^\infty\)-function \(\psi : \mathbb R \to \mathbb R^d \) denote by \( \mathcal A(\psi) = \{ F \circ \psi \mid F \in C^\infty(\mathbb R^d) \} \) the range of the composition operator. \textit{G. Allan}, \textit{G. Kakiko}, \textit{A. G. O'Farrell}, and \textit{R. O. Watson} [J. Funct. Anal. 158, 458--474 (1998; Zbl 0915.46020)] have characterized the closure of \( \mathcal A(\psi) \). They have also conjectured a criterion for \( \mathcal A(\psi) \) to be closed. This conjecture is disproved in the present paper. In fact, it is shown that \( \mathcal A(\psi) \) is closed if and only if \( \psi \) is proper, has only critical points of finite order, and has a Whitney regular image \( \psi(\mathbb R) \). Compared to the original conjecture, the extra condition is Whitney regularity.