Realizing transfer maps for ramified coverings (Q1076372)

\textit{L. Smith} [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 93, 485-493 (1983; Zbl 0525.57031)] defined a notion of ramified covering and proved the existence of a transfer homomorphism with all of the usual properties for these coverings. This paper studies these transfer homomorphisms and describes the obstructions to realizing the transfer by stable maps of the spaces. For a degree d covering, the transfer is realized by a stable map if d! is inverted, but without that inversion there are obstructions. Nice examples illustrate the difficulties.