Semi-algebraic neighborhoods of closed semi-algebraic sets (Q1010980)

The author extends some results of \textit{A. H. Durfee} on the approximation of compact semi-algebraic sets [see Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 276, 517--530 (1983; Zbl 0529.14013)], to the noncompact case. The main result of this paper is the following: Given a closed, possibly noncompact, semi-algebraic set \(X\) in \({\mathbb R}^n\), it is possible to construct a non-negative semi-algebraic \(C^2\) function \(f\) such that \(X = f^{-1}(0)\) and such that for \(\delta > 0\) sufficiently small, the inclusion of \(X\) in \(f^{-1}[-\delta,\delta]\) is a retraction. As an application of this result the author gives some degree formulas for the Euler-Poincaré characteristic of any closed semi-algebraic set and a Petrovskii-Oleinik inequality for the Euler-Poincaré characteristic of any real algebraic set.