Combinatorics \(\&\) topology of stratifications of the space of monic polynomials with real coefficients (Q1126967)

This paper is written in the spirit of [\textit{V. I. Arnold}, Funct. Anal. Appl. 23, No. 3, 169-177 (1989); translation from Funkts. Anal. Prilozh. 23, No. 3, 1-10 (1989; Zbl 0717.58008)] and [\textit{V. A. Vasil'ev}, Complements of discriminants of smooth maps: topology and applications, Transl. Math. Monogr. 98 (1994; Zbl 0826.55001)] where spaces of functions are stratified following convenient criteria and the topology of the different strata is investigated. The authors consider here the space, \(\text{Pol}^n\), of polynomials of degree \(n\) with real coefficients in one variable and provide a cellular decomposition. They define a stratification, \(\{\text{Pol}^n_\lambda\} \), where \(\lambda\) is a multi-index given by the multiplicities of the real roots of the polynomials in each stratum. Each one of these strata is a union of cells. They study the homotopy types of the one-point compactifications of these strata. They also consider the induced stratification on the subset of polynomials all whose roots are real and investigate the homotopy types of the one-point compactifications of different strata.