Smoothing of real algebraic hypersurfaces by rigid isotopies (Q1175677)

Define for a smooth compact hypersurface \(M^ n\) of \(\mathbb{R}^{n+1}\) its crumpleness \(\kappa(M^ n)\) as the ratio \(\text{diam}_{\mathbb{R}^{n+1}}(M^ n)/r(M^ n)\), where \(r(M^ n)\) is the distance from \(M^ n\) to its central set. (In other words, \(r(M^ n)\) is the maximal radius of an open non-selfintersecting tube around \(M^ n\) in \(\mathbb{R}^{n+1}.)\) We prove that any \(n\)-dimensional non-singular compact algebraic hypersurface of degree \(d\) is rigidly isotopic to an algebraic hypersurface of degree \(d\) and of crumpleness \(\leq\exp(c(n)d^{\alpha(n)d^{n+1}})\). Here \(c(n)\), \(\alpha(n)\) depend only on \(n\), and `` rigid isotopy'' means an isotopy passing only through hypersurfaces of degree \(\leq d\). --- As an application, we show that for some constants \(c,\beta\) any two isotopic smooth non-singular algebraic compact curves of degree \(\leq d\) in \(\mathbb{R}^ 2\) can be connected by an isotopy passing only through algebraic curves of degree \(\leq\exp(cd^{\beta d^ 2})\). As another application, we show how to derive an upper bound in terms of \(d\) only (for a fixed \(n\)) for the minimal number of simplices in a \(C^ \infty\)- triangulation of a compact non-singular \(n\)-dimensional algebraic hypersurface of degree \(d\).