On approximating submanifolds by algebraic sets and a solution to the Nash conjecture (Q1187479)

The authors prove the Nash conjecture on approximation of smooth manifolds by real algebraic sets, and also indicate gaps in the previous attempt to prove this conjecture by \textit{A. Tognoli} [Topology 27, No. 2, 205-210 (1988; Zbl 0664.57010)]. The main result is: any smooth compact submanifold \(M\) of \(\mathbb{R}^ n\) is \(\varepsilon\)-isotopic to a union of connected conponents of a real algebraic subset in \(\mathbb{R}^ n\), and \(M\) is \(\varepsilon\)-isotopic to a nonsingular real algebraic subset in \(\mathbb{R}^{n+1}\), where \(\varepsilon\)-isotopy means an arbitrary small smooth isotopy. The authors announce one more statement: that \(M\) is \(\varepsilon\)-isotopic to a nonsingular algebraic set in \(\mathbb{R}^ n\) if its immersed cobordism class contains an algebraic representative. The proofs consist in a construction of deformations of smooth immersions into algebraic ones.