Separation properties of continuous maps in codimension 1 and geometrical applications (Q1199899)

It is proved that the image of a proper continuous map \(f: X\to Y\), from an \(n\)-manifold \(X\) to an \((n+1)\)-manifold \(Y\), such that \(H_ 1(Y,\mathbb{Z}/2) = 0\), separates \(Y\) into at least two connected components provided the self-intersection of \(f\) is not dense in any connected component of \(Y\). There is also a version of this theorem for manifolds with boundary. A similar result has been obtained for proper \(C^ 2\)- immersions by \textit{M. E. Feighn} [Topology 27, 319-321 (1988; Zbl 0658.57019)]. On the other hand there is the example of Vaccaro, ``the house with two rooms'', which is a PL-immersed \(S^ 2\), whose complement in \(\mathbb{R}^ 3\) is connected [\textit{M. Vaccaro}, Math. Ann. 133, 173-184 (1957; Zbl 0084.393)]. This shows that some additional conditions on \(f\), e.g. as above, are necessary in order to have at least two connected components for \(Y\setminus f(X)\).