On the number of bifurcation branches of \(C^ 2\)-maps (Q1206839)

Using ideas of \textit{Z. Szafraniec} [Kodai Math. J. 11, No. 1, 78-85 (1988; Zbl 0652.58011)] for certain \(C^ 2\) mappings \(f:\mathbb{R}^ n\times\mathbb{R}^ n\to\mathbb{R}^ n\) with \(f=0\) on \(\{0\}\times\mathbb{R}\) the number of branches of the set \(f^{-1}(0)\backslash(\{0\}\times\mathbb{R})\) which bifurcate from a segment \(\{0\}\times[\lambda_ 1,\lambda_ 2]\) in \(\{0\}\times\mathbb{R}\) is shown to coincide with the degree of a certain mapping \(H:(\mathbb{D}^{n+2},S^{n+1})\to(\mathbb{R}^{n+2},\mathbb{R}^{n+2}- \{0\})\) which is obtained via the complementing map construction.