The compression theorem II: directed embeddings (Q1416616)

This is the second of a set of three papers on the compression theorem. It contains a geometric proof of the normal deformation theorem, which is a general version of the compression theorem and was proved in the first paper of the series [Geom. Topol. 5, 399-429 (2001; Zbl 1002.57057)] by different methods. Central step in the present proof is a flattening lemma. It states that a compressible manifold \(M^n \subset Q^q \times {\mathbb{R}}^t\), \( q - n \geq 1\), may be deformed by a \(C^0\)-small isotopy in Q in a position, such that its tangent space lies in a given neighborhood of the horizontal subset of the Grassmann bundle of n-planes in the tangent bundle \(T(Q^q \times {\mathbb{R}}^t)\). Gromov's theorem on directed embeddings [\textit{M. Gromov}, Partial differential relations (Springer-Verlag, Berlin), (1986; Zbl 0651.53001)] is deduced from the normal deformation theorem. It is remarked that the normal deformation theorem may be deduced from Gromov's theorem.