General Bourgin-Yang theorems (Q1800227)

The classical Bourgin-Yang theorem asserts that for any \(\mathbb Z_2\)-map \( f:S^{m-1}\to \mathbb R^n\) with standard antipodal actions we have that \(\dim Z_f \geq m-n-1\), where \(Z_f=f^{-1}(0)\). After that there were many versions and extensions for actions of different groups (see e.g. [\textit{H. J. Munkholm}, Osaka J. Math. 7, 451--456 (1970; Zbl 0211.55701) and \textit{A. Yu. Volovikov}, Mat. Sb. 183, No. 7, 115--144 (1992; Zbl 0768.57017)]). For example, \textit{A. Yu. Volovikov} [Sb. Math. 191, No. 9, 1259--1277 (2000; Zbl 0987.57016); translation from Mat. Sb. 191, No. 9, 3--22 (2000)] defined a \(G\)-index \(i'\) and derived an abstract inequality \[ i'(f^{-1}(A))\geq i'(X)-i'(Y\setminus A) \] for a \(G\)-invariant subset \(A\subset Y\) and \( f:X\to Y\) a \(G\)-map for some groups. Here the authors describe a unified approach for various cases of groups and use mainly the cohomological \((\mathcal A, h_*, I)\)-length \(l\) as defined by \textit{T. Bartsch} [Topological methods for variational problems with symmetries. Berlin: Springer-Verlag (1993; Zbl 0789.58001)] as a tool. The considered groups are of the types \(\mathbb Z_{p^k}, (S^1)^k, (\mathbb Z_p)^k\). Several inequalities are proved and the estimates are compared with those obtained by different authors. Consequences concerning e.g. the covering dimension of the coincidence set are also discussed. See also another paper of the authors for related results [Bull. Belg. Math. Soc. - Simon Stevin 24, No. 4, 621--630 (2017; Zbl 1422.55033)] as well as [\textit{W. Marzantowicz} et al., J. Fixed Point Theory Appl. 19, No. 2, 1427--1437 (2017; Zbl 1379.55002)].