On functions whose all critical points are contained in a ball (Q1812460)

The following question has been posed by Arnold. Let \(M_1^n\) and \(M_2^n\) be two smooth connected closed \(n\)-dimensional manifolds. Do there exist the functions \(f_1: M_1\to {\mathbb R}\) and \(f_2: M_2\to {\mathbb R}\) with finite numbers of critical points, contained in some small open balls \(U_1\subset M_1\) and \(U_2\subset M_2\), respectively, so that the restrictions \(f_1| _{U_1}\) and \(f_2| _{U_2}\) coincide via an appropriate diffeomorphism \(h\colon U_1\to U_2\). In this paper, the author answers the question of Arnold, by showing that such functions exist if and only if \(M_1^n\) and \(M_2^n\) have the same Euler characteristic.