A test for compactness of a foliation (Q1922320)

We investigate foliations on smooth manifolds that are determined by a closed 1-form with Morse singularities. The problem of investigating the topological structure of level surfaces for such a form was posed by \textit{S. P. Novikov} [Russ. Math. Surv. 37, No. 5, 1-56 (1982); translation from Usp. Mat. Nauk 37, No. 5(227), 3-49 (1982; Zbl 0571.58011)]. This problem was treated in [\textit{S. P. Novikov}, Tr. Mat. Inst. Steklova 166, 201-209 (1984; Zbl 0553.58005); \textit{A. V. Zorich}, Math. USSR, Izv. 31, No. 3, 635-655 (1988); translation from Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 51, No. 6, 1322-1344 (1987; Zbl 0668.58004); \textit{Le Ty Kuok Tkhang}, Math. Notes 44, No. 1/2, 556-562 (1988); translation from Mat. Zametki 44, No. 1, 124-133 (1988; Zbl 0656.58007); \textit{L. A. Alaniya}, Russ. Math. Surv. 46, No. 3, 211-212 (1991); translation from Usp. Mat. Nauk 46, No. 3(279), 179-180 (1991; Zbl 0736.58001)]. The present paper is devoted to the compactness problem for level surfaces. We introduce the notion of degree of compactness and prove a test for compactness expressed in the terms of the degree. The present paper is a natural continuation of [the author, Math. Notes 53, No. 3, 356-358 (1993); translation from Mat. Zametki 53, No. 3, 158-160 (1993; Zbl 0809.57018)].