On the orientability of singularity submanifolds (Q1975892)

Let \(\eta\) be a singularity, that is an equivalence class of smooth map germs \((R^n,0)\to (R^p,0)\) under the equivalence of smooth reparametrization of the source and the target spaces. Then for any smooth map \(f:N^n\to P^p\) between smooth manifolds we can consider the points in \(N\) where \(f\) has singularity \(\eta\), or its image in \(P\). In the paper the (co-)orientability of these two sets are studied, i.e. a procedure is given to decide these coorientabilities for any (stable) \(\eta\). These orientability questions occur naturally when writing down Vassiliev's universal complex of a singularity theory. Calculations are carried out for \(\Sigma^1\) and \(\Sigma^{2,0}\) singularities. The main technique is the study of the symmetry group of the singularity.