On the homotopy classification of proper Fredholm maps into a Hilbert space (Q2295703)

The authors prove that the homotopy class of a map \(f \) between Hilbert manifolds in the category of smooth proper Fredholm maps of index \(n\) is uniquely determined by its homotopy class as a continuous map together with the homotopy class of its Frechet differential \(Df\). Using the above result they show that smooth proper homotopy classes of Fredholm maps of index \(n\) from a manifold \(M\) to a Hilbert space are classified by equivalence classes of compact n-dimensional submanifolds of \(M\) under an appropriately defined notion of framed cobordism which allows to extend the Pontriagin-Thom theory to the Hilbert space setting. While the present classification is less general than the analogous one obtained by \textit{K. D. Elworthy} and \textit{A. J. Tromba} [Proc. Sympos. Pure Math. 15, 45--94 (1970; Zbl 0206.52504)] on the category of Banach manifolds, the proofs are considerable simpler and avoid several technicalities present in [loc. cit.], e.g., the use of Fredholm structures. The classification is particularly striking in the case of non-positive index. If \(n\) is negative, then the homotopy class of \(f\) is completely determined by the homotopy class of the differential \(Df.\) For \(n=0,\) the set of homotopy classes split two subsets: the homotopy classes of orientable and non-orientable maps. Those of orientable maps are determined by the absolute value of the oriented degree, and the homotopy classes of the non-orientable ones are in one to one correspondence with \(Z_2\) via the mod-\(2\) degree.