A degree theory for a class of perturbed Fredholm maps (Q2495070)

This article deals with the degree theory for mappings of form \(f = g - k: \;\Omega \, (\subseteq E) \to F\), where \(g\) is Fredholm of index zero and \(k\) satisfies the inequality \(\alpha(k;p) < \omega(g;p) \;(p \in \Omega)\), and \(E\) and \(F\) are Banach spaces. The numbers \(\alpha(g;\cdot)\) and \(\omega(k;\cdot)\) are defined by means of the formulas \[ \alpha(f) = \lim_{r \to 0} \;\sup \;\left\{\frac{\alpha(f(A))}{\alpha(A)}: \;A \subseteq B(p,r) \;\text{bounded}, \;\alpha(A) > 0\right\}, \] \[ \omega(f) = \lim_{r \to 0} \;\inf \;\left\{\frac{\alpha(f(A))}{\alpha(A)}: \;A \subseteq B(p,r) \;\text{bounded}, \;\alpha(A) > 0\right\}, \] with \(\alpha(\cdot)\) denoting the Kuratowski measure of noncompactness. This theory covers the degree theory for locally compact perturbations of Fredholm maps (the so-called Elworthy--Tromba theory), \(\alpha\)-contractive perturbations of the identity (the Nussbaum theory). The authors' definition of the degree is based on the orientability property for Fredholm and quasi-Fredholm maps [\textit{P.~Benevieri} and \textit{M.~Furi}, Topol.\ Methods Nonlinear Anal.\ 16, No.~2, 279--306 (2000; Zbl 1007.47026)]. This notion of the degree displays the standard normalization, additivity, and homotopy invariance properties. [A sequel to this paper appeared in Fixed Point Theory Appl.\ 2006, Article 27154 (2006; Zbl 1096.47057), see the following review.]