Morse functions with sphere fibers (Q2504343)

Let \(M\) be a closed smooth manifold, and let Crit(\(M\)) denote the minimum number of critical points of a smooth function (not necessarily Morse) on \(M\). The author proves that the following conditions are equivalent: (1) \(M\) possesses a Morse function whose regular levels are disjoint unions of spheres, (2) Crit(\(M) \leq 3\). As a corollary, such a manifold with a deleted point is homotopy equivalent to a wedge of spheres, and it has a free fundamental group. Furthermore, for \(M\) as above and orientable the groups \(H_i(M)\) are torsion free. We mention one more result. Let \(\mu(M)\) denote the minimum number of critical levels of a \textit{Morse} function on \(M\). For any positive integer \(k\), there exists a manifold \(M\) such that \(\mu(M)- \text{ Crit} M \geq k\).