No label defined (Q4539665)

In a paper of \textit{S. A. Robertson} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. 36, 111-121 (1961; Zbl 0097.16202)] the concept of an exact \(k\)-filling of the Euclidean \(m\)-space \(E^m\) was introduced. It means a subset \(X\) of the Grassmannian \(G_k(m)\) of \(k\)-dimensional linear subspaces of \(E^m\) such that the \(k\)-planes of \(X\) cover \(E^m\) and \(X\) is minimal among all subsets with this property. Examples of exact \(k\)-fillings of \(E^m\) are given by the direct products of the exact fillings \(G_1(m-(k-1))\) and \(G_{k-1} (k-1)\). The authors discuss smooth exact fillings with \(C^1\)-smooth compact submanifolds \(X=M\) of \(G_k(m)\) (necessarily of dimension \(m-k)\). Hereby the relationship between the subset \(M_1\) of the simply covered points of \(E^m\) and the singular set \(M_\sigma\) of the critical values of the endpoint map of the bundle \(F:=\{(\lambda,x) \in M\times E^m \mid x\in \lambda\}\) is of special interest. Finally, homogeneous, polar and Hopf fillings are investigated. They have the property \(M_1\cap M_\sigma= \emptyset\), sufficient for the closedness and connectedness of \(M\).