Equisingularity and simultaneous resolution of singularities (Q4945013)

The paper is based on a survey lecture at the Obergurgl working week 1997. Several approaches to equisingularity are compared. Zariski defined equisingularity on an \(n\)-dimensional hypersurface using a stratification by the dimensionality type. Another approach is based on the stratification by simultaneous resolvability of singularities. For plane curves both approaches are equivalent. In higher dimension one can ask whether constancy of dimensionality type along a smooth subvariety implies the existence of a simultaneous resolution of the singularities along this subvariety. Several problems are discussed in relation with this question. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0932.00042].