Folding maps and the surgery theory on manifolds (Q5939222)

Let \(f:N\to P\) be a smooth map between oriented manifolds of dimension \(n\), which has only folding singularities. Such a map is called a folding map. The author proves that a folding map \(f\) canonically determines the homotopy class of a bundle map \(TN\oplus \theta_N\to TP\oplus \theta_P\) covering \(f\). When \(P\) is a closed manifold in addition he defines the set \(\Omega_{\text{fold}}(P)\) of all cobordism classes of folding maps of closed manifolds into \(P\) of degree 1 under a certain equivalence. Let \(SG\) denote the space \(\lim_{n\to \infty} SG_k\), where \(SG_k\) is the space of all homotopy equivalence of the \((k-1)\)-sphere of degree 1. It is proved that there exists an essential map \(\omega: \Omega_{\text{fold}}(P)\to [P,SG]\). This map induces many invariants of folding maps through the cohomology groups of \(SG\). Furthermore, if \(f:N\to P\) is a folding map of degree 1 giving a homotopy equivalence, then the normal map of \(f\), \(P\to G/O\) in the surgery theory pass through \(\omega\) by the projection \(SG\to G/O\).