Smooth distributions are finitely generated (Q664375)

This article is devoted to the study of generalized distributions on smooth manifolds, and the similar case for subbundles of vector bundles. Let \(M\) be a manifold and \(TM\) its tangent bundle. Let \(L= \{L_p\mid p\in u\}\) be a distribution on \(M\). The authors consider the case where the subspaces \(L_p\subset T_pM\) can have different dimensions at different points \(p\in M\) (generalized distributions). The geometric control of mechanical systems, and Poisson geometry contain such examples. The authors show that every generalized subbundle of a vector bundle is globally finitely generated (there are finitely many globally defined sections whose values span the generalized subbundle at each point). They give an example which shows that the module of sections of a generalized subbundle (even a tangent distribution) need not be finitely generated, even locally. A main theorem: ``Let \(M\) be a connected manifold and let \(E\) be a vector bundle over \(M\). Let \(G\) be a smooth generalized subbundle of \(E\). Then \(G\) is globally finitely generated.'' If \(G\) is a smooth generalized subbundle of the trivial bundle \(\Theta^m(\mathbb{R}^m)\), then \(G\) is globally finitely generated. This paper is an important contribution to the study of the distributions on manifolds.