embedding


Let M and N be manifoldsMathworldPlanetmath and f:MN a smooth map. Then f is an embeddingMathworldPlanetmathPlanetmathPlanetmath if

  1. 1.

    f(M) is a submanifoldMathworldPlanetmath of N, and

  2. 2.

    f:Mf(M) is a diffeomorphism. (There’s an abuse of notation here. This should really be restated as the map g:Mf(M) defined by g(p)=f(p) is a diffeomorphism.)

The above characterizationMathworldPlanetmath can be equivalently stated: f:MN is an embedding if

  1. 1.

    f is an immersion, and

  2. 2.

    by abuse of notation, f:Mf(M) is a homeomorphism.

Remark. A celebrated theoremMathworldPlanetmath of Whitney states that every n dimensional manifold admits an embedding into 2n+1.

Title embedding
Canonical name Embedding
Date of creation 2013-03-22 14:52:46
Last modified on 2013-03-22 14:52:46
Owner CWoo (3771)
Last modified by CWoo (3771)
Numerical id 8
Author CWoo (3771)
Entry type Definition
Classification msc 57R40
Synonym differential embedding
Defines Whitney’s theorem