Differential Topology – Submersion F: X to Y Must Be Surjective

differential-topology

Let $\mathcal{X}$ and $\mathcal{Y}$ be compact manifolds and let $\mathcal{Y}$ be connected. Prove that a submersion $F : \mathcal{X} \to \mathcal{Y}$ must
be surjective.

I don't have much thought on this question, except for if $F$ is not surjective, then its degree is zero.

May I request for some hints? Thank you.


I am trying to fill in Andreas Blass' excellent answer:

Given $F$ a submersion, according to local submersion theorem, there exist local coordinate around $x$ and $y$ such that $F(x_1, \dots, x_k) = (x_1, \dots, x_l), k > l$. Hence the image of $F$ is open.

Local Submersion Theorem. Suppose that $f: X \to Y$ is a submersion at $x$, and $y = f(x)$. Then there exist local coordinate around $x$ and $y$ such that $f(x_1, \dots, x_k) = (x_1, \dots, x_l), k > l$. That is, $f$ is locally equivalent to the canonical submersion at $x$.

Meanwhile, given $\mathcal{X}$ is compact, because continuous function maps compact space to compact space, the image of $F$ is closed.

Therefore, the image is either all of $\mathcal{Y}$ or empty. Assuming $\mathcal{X}$ is not empty, we proved that $F$ is surjective.

Best Answer

Use "submersion" to conclude that the image of $F$ is open. Use "compact" to conclude that this image is closed. Use "connected" to conclude that this image is either all of $\mathcal Y$ or empty. Now either you're lucky and the source of this problem requires manifolds to be nonempty, or you need to add to the problem a hypothesis that $\mathcal X\neq\varnothing$.

Related Question