[Math] Retraction to the Boundary on Compact Manifold

calculusdifferential-geometrymanifolds

I was given the following question on an exam today, "Suppose that $M$ is a compact $n$- dimensional oriented manifold with corners. A retraction to the boundary is a continuously differentiable map $f:M \rightarrow \partial M$ so that $f(x)=x$ for all $x \in \partial M$. We want to prove retractions to the boundary don't exist. First prove that $\partial M$ admits an $(n-1)$ form $\omega$ with $\int_{\partial M}\omega > 0$. Next pull back via a retraction to the boundary, and apply Stokes's Theorem to show that $\int_{\partial M} \omega = 0.$ Explain why retractions to the boundary don't exist." To be honest I had no idea where to start this question properly and was just curious as to how one might go about solving it? Thanks.

Best Answer

The orientataion on $M$ would induces an orientation on $\partial M$. You can take a look at

Inducing orientations on boundary manifolds

An orientation on $\partial M$ is really a nowhere vanishing $n-1$-form $\omega$ on $\partial M$. This form satisfies $\int_{\partial M} \omega \neq 0$. By taking $-\omega$ if necessary, we can assume $\int_{\partial M} \omega >0$.

Now assume that $f : M \to \partial M$ exists. Then consider $i : \partial M \to M$ the inclusion. By condition on $f$, we have $f \circ i =id$ on $\partial M$. Let

$$\beta = f^*\omega$$

be a $n-1$ form on $M$. Then

$$\int_{\partial M} \omega = \int_{\partial M} (f\circ i)^*\omega = \int_{\partial M} i^*f^* \omega = \int_{\partial M} i^* \beta = \int_M d\beta$$

where the last step is Stokes theorem. But

$$d\beta= d f^* \omega = f^*d\omega = 0$$

(as $\omega$ is an $n-1$ form on $\partial M$, which has to be closed.)

Thus $\int_{\partial M} \omega= 0$ and it is a contradiction. Thus such an $f$ does not exist.