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# Spaces of Rational Maps and the Stone-Weierstrass Theorem

## 1. Introduction.

Let $`X`$ and $`Y`$ be two topological spaces with some additional structure. Maps from $`X`$ to $`Y`$ that preserve the structure form a subspace in the space of all continuous maps from $`X`$ to $`Y`$. One may ask whether this subspace gives some kind of a “topological approximation” to the space of all continuous maps.

For example, if $`X`$ is a Stein manifold and $`Y`$ is a complex manifold with a dominating spray (homogeneous spaces and complements in $`𝐂^N`$ of algebraic subvarieties of codimension at least two satisfy this condition), the inclusion of the space of holomorphic maps from $`X`$ to $`Y`$ into the space of all continuous maps from $`X`$ to $`Y`$ is a weak homotopy equivalence. This statement is a corollary of the Oka-Grauert principle proved by Gromov .

Another situation which has been extensively studied is the case when $`X`$ and $`Y`$ are compact complex manifolds and $`X`$ has dimension one. Segal in  proved, among other things, that the inclusion of the space of (based) rational maps of degree $`d`$ from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^1`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ into the two-fold loop space of $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ is a homotopy equivalence up to dimension $`(2n1)d`$. The results of  were later extended by various authors: see, for example ,,,,. In all these generalizations $`X`$ is a curve. Apparently, the only published works that address the case $`dimX>1`$ are the paper  which deals with the space of holomorphic maps from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^1\times \mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^1`$ to the Grassmannian of two-dimensional planes in $`𝐂^N`$, and the work  describing spaces of linear maps between complex projective spaces.

Segal conjectured in  that the stability theorem he proved for spaces of rational curves can be extended to the spaces of maps from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ for $`m>1`$. Such a generalization will be discussed in this paper.

A continuous rational map from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ can be given by a collection of $`n+1`$ complex homogeneous polynomials of the same degree and with no common zero. Up to a constant, such a representation of a map by polynomials is unique. If $`m>n`$, all continuous rational maps are constant, so we shall always assume that $`mn`$. By the degree of a rational map we shall mean the degree of the polynomials that define it. More generally, a continuous map between complex projective spaces induces multiplication by an integer in the second cohomology. We shall call this integer the degree of the corresponding map111this corresponds to the algebraic rather than topological degree.. In what follows, all rational maps will be continuous.

Let $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f^{m,n}`$ be the set of all rational maps of degree $`d`$ from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ that restrict to a given map

$$f:\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n$$

on a fixed hyperplane $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$. Fixing the coefficients of the polynomials that define $`f`$ one obtains a bijection between $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f^{m,n}`$ and a subset of a complex affine space: a rational map under this bijection is sent to the set of the coefficients of the polynomials defining it. Thus $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f^{m,n}`$ acquires a topology from the complex affine space.

Consider the space of all continuous maps from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ that restrict to a given map $`f`$ on $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}`$. This space is homotopy equivalent to the $`2m`$-fold loop space of $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ and in what follows will be denoted by $`\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$.

###### Theorem 1.

The map

$$\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f^{m,n}\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n$$

given by the inclusion of rational maps into the space of all continuous maps from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ that restrict to a given map $`f`$ of degree $`d`$ on a fixed hyperplane, induces an isomorphism in homology in all dimensions smaller than

$$(2n2m+1)\left(\left[\frac{d+1}{2}\right]+1\right).$$

If $`m<n`$ it is also induces isomorphisms of homotopy groups in these dimensions. Here $`[x]`$ denotes the integer part of $`x`$.

Theorem 1 implies a similar result for the spaces of “free” maps. Denote by $`\text{Map}_d(m,n)`$ the space of all continuous maps from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ of degree $`d`$, and let $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m,n}`$ be its subspace formed by all rational maps.

###### Theorem 2.

In the statement of Theorem 1 the spaces $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f^{m,n}`$ and $`\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ can be replaced by $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m,n}`$ and $`\text{Map}_d(m,n)`$ respectively.

The proof of Theorem 1 consists of constructing a sequence of topological spaces and “stabilization” maps between them which starts with $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f^{m,n}`$ and has the loop space $`\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ as its colimit. We shall then see that all stabilization maps in this sequence induce isomorphisms in homology up to a certain dimension. This, together with the fact that for $`m<n`$ the spaces $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f^{m,n}`$ are simply-connected, will imply Theorem 1.

In the next section the stabilization maps are defined and it is shown that the “stabilized” space of rational maps is homotopy equivalent to $`\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$. The trick behind our construction of the stabilization maps is to place the problem in a real rather than complex context and use the Stone-Weierstrass Theorem. Section 3 is a brief review of simplical resolutions. These are then used in section 4 to construct and describe the Vassiliev spectral sequences converging to the homology of the spaces $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f^{m,n}`$. We follow Vassiliev’s methods as described in , the only minor novelty being our use of degenerate simplicial resolutions. The case of the free maps is treated in section 5. Some comments are given in the last section.

## 2. Stabilization maps and the Stone-Weierstrass Theorem.

There are two ways of defining stabilization maps for the spaces of rational maps. One of these constructions generalises Segal’s stabilization maps; we are not going to discuss it here. The stabilization we shall use can be described as “real stabilization”. In order to define it we need to consider a wider class of maps between projective spaces.

Define a $`(p,q)`$-polynomial to be a homogeneous polynomial in “holomorphic” and “anti-holomorphic” variables which is of degree $`p`$ in the holomorphic and of degree $`q`$ in the anti-holomorphic variables. By a $`(p,q)`$-map we shall mean a map from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ given by a collection of $`n+1`$ $`(p,q)`$-polynomials with no common zero. Here the holomorphic variables are the homogeneous coordinates $`z_i`$ in $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ and the anti-holomorphic variables are their conjugates. In this terminology $`(d,0)`$-maps are precisely the rational maps of degree $`d`$. In general, two representations of a $`(p,q)`$-map by collections of $`(p,q)`$-polynomials need not coincide up to a constant but rather up to multiplication by a positive function. Thus a $`(p,q)`$-map can be also thought of as a $`(p+1,q+1)`$-map: just multiply each of the polynomials defining the map by $`z_0\overline{z}_0+\mathrm{}+z_m\overline{z}_m`$. The degree of a $`(p,q)`$-map is readily seen to be equal to $`pq`$.

Let $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(p,q)`$ be the space of $`(p,q)`$-maps from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ that restrict to a given map $`f`$ of degree $`pq`$ on a hyperplane $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$. In what follows we shall always assume that this hyperplane is given by the equation $`z_m=0`$. The topology on $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(p,q)`$ is the topology of a subset of the space of all continuous maps. Clearly, $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(\mathrm{deg}f,0)=\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f^{m,n}`$. Considering $`(p,q)`$-maps as $`(p+1,q+1)`$-maps one obtains the inclusion

$$\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(p,q)\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(p+1,q+1).$$

We define $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(d+\mathrm{},\mathrm{})`$ to be the union of the spaces $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(d+k,k)`$ for all $`k0`$.

The space of all continuous maps from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ that restrict to $`f`$ on a fixed hyperplane is homotopy equivalent to the space $`\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$. Indeed, $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ can be obtained from a $`2m`$-dimensional disk $`D^{2m}`$ by making identifications on the boundary of $`D^{2m}`$; namely, by collapsing the fibres of the Hopf map $`D^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}`$. Hence, a map from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ can be thought of as defined on $`D^{2m}`$; the space of all maps from $`D^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ which restrict to the same map on $`D^{2m}`$ is readily seen to be homotopy equivalent to $`\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$.

###### Proposition 3.

The natural inclusion of $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(d+\mathrm{},\mathrm{})`$ into the space $`\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ of all continuous maps from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ that restrict to $`f`$ on a fixed hyperplane, is a homotopy equivalence.

Proposition 3 is a consequence of the following statement:

###### Lemma 4.

Let $`X`$ be a finite CW-complex. Any continuous map

$$F:\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times X\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n$$

can be uniformly approximated with respect to the Fubini-Study metric on $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ by maps whose restriction to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times \{x\}`$ for any $`xX`$, is a $`(p,q)`$-map for some $`p,q`$. Moreover, if the restriction of $`F`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}\times \{x\}`$ is a $`(p,q)`$-map for all $`xX`$ , the approximating maps can be chosen so as to coincide with $`F`$ on $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}\times X`$.

###### Proof of Proposition 3..

For any compact riemannian manifold $`M`$ and any space $`Y`$ there exists $`ϵ>0`$ such that any two maps $`YM`$ that are uniformly $`ϵ`$-close, are homotopic. Thus, Lemma 4 implies that the map of the homotopy groups

$$\pi _k\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(d+\mathrm{},\mathrm{})\pi _k\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n$$

is surjective for all $`k`$. Indeed, setting $`X=S^k`$ we get that any element of $`\pi _k\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ can be approximated by a homotopy class in the space of $`(p,q)`$-maps. On the other hand, this homomorphism is also injective, as any homotopy that goes through continuous maps can be approximated by a homotopy through $`(p,q)`$-maps (set $`X=S^k\times [0,1]`$). Both spaces of maps have homotopy types of CW-complexes, so by the Whitehead Theorem they are homotopy equivalent. ∎

Lemma 4 is a corollary of the Stone-Weierstraß Theorem for vector bundles:

###### Theorem 5.

Let $`E`$ be a locally trivial real vector bundle over a compact space $`Y`$, $`s_\alpha :YE`$ \- a set of its sections, and let $`A`$ be a subalgebra of the $`𝐑`$-algebra $`C(Y)`$ of continuous real-valued functions on $`Y`$. Suppose that

* the subalgebra $`A`$ separates points of $`Y`$, that is, for any pair $`x,yY`$ there exists $`hA`$ such that $`h(x)h(y)`$;
* for any $`yY`$ there exists $`hA`$ such that $`h(y)0`$;
* for any $`yY`$ the fibre of $`E`$ over $`x`$ is spanned by the $`s_\alpha (y)`$.

Then the $`A`$-module generated by the $`s_\alpha `$ is dense in the space of all continuous sections of $`E`$.

The above version of the Stone-Weierstraß Theorem follows from the usual222see . Stone-Weierstraß Theorem and the existence of a partition of unity subordinate to the open cover of $`Y`$ trivialising $`E`$.

###### Proof of Lemma 4..

Any continuous map $`F:\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times X\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ can be given by a collection of $`n+1`$ sections of some line bundle $`E_F`$ over $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times X`$. Namely, $`E_F`$ is the pullback of the tautological line bundle on $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ with respect to $`F`$.

Choose an open cover of $`X`$ by contractible sets $`U_\beta `$ and a partition of unity $`\rho _\beta `$ subordinate to $`U_\beta `$, with $`\beta `$ belonging to some finite index set. Let $`d`$ be the degree of the restriction of $`F`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times \{x\}`$ for $`xX`$. The restriction of $`E_F`$ to each subspace of the form $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times U_\beta `$ is isomorphic to the pullback of the $`d`$th power of the tautological line bundle on $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$; we shall assume that an explicit identification of these two line bundles is chosen for each $`\beta `$.

For each $`\beta `$ and each $`i`$ with $`0im`$ let $`s_{i,\beta }`$ be the section of $`E_F`$ equal to $`z_i^d\rho _\beta `$ over $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times U_\beta `$ and trivial outside $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times U_\beta `$. Denote by $`\sigma `$ the set that consists of the $`s_{i,\beta }`$ together with all the sections of the form $`\sqrt{1}s_{i,\beta }`$ .

Let $`A_0`$ be the algebra of functions on $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$ generated by

$$\frac{z_i\overline{z}_i}{z_0\overline{z}_0+\mathrm{}+z_m\overline{z}_m},$$

for $`0im`$. The first part of Lemma 4 is then recovered from Theorem 5 applied to $`E_F`$: the set of sections $`s_\alpha `$ is taken to coincide with $`\sigma `$ and $`A`$ is taken to be the algebra of all continuous functions on $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times X`$ whose restriction to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times \{x\}`$ for any $`xX`$ belongs to $`A_0`$.

In order to verify the second part of the lemma we shall show that a sufficiently good approximation to $`F`$ can be modified so as to coincide with $`F`$ on $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}\times X`$.

Let $`S`$ and $`P`$ be two sections of $`E_F`$ whose restrictions to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}\times \{x\}`$ and $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times \{x\}`$, respectively, are $`(p,q)`$-polynomials for all $`xX`$. Denote by $`s`$ and $`p`$ the restrictions of $`S`$ and $`P`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}\times X`$. One can think of $`s`$ and $`p`$ as defined on all $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times X`$ and being independent of $`z_m`$ and $`\overline{z}_m`$.

Consider a family $`P_t`$ of sections of $`E_F`$ with $`t[0,1]`$:

$$P_t=P+t(sp).$$

For any $`t`$ the restriction of $`P_t`$ to any $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times \{x\}`$ is a $`(p,q)`$-polynomial. Clearly, $`P_0=P`$ and the restriction of $`P_1`$ to any $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}\times \{x\}`$ coincides with that of $`S`$. Moreover, if $`|PS|<ϵ`$ then $`|ps|<ϵ`$ and, hence, $`|P_tS|<2ϵ`$ in the standard metric that the fibres of $`E_F`$ inherit from the tautological line bundle on $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$.

Now, let $`F_j`$, $`0jn`$, be a set of sections of $`E_F`$ that define the map $`F`$. Choose $`ϵ>0`$ and find $`\delta `$ such that any map $`G`$ from $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times X`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ given by a set of sections $`G_j`$ of $`E_F`$ with $`|F_jG_j|<\delta `$, is uniformly $`ϵ`$-close to $`F`$. Suppose that we have found $`\delta /2`$-approximations $`F_j^{}`$ by families of $`(p,q)`$-polynomials for each of the $`F_j`$. Applying the above construction with $`P=F_j^{}`$ and $`S=F_j`$ we obtain an $`ϵ`$-approximation to $`F`$ which coincides with $`F`$ on $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}\times X`$ and whose restriction to any $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m\times \{x\}`$ is a $`(p,q)`$-map. ∎

## 3. Simplicial resolutions.

Let $`h:XY`$ be a finite-to-one surjective map of topological spaces and let $`𝒊`$ be an embedding of $`X`$ into $`𝐑^N`$ for some $`N`$. A simplicial resolution associated to the map $`h`$ with respect to the embedding $`𝒊`$, is a subspace $`X^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ of $`𝐑^N\times Y`$ together with the projection map $`h^\mathrm{\Delta }:X^\mathrm{\Delta }Y`$. The points of $`X^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ are pairs $`(t,y)`$ with $`yY`$ and $`t`$ belonging to the convex hull of the set $`𝒊h^1(y)`$ in $`𝐑^N`$. The space $`X`$ is a subspace of $`X^\mathrm{\Delta }`$; the restriction of $`h^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ to $`X`$ coincides with the original map $`f`$. We say that a simplicial resolution is non-degenerate if for each $`yY`$ any $`k`$ points of the set $`𝒊h^1(y)`$ span a $`(k1)`$-dimensional affine subspace of $`𝐑^N`$. Sometimes we shall use the term “simplicial resolution” for the space $`X^\mathrm{\Delta }`$, this should not lead to confusion.

The fibres of the projection map $`h^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ are contractible, being convex polyhedra. We shall need simplicial resolutions in the situation when $`X`$ and $`Y`$ are closed semialgebraic subsets of $`𝐑^N`$ and $`h`$ and $`𝒊`$ are polynomial maps; from now on we shall assume that this is the case. Under these circumstances $`h^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ will always be a homotopy equivalence; hence, the problem of computing the homotopy type of $`Y`$ is equivalent to the same problem for $`X^\mathrm{\Delta }`$.

It is clear that any two non-degenerate simplicial resolutions associated to the same map but with respect to different embeddings of $`X`$ into $`𝐑^N`$ are homeomorphic over $`Y`$. This statement is generally false without the non-degeneracy assumption.

There is an increasing filtration

$$X_1X_2\mathrm{}X^\mathrm{\Delta }$$

on any simplicial resolution associated to a map $`h:XY`$. Assume first that $`h^\mathrm{\Delta }:X^\mathrm{\Delta }Y`$ is non-degenerate. Then for any $`yY`$ its inverse image $`(h^\mathrm{\Delta })^1(y)`$ is a simplex; the subspace $`X_kX^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ is then defined as the union of the $`(k1)`$-skeleta of these simplices over all $`yY`$. In particular, $`X_1=X`$.

Now let $`\stackrel{~}{X}^\mathrm{\Delta },X^\mathrm{\Delta }Y`$ be two simplicial resolutions associated to the same map $`h:XY`$ and suppose that $`\stackrel{~}{X}^\mathrm{\Delta }Y`$ is non-degenerate. There exists the unique map

$$\pi :\stackrel{~}{X}^\mathrm{\Delta }X^\mathrm{\Delta }$$

over $`Y`$ which commutes with the inclusions of $`X`$ into $`\stackrel{~}{X}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ and $`X^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ and which is affine over all points of $`Y`$. The increasing filtration on $`X^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ is defined as the image of the increasing filtration on $`\stackrel{~}{X}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ under $`\pi `$. This definition does not depend on the choice of a non-degenerate resolution. Indeed, if both $`\stackrel{~}{X}^\mathrm{\Delta },X^\mathrm{\Delta }Y`$ are non-degenerate, the canonical map from $`\stackrel{~}{X}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ to $`X^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ not only is a homeomorphism, but also respects the increasing filtration.

The same construction can be carried out if the map $`h:XY`$ is not finite-to-one. However, in this situation every simplicial resolution, as defined above, is necessarily degenerate. We define a non-degenerate resolution as follows.

Let $`𝒊_k:X𝐑^{N_k}`$ be an embedding such that for any $`2k`$ distinct points in $`X`$ their images in $`𝐑^{N_k}`$ span an affine subspace of dimension $`2k1`$. Then for all $`jk`$, for any $`yY`$ and for any $`j`$ points in the set $`𝒊_kh^1(y)`$ their convex hull is an $`(j1)`$-simplex; moreover, the $`(j1)`$-simplices corresponding to disjoint sets of points in $`𝒊_kh^1(y)`$ are disjoint. Now, define $`X_k`$ to be the union of all the convex hulls in $`𝐑^{N_k}`$ of the subsets of cardinality at most $`k`$ of $`𝒊_kh^1(y)`$ for all $`yY`$. There exists a natural extension of $`h`$ to $`X_k`$.

For all $`i<j`$ the space $`X_i`$ can be considered as a subspace of $`X_j`$. The non-degenerate simplicial resolution $`(\stackrel{~}{X}^\mathrm{\Delta },\stackrel{~}{h}^\mathrm{\Delta })`$ associated to $`h`$ is then defined as the union of all the $`X_i`$ together with the extension of $`h`$ to $`X_i`$; the spaces $`X_i`$ form the increasing filtration on $`\stackrel{~}{X}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$.

As before, the non-degenerate simplicial resolution does not depend on the embeddings $`𝒊_k`$ and it is universal in the sense that for any other simplicial resolution $`X^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ there is a unique map $`\stackrel{~}{X}^\mathrm{\Delta }X^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ over $`Y`$ which is identity on $`X\stackrel{~}{X}^\mathrm{\Delta },X^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ and which is affine on the fibres. Thus we have an increasing filtration on any simplicial resolution of $`h`$ even in the case when $`h`$ is not finite-to-one.

Finally, let us state one obvious but important property of non-degenerate simplicial resolutions. Assume there is a commutative square

$$\begin{array}{ccc}X& & X^{}\\ h& & h^{}\\ Y& & Y^{}\end{array}$$

with $`h`$ and $`h^{}`$ surjective. Then there is an induced filtration-preserving map of non-degenerate simplicial resolutions associated to $`h`$ and $`h^{}`$.

## 4. The Vassiliev spectral sequence.

The space $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(p,q)`$ is defined as a subspace of $`\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$. In order to apply the machinery of simplicial resolutions we shall replace it with a homotopy equivalent space $`\overline{\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}}_f(p,q)`$ defined as a complement to an algebraic subvariety of an affine space.

Let us fix the coefficients of the $`(p,q)`$-polynomials $`f_i`$ defining the $`(p,q)`$-map $`f:\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^{m1}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$. Denote by

* $`W_{p,q}^i`$ \- the complex affine space of all $`(p,q)`$-polynomials that restrict to $`f_i`$ on the hyperplane $`z_m=0`$;
* $`W_{p,q}`$ \- the Cartesian product of the $`W_{p,q}^i`$ for $`0in`$;
* $`N_{p,q}`$ \- the complex dimension of $`W_{p,q}`$.

Define $`\overline{\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}}_f(p,q)W_{p,q}`$ to be the space of all $`(n+1)`$-tuples of $`(p,q)`$-polynomials which have no common zero. The natural map

$$\overline{\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}}_f(p,q)\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(p,q)$$

is not a homeomorphism. However, it is obviously onto and its fibres are convex and, hence, contractible. It is easy to see that the above map is, in fact, a homotopy equivalence. The space $`\overline{\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}}_f(p,q)`$ is the complement of a discriminant $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ in $`W_{p,q}`$, which consists of $`(n+1)`$-tuples of $`(p,q)`$-polynomials that all have a common zero. It has complex codimension $`nm+1`$ in $`W_{p,q}`$ so the spaces $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f^{m,n}`$ are simply-connected if $`m<n`$.

In what follows the notation $`𝐂^m`$ will be used for the affine chart $`z_m=1`$ in $`\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^m`$. Let $`V`$ be the complex vector space of dimension $`\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{p+m}{m}\right)\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{q+m}{m}\right)`$ spanned by all monomials in $`z_i`$ and $`\overline{z}_i`$ (with $`0i<m`$) of degree at most $`p`$ in $`z_i`$ and at most $`q`$ in $`\overline{z}_i`$. We shall denote by $`v_{p,q}`$ the Veronese-type embedding of $`𝐂^m`$ into $`V`$ which sends a point $`x=(z_0,\mathrm{},z_{m1})`$ to the point whose coordinates are the values of the corresponding monomials at $`x`$.

Let $`ZW_{p,q}\times 𝐂^m`$ be the set

$$(F_0,F_1,\mathrm{},F_n,x|F_i(x)=0\text{ for all }i).$$

There is a projection map $`Z\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ which “forgets” the point $`x`$ where all the polynomials $`F_i`$ vanish. Denote by $`Z^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ the space of the simplicial resolution associated to this map, with respect to the embedding $`ZW_{p,q}\times V`$ which sends $`(F_i,x)`$ to $`(F_i,v_{p,q}(x))`$. We shall also use the corresponding non-degenerate resolution, which will be denoted by $`\stackrel{~}{Z}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$. The resolution $`Z^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ will be, however, of greater importance to us as it satisfies the inequality $`(\text{2})`$ below.

Let $`\widehat{Z}`$, $`\widehat{Z}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ and $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Sigma }}`$ be the one-point compactifications of $`Z`$, $`Z^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ and $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ respectively. The projection of $`Z^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ onto $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ extends to a homotopy equivalence between $`\widehat{Z}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ and $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Sigma }}`$. There is an increasing filtration

$$\widehat{Z}_0\widehat{Z}_1\mathrm{}\widehat{Z}^\mathrm{\Delta }$$

coming from the filtration $`Z_r`$ on $`Z^\mathrm{\Delta }`$: the term $`\widehat{Z}_0`$ is the added point and $`\widehat{Z}_r`$ is equal to $`Z_r\widehat{Z}_0`$. In particular, for all $`r>0`$ the spaces $`\widehat{Z}_r\backslash \widehat{Z}_{r1}`$ and $`Z_r\backslash Z_{r1}`$ coincide.

The filtration on $`\widehat{Z}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ gives rise to a spectral sequence converging to the cohomology of $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Sigma }}`$:

$$E_1^{r,s}=H^{r+s}(\widehat{Z}_r,\widehat{Z}_{r1},𝐙),$$

where $`\widehat{Z}_1`$ is the empty set. The cohomology of $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Sigma }}`$ is related by the Alexander duality to the homology of $`\overline{\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}}_f(p,q)`$:

$$H^r(\widehat{\mathrm{\Sigma }},𝐙)\stackrel{~}{H}_{2N_{p,q}r1}(\overline{\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}}_f(p,q))$$

so the following spectral sequence converges to the reduced homology of $`\overline{\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}}_f(p,q)`$:

(1)
$$E_{r,s}^1=H^{2N_{p,q}+rs1}(\widehat{Z}_r,\widehat{Z}_{r1},𝐙)$$

with $`r>0`$, $`s0`$.

For $`r>0`$ the space $`\widehat{Z}_r/\widehat{Z}_{r1}=Z_r/Z_{r1}`$ is the one-point compactification of the space $`Z_r\backslash Z_{r1}`$, which admits a rather explicit description, at least for small values of $`r`$.

A point of $`Z_r`$ is given by specifying (1) a point in $`W_{p,q}`$ which corresponds to $`n+1`$ polynomials $`F_i`$ vanishing simultaneously on a non-empty subset of $`𝐂^m`$; (2) a point in $`V`$ which belongs to the convex hull of at most $`r`$ points of the form $`v_{p,q}(x_j)`$ where $`x_j`$ are distinct points of $`𝐂^m`$ on which all the $`F_i`$ vanish.

The condition that a polynomial in $`W_{p,q}^i`$ vanishes at a given point gives one linear inhomogeneous condition on its coefficients. More generally, the condition that a $`(p,q)`$-polynomial in $`W_{p,q}^i`$ vanishes at $`r`$ distinct points $`x_j`$ produces exactly $`r`$ independent conditions on its coefficients if and only if the convex hull of the points $`v_{p,q}(x_j)`$ in $`V`$ is an $`(r1)`$-dimensional simplex.

Hence,

(2)
$$\begin{array}{cc}dimZ_r\backslash Z_{r1}& 2(N_{p,q}r(n+1))+2mr+(r1)\hfill \\ & =2N_{p,q}2r(nm+1)+r1.\hfill \end{array}$$

In general, little else can be said without a sophisticated analysis. For example, a set of distinct points in $`𝐂^m`$ can give rise to a set of linearly dependent conditions on the coefficients of a polynomial vanishing at these points. However, the following is true:

###### Proposition 6.

For all $`r[\frac{p+1}{2}]`$ the space $`Z_r\backslash Z_{r1}`$ is homeomorphic to a real vector bundle of rank

$$2N_{p,q}(2n+1)r1$$

over the configuration space $`C_r(𝐂^m)`$ of $`r`$ distinct unordered points in $`𝐂^m`$.

The proof of this statement is based on the following fact:

###### Lemma 7.

If $`rp+1`$ the images in $`V`$ under $`v_{p,q}`$ of any set of $`r`$ distinct points in $`𝐂^m`$ span an $`(r1)`$-simplex.

Indeed, by a linear change of coordinates in $`𝐂^m`$ one can acheive that the values of the coordinate $`z_0`$ for all $`r`$ points are pairwise distinct; then the Vandermonde matrix constructed of the powers of $`z_0`$ is non-degenerate.

###### Remark.

Lemma 7 implies that for $`rp+1`$ the condition that a polynomial $`F_iW_{p,q}^i`$ vanishes at $`r`$ given points of $`𝐂^m`$ determines $`r`$ independent linear inhomogeneous conditions on the coefficients of $`F_i`$. In general, these conditions may be incompatible. The case $`m=1`$, $`q=0`$ is an example: a non-trivial polynomial of degree $`p`$ in one variable cannot have $`p+1`$ roots. However, for $`rp`$ the $`r`$ affine hyperplanes in $`W_{p,q}^i`$ defined by the vanishing conditions at $`r`$ points are necessarily in general position. This is proved by the same argument as Lemma 7.

###### Proof of Proposition 6.

It follows from Lemma 7 that if $`r[\frac{p+1}{2}]`$ then any two $`(r1)`$-simplices in $`V`$ whose vertices are in the image of $`v_{p,q}`$ are either disjoint or have a common face. Hence, for these values of $`r`$, given a point in the interior of the convex hull of $`r`$ distinct points of the form $`v_{p,q}(x_j)`$ in $`V`$ one can determine the points $`x_j`$ up to order. Therefore, there exists a map

$$Z_r\backslash Z_{r1}C_r(𝐂^m)$$

which keeps track of $`r`$-tuples of points in $`𝐂^m`$ on which the polynomials $`F_i`$ vanish.

It was mentioned before that the condition for a polynomial to vanish at a given point, determines an affine hyperplane in $`W_{p,q}^i`$. By the remark to Lemma 7, any set of $`r`$ points in $`𝐂^m`$ with $`rp`$, determines a set of hyperplanes in general position, hence their intersection has complex codimension $`r`$ in $`W_{p,q}^i`$. Therefore, for all $`r[\frac{p+1}{2}]`$ the fibre of the projection map of $`Z_r\backslash Z_{r1}`$ to $`C_r(𝐂^m)`$ is a product of a complex vector space of complex dimension $`N_{p,q}(n+1)r`$, with an interior of an $`(r1)`$-simplex. Verifying the local triviality property is straightforward. ∎

The cohomology groups of the space $`Z_r/Z_{r1}`$ are the same as those of a reduced Thom space of a vector bundle of rank $`2N_{p,q}(2n+1)r1`$ over the one-point compactification $`\widehat{C}_r(𝐂^m)`$ of $`C_r(𝐂^m)`$. In particular,

$$H^i(\widehat{C}_r(𝐂^m),𝐙)=\stackrel{~}{H}^{2N_{p,q}(2n+1)r1+i}(Z_r/Z_{r1},𝐙)$$

for all $`i`$, and, hence,

$$E_{r,s}^1=H^{2(n+1)rs}(\widehat{C}_r(𝐂^m),𝐙)$$

for all $`0<r[\frac{p+1}{2}]`$ and all $`s`$. Note that this expression does not depend on $`p`$ and $`q`$.

The term $`E_{r,s}^1`$ of the spectral sequence for the homology of $`\overline{\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}}_f(p,q)`$ is shown in the figure. It follows from (1) and (2) that all non-zero entries are situated in the sector $`r<0`$, $`s2(nm+1)r`$. The entries in the strip $`r[\frac{p+1}{2}]`$ are “stable” in the sense that they do not depend on $`p`$ and $`q`$ and are preserved by the stabilization maps. Let us make the last statement more precise.

Let us introduce the notation $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_{p,q}`$ and $`Z_{p,q}`$ instead of $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ and $`Z`$, respectively. The inclusion map

$$\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(p,q)\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(p+1,q+1)$$

can be lifted to a map

$$\overline{\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}}_f(p,q)\overline{\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}}_f(p+1,q+1)$$

which multiplies all the $`(n+1)`$ $`(p,q)`$-polynomials by $`z_0\overline{z}_0+\mathrm{}+z_m\overline{z}_m`$. This map, in fact, extends to a map $`W_{p,q}W_{p+1,q+1}`$; it sends the discriminant $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_{p,q}`$ to $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_{p+1,q+1}`$. There is also a corresponding map from $`Z_{p,q}`$ to $`Z_{p+1,q+1}`$. However, there is no induced map between the degenerate simplical resolutions $`Z_{p,q}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$.

Consider the non-degenerate simplical resolution $`\stackrel{~}{Z}^\mathrm{\Delta }=\stackrel{~}{Z}_{p,q}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$. There are maps

(3)
$$Z_{p,q}^\mathrm{\Delta }\stackrel{\pi _1}{}\stackrel{~}{Z}_{p,q}^\mathrm{\Delta }\stackrel{\zeta }{}\stackrel{~}{Z}_{p+1,q+1}^\mathrm{\Delta }\stackrel{\pi _2}{}Z_{p+1,q+1}^\mathrm{\Delta }$$

where $`\pi _1`$ and $`\pi _2`$ are homotopy equivalences and the map $`\zeta `$ is induced by the stabilization map.

The first $`[\frac{p+1}{2}]`$ terms of the increasing filtration on $`\stackrel{~}{Z}_{p,q}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ coincide with the corresponding terms for the degenerate resolution $`Z_{p,q}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$. Hence, the $`E^1`$-terms of the spectral sequences associated with the four resolutions above all coincide in the strip $`r[\frac{p+1}{2}]`$. It is also obvious that the maps $`\pi _1`$ and $`\pi _2`$ in (3) induce the identity map in this strip. The fact that for $`r[\frac{p+1}{2}]`$ the homomorphism of the $`E^1`$-terms induced by $`\zeta `$ is identity as well, follows from the explicit description of the filtration on $`Z_{p,q}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ obtained above; essentially this is just the Thom isomorphism.

Due to the action of the differentials which connect the stable and the unstable parts of the spectral sequence, the stable region for the terms $`E^2,E^3,\mathrm{}`$ is smaller than that for the term $`E^1`$. A straightforward check shows that the set

$$\begin{array}{c}r\left[\frac{p+1}{2}\right],\hfill \\ 2(nm+1)rs(2n2m+1)\left(\left[\frac{p+1}{2}\right]+1\right)+r\hfill \end{array}$$

is in the stable region for the term $`E^{\mathrm{}}`$.

For all $`i<(2n2m+1)([\frac{p+1}{2}]+1)`$ the graded group associated to $`H_i(\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(p,q))`$ is a direct sum of stable entries of the term $`E^{\mathrm{}}`$ of the spectral sequence. Hence, we obtain

###### Proposition 8.

The map

$$H_i(\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(p,q))H_i(\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f(p+1,q+1))$$

induced by the stabilization map is an isomorphism for all

$$i<(2n2m+1)\left(\left[\frac{p+1}{2}\right]+1\right).$$

Together with Proposition 3 this implies Theorem 1.

## 5. Spaces of free maps.

The proof of Theorem 2 consists in applying Theorem 1 fibrewise to the map

$$R:\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m,n}\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m1,n}$$

induced by restriction to a hyperplane. In what follows we denote by $`D`$ the stabilization dimension $`(2n2m+1)\left(\left[\frac{d+1}{2}\right]+1\right)`$.

The restriction to a hyperplane $`r:\text{Map}_d(m,n)\text{Map}_d(m1,n)`$ is a Serre fibration with the fibre $`\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$. Denote by $`t:T\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m1,n}`$ the pullback of $`r`$ to $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m1,n}`$. A comparison of the spectral sequences for both fibrations shows that the inclusion $`T\text{Map}_d(m,n)`$ induces isomorphisms in homology in dimensions smaller than $`D`$. Therefore, it is sufficient to prove that the inclusion $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m,n}T`$ is an isomorphism on homology in these dimensions.

According to Theorem 1, the fibres of the map $`R`$ have the same homology as $`\mathrm{\Omega }^{2m}\mathrm{𝐂𝐏}^n`$ in dimensions smaller than $`D`$. Moreover, we have the following:

###### Lemma 9.

There exists a finite filtration $`F_0F_1\mathrm{}F_q=\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m1,n}`$ such that the map $`R`$ is a fibration over each connected component of $`F_{i+1}\backslash F_i`$. The spaces $`F_i`$ and $`R^1F_i`$ can be triangulated so that each $`F_{i1}`$ and each $`R^1F_{i1}`$ are subcomplexes in $`F_i`$ and $`R^1F_i`$ respectively.

###### Proof.

There exist smooth complex algebraic varieties $`M`$ and $`N`$ and a map $`R^{}:MN`$ such that $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m,n}`$ and $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m1,n}`$ are complements to closed subvarieties of $`M`$ and $`N`$ respectively, and such that $`R^{}`$ restricts to $`R`$ on $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m,n}`$.

Indeed, the space $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m,n}`$ is a complement to a discriminant in a complex projective space; the homogeneous coordinates in this projective space are the coefficients of the polynomials representing a point in $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m,n}`$. From this point of view, the map $`R`$ is just a linear projection. Blowing up the indeterminacy locus of this projection one gets the variety $`M`$; the variety $`N`$ is just a complex projective space.

There exist stratifications on $`M`$ and $`N`$, with $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m,n}`$ being the maximal stratum of $`M`$, which turn $`R^{}:MN`$ into a stratified map, see Section I.1.7 of . Take $`F_i`$ to be the filtration on $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m1,n}`$ produced by intersecting $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m1,n}`$ with the above stratification of $`N`$. It follows from Thom’s first isotopy lemma (see I.1.5 of ) that $`R`$ is a fibration over each component of $`F_{i+1}\backslash F_i`$. The second part of the Lemma follows from the fact that every stratified set has a triangulation compatible with the stratification. ∎

The inclusion

$$R^1(F_{i+1}\backslash F_i)t^1(F_{i+1}\backslash F_i)$$

is a morphism of fibrations over the same base. Hence, by Theorem 1, it induces isomorphisms of homology groups in dimensions less than $`D`$. Consider the Mayer-Vietoris sequence relating the homology of $`R^1F_{i+1}/R^1F_i`$ to the homology of $`R^1(F_{i+1}\backslash F_i)`$, $`R^1V/R^1F_i`$ and $`R^1V`$ where $`V`$ is a small neighbourhood of $`F_i`$ in $`F_{i+1}`$. (Notice that $`R^1V/R^1F_i`$ is contractible and that $`R:R^1VV`$ is a fibration.) Comparing it to the analogous Mayer-Vietoris sequence with $`R`$ replaced by $`t`$, one verifies that the homomorphisms

$$H_k(R^1F_{i+1}/R^1F_i)H_k(t^1F_{i+1}/t^1F_i)$$

are isomorphisms for $`k<D`$. Now, to finish the proof of Theorem 2, compare the spectral sequences associated to the filtrations $`t^1F_i`$ on $`T`$, and $`R^1F_i`$ on $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_{(d)}^{m,n}`$.

## 6. Final remarks.

The estimate for the stabilization dimension in Theorem 1 in the case $`m=1`$ is weaker than the estimate given by Segal’s theorem. It is probable that Lemma 7 on which our estimate is based, can be replaced by a stronger statement. However, the methods of the present paper are sufficient to recover Segal’s theorem, at least for $`n>1`$. In the case $`m=1`$, $`q=0`$ the simplicial resolution $`Z_{p,0}^\mathrm{\Delta }`$ is, in fact, non-degenerate, as a polynomial of degree $`p`$ in one variable can have at most $`p`$ roots. Thus the explicit description of $`Z_r/Z_{r1}`$ as a Thom space of a bundle over a configuration space is valid not only for $`r[\frac{p+1}{2}]`$, but for all $`rp`$. This leads to a better estimate for the stabilization dimension.

There is no doubt that Theorem 1 can be also strengthened by replacing “homology” with “homotopy” in the case $`m=n`$. This would require an argument similar to that used by Segal in . Such an argument, however, is beyond the scope of the present paper.

### Acknowledgments

A great part of the motivation for this work came from a conversation with V. Vassiliev who told me that simplicial resolutions could be applied to the study of the spaces $`\mathrm{𝐑𝐚𝐭}_f^{m,n}`$. I am also grateful to M. Guest, S. Pérez Esteva, A. Verjovsky and many others for useful discussions. Finally, I would like to thank Max-Planck-Institut für Mathematik, Bonn for hospitality during the stay at which a substantial part of the work presented here was done.


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# Observations of the neutral hydrogen surrounding the radio quiet neutron star RX J0822–4300 in Puppis A

## 1 Introduction

In recent years, different X-ray missions have revealed a new class of unresolved objects with no radio counterpart and very high X-ray to optical flux ratios. Most of these objects are found in the interior of supernova remnants (SNR). Pavlov et al. (2002) propose four categories for these exotic sources: sources showing pulsations with periods between 6 and 12 seconds are called “anomalous X-ray pulsars” (AXP), or “soft gamma-ray repeaters” (SGR) if bursts of $`\gamma `$-ray emission have been detected. The remaining sources are called “central compact objects” (CCO) if they are located in the interior of an SNR, and “isolated neutron stars” (INS) if they are not associated with a known SNR.

The nature of CCOs is still not clear. They have been interpreted as young, energetic radio pulsars with unfavourable beaming (Brazier & Johnston, 1999), as neutron stars (NS) with long initial periods and high magnetic fields (Vasisht et al., 1997; Frail, 1998), or as fast spinning objects with low magnetic fields (Geppert, Page & Zannias, 1999). Their X-ray emission is generally explained as thermal radiation from cooling NSs (e.g Zavlin, Trümper & Pavlov 1999), with typical temperatures of a few 106 K, inferred from their thermal spectral characteristics. A review of CCOs has recently been published by Pavlov et al. (2002).

An H i study of the interstellar medium (ISM) towards the SNR G296.5+10.0 revealed that its associated CCO, 1E 1207.4–5209, lies near the centre of a small, elongated depression, about $`5\stackrel{}{.}3`$ in diameter, or 3.2 pc at an assumed distance of 2.1 kpc (Giacani et al., 2000). The depression has a small line width, less than 2 km s-1, and is deepest at $`v16`$ km s-1, in agreement with the systemic velocity of the SNR. Giacani et al. (2000) suggest that the X-ray flux from 1E 1207.4–5209 heats the local gas, providing a hot background against which the colder, foreground H i is seen in absorption. Motivated by this striking discovery, we began a search for similar traces in the neutral gas around other candidate NSs, both isolated or associated with SNRs. In this paper, we report the results obtained for RX J0822-4300, the CCO located in the interior of Puppis A.

Puppis A (G260.5–3.4) is the remnant of a Type-II supernova explosion which ocurred approximately 3,700 years ago (Winkler et al., 1988). At radio wavelengths, this remnant appears as a distorted shell (Figure 1; Dubner et al. 1991), flattened to the east presumably due to the interaction with an external cloud (Dubner & Arnal, 1988; Reynoso et al., 1995). The most widely accepted distance of 2.2 kpc is derived from the possible association with this cloud at +16 km s-1. However, a recent study based on the OH 1667 MHz line (Woermann, Gaylard & Otrupcek 2000) suggests that the distance to Puppis A could be somewhat smaller, at about 1.3 kpc.

In X-rays, Puppis A appears as an open shell (Petre et al., 1982) with a flattening to the east perfectly interlocking with the eastern cloud at +16 km s-1 (Figure 7 in Reynoso et al. 1995). ROSAT and ASCA observations have revealed an X-ray source near the centre of the shell (Petre, Becker & Winkler 1996). This compact object, RX J0822–4300, is located $`6\stackrel{}{.}1`$ to the southwest of the kinematical centre of expansion as determined from the proper motion of the fast optical filaments (Winkler & Kirshner, 1985; Winkler et al., 1988). The lack of optical or radio counterparts down to the detection limits strongly suggests that this X-ray source is a NS, while its location suggests a physical association with the SNR Puppis A.

Pavlov, Zavlin & Trümper (1999) reported a marginal detection of pulsations with a periodicity of $`P75`$ ms. However, this result has been retracted by Pavlov et al. (2002). A deep search did not detect an associated radio synchrotron nebula (Gaensler, Bock & Stappers 2000a), which may indicate that RX J0822–4300 belongs to a population distinct from young radio pulsars. X-ray spectra from RX J0822–4300 are consistent with those predicted for NSs with a hydrogen atmosphere, having an effective temperature, $`T_{eff}=(1.61.9)\times 10^6`$ K and H i column density, $`N_\mathrm{H}=(2.94.7)\times 10^{21}`$ cm-2 (Zavlin et al., 1999). This temperature is consistent with standard NS cooling models.

In this paper, we present new H i observations carried out with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) of a field of about $`40^{}\times 40^{}`$ (inner square in Fig. 1) around the compact source RX J0822–4300. Our goal is to study the H i distribution and kinematics around the CCO, looking for signs of interaction between this source and the surrounding ISM. This study also allows us to revisit the problematic distance to Puppis A.

## 2 Observations and data reduction

The interferometric observations were obtained with the ATCA during two sessions of 7.5 and 2 h with the 750D array (recording visibilities from baselines 76.5 to 735 m), on 2001 April 27 and 28 respectively, and one session of 12 h with the EW 367 array (with baselines 46 to 367 m) on 2002 March 23. The pointing centre was RA$`=08^\mathrm{h}22^\mathrm{m}10^\mathrm{s}`$, Dec.$`=43^{}01^{}0\stackrel{}{.}0`$ (J2000), $`2\stackrel{}{.}5`$ away from the position of RX J0822–4300 (RA$`=08^\mathrm{h}21^\mathrm{m}57\stackrel{s}{.}5`$, Dec.$`=43^{}00^{}15\stackrel{}{.}8`$; J2000). The correlator configuration used has 1024 channels for a total bandwith of 4 MHz, centered at 1420 MHz. The corresponding velocity resolution is 1 km s-1. A continuum image was obtained simultaneously with a bandwidth of 128 MHz centered at 1384 MHz. The source PKS B1934–638 was used for flux density and bandpass calibration. To calibrate phases two sources were used: PKS B0748–440 for the 2001 sessions, and PKS B0823–500 for the 2002 session.

The data were processed with the MIRIAD software package (Sault, Teuben & Wright, 1995). For the first two hours of the 2001 April 27 session, shadowing affected the correlated data between antennas 1 and 2, and they were deleted. To subtract the continuum component from the H i data set, a linear baseline was fitted to 700 line-free channels. The final H i cube was constructed using the MIRIAD routine INVERT with a 20′′ cell size, retaining 250 channels from –30 to +176 km s-1. Sidelobes were suppressed over an area of $`42\stackrel{}{.}5\times 42\stackrel{}{.}5`$. To optimise detection of H i in emission, only spatial frequencies shorter than 1.5 k$`\lambda `$ (315 m) were used. The H i data were convolved with a $`90^{\prime \prime }`$ beam and cleaned to a level of 5$`\sigma `$ (60 mJy beam-1), where $`\sigma `$ is the noise of the line free channels in the dirty image. The continuum image was constructed with the same geometry and angular resolution as the H i data and a sensitivity of $`\sigma 6`$ mJy beam-1 (0.5 K) was achieved in the cleaned image.

To recover structures with the shortest spatial frequencies, the ATCA H i data were combined in the u,v plane with single dish (Parkes telescope) data from the Southern Galactic Plane Survey (SGPS; McClure-Griffiths et al. 2001), using the IMMERGE routine. No tapering was applied to the low resolution cube. The rms of the combined cube is $`0.7`$ K ($`10`$ mJy beam-1) per channel.

## 3 Results

To isolate H i absorption due to RX J0822–4300, we compared two profiles: one averaged over the whole area surveyed, and the other taken in a direction towards the CCO. These profiles are shown in Figure 2. In Fig. 2a, the highest emission peak (at $`v<+20`$ km s-1) can be reproduced by the sum of two Gaussian components: one near +3.5 km s-1, probably corresponding to the local Orion arm, and a broader, stronger one, peaking at $`+14`$ km s-1. The local distribution of H i at this Galactic longitude is subject to confusion due to the Gum nebula (Reynoso & Dubner, 1997; Woermann, Gaylard & Otrupcek, 2001).

Fig. 2b looks remarkably similar to Fig. 2a except for a dip in the H i emission near $`v=+16`$ km s-1. If the Gaussian distributions shown in Fig. 2a are reproduced in Fig. 2b, the residuals show a negative spike centered at +16.1 km s-1 with a spectral width of 5.4 km s-1. The central velocity of the dip is coincident with the systemic velocity deduced for Puppis A based on a VLA H i study (Reynoso et al., 1995). At this velocity, an H i cloud was found to be interacting with the eastern flank of the radio continuum shell. This cloud was also detected in CO (Dubner & Arnal, 1988).

Figure 3 displays the average H i distribution within 5.4 km s-1 of $`v=+16.1`$ km s-1. The image shows a pronounced density gradient, weaker in the west. The distribution is consistent with the existence of the eastern cloud and with the morphology of the SNR radio shell. In addition to the H i cavity opening to the west, there is an elongated minimum $`15^{}`$ long, oriented in the NE-SW direction, with a position angle of about 60. Strikingly, RX J0822–4300 (indicated by a plus sign) lies near the centre of this H i feature. Two local minima appear inside the elongated feature, one at each side of the CCO. The western minimum is more extended and pronounced than the eastern one. This linear depression has a length of about 8.5 pc at the assumed distance to the SNR of 2.2 kpc, with an average width of 1.6 pc.

Winkler et al. (1988) found that the expansion centre of the O-rich fast filaments in Puppis A lies at RA$`=08^\mathrm{h}20^\mathrm{m}44\stackrel{s}{.}3`$, Dec.$`=42^{}47^{}48^{\prime \prime }`$ (B1950). In Fig. 3, this position is indicated by a cross. If the expansion centre of the optical filaments pinpoints the site of the SN explosion, it is significant that the eastern lobe is aligned with the path traced from this location to the CCO.

The combination of this evidence suggests that this double-lobed H i structure is not only related to Puppis A but, more specifically, to its CCO. It is well known that H i emission is widespread and it is usual to find structures on all scales at different radial velocities within the Galaxy. For that reason, we have made a careful search of the whole H i cube for features morphologically similar to the double lobed structure. To facilitate this search, an averaged profile over the whole area was computed and subtracted from the H i data. As an example, in Figure 4 we show a set of channels from 7.9 to 20.3 km s-1, after subtraction of the average profile. We did not find any feature similar to the linear depression at $`+16`$ km s-1. Hence, it is likely that this elongated structure is related to Puppis A which has a systemic velocity of +16 km s-1. Moreover, the symmetry of the lobes around RX J0822–4300 suggests that the CCO is physically connected to this structure. This can be explained if the gas inside the remnant has a neutral component. There are some mechanisms by which this could happen. White & Long (1991) show that if a SNR is interacting with a dense external medium, as is the case of Puppis A, the shock can propagate through the intercloud medium leaving behind the clouds, still cold and at rest. These clouds gradually evaporate, and in middle-aged SNRs (like Puppis A), the hot post-shock gas can co-exist with dust at less than 100 K. The neutral hydrogen phase of the ISM is typically found at cool temperatures, in the range $`50150`$ K, or at warm temperatures of several thousand K. For SNR G296.5+10.0, internal neutral gas is the most probable explanation for the H i depression in which the associated CCO is immersed (Giacani et al., 2000). Assuming that the reduced emission from the lobes is due to absence of material, we estimate that 1.7 M of neutral hydrogen must have been evacuated.

The inspection of the whole data cube revealed another small depression between +2.2 and +3.8 km s-1, coincident with RX J0822–4300. Figure 5 shows an average of the emission within this velocity interval. The CCO appears to be slightly off-centre from the H i hole (hereafter “central hole”) by $`37^{\prime \prime }`$ (0.4 pc at a distance of 2.2 kpc), analogous to the results for 1E 1207.4–5209 (Giacani et al., 2000), which is off-centre by almost 1 pc. Most of the other minima present in the field are produced through absorption of background continuum emission. This is not the case for the central hole, where no continuum emission is detected to a limit of 20 mJy beam-1 or 1.5 K. It is reasonable to propose that RX J0822–4300 has a direct influence on this H i depression. The alignment observed between this minimum and the lobes (Figure 4) is remarkable. However, it is not clear whether the coincidence in position between the central hole and RX J0822–4300 is a projection effect.

If we assume that the distance to the central hole is the same as the distance to the lobes, 2.2 kpc, the mean diameter of the hole is 1.2 pc ($`1\stackrel{}{.}9`$). The ratio between the minor and major axis is 0.7. If we assume that the minimum emission at the hole is due to an absence of neutral hydrogen, then the depleted mass amounts 0.3 M.

## 4 Discussion

The present H i observations have revealed an intriguing structure consisting of two aligned depressions like lobes. The western one is broader and deeper than the eastern lobe, consistent with effects expected from the general density gradient of gas at the distance of Puppis A (Dubner & Arnal, 1988; Reynoso et al., 1995). In the previous section, we pointed out that the elongated H i feature has : (a) the same systemic velocity as that of Puppis A, (b) alignment with the compact source RX J0822–4300, which lies between the two lobes, and (c) the same orientation as a line from the optical expansion centre of Puppis A to the CCO. These three points, together with the absence of similar features at other velocities, strongly suggest that this H i structure is associated with RX J0822–4300, either related to the past history (translation from the expansion centre to the present location) or with currently ongoing activity (e.g. mass ejection). However, the central hole, although positionally coincident with RX J0822–4300 (Fig. 5), is at a different velocity to the lobes.

### 4.1 The origin of the H i structure

Brazier & Johnston (1999) propose that radio quiet NSs are normal pulsars which are not beamed towards the observer. From a theoretical point of view, the rotational energy loss of a young pulsar is converted into a relativistic wind of electron-positron pairs coupled with the ambient magnetic field which, when confined by the high-pressure inside a SNR, generates a synchrotron emitting nebula. At present, 13 out of 15 pulsars associated with Galactic SNRs are known to have created pulsar wind nebulae (PWN) (Gaensler et al., 2000b; Giacani et al., 2001; Kaspi & Helfand, 2002), while H$`\alpha `$ bow-shock nebulae have been detected around five NSs (Chatterjee & Cordes 2002 and references therein). It is expected that the local distribution of neutral gas might show the effect of the injection of particles and energy from the neutron star. This could be manifest as ionization of gas or bulk sweeping up of low density gas to the boundaries of the possible jets or outflows. The absence of detected radio continuum emission from ionized gas supports to the second hypothesis.

We have compared the H i structure with the ROSAT image of Puppis A (Figure 7). No X-ray enhancement can be detected at the position of the H i depressions, as would be expected if the gas had been heated to $`10^6`$ K. Moreover, the X-ray emission appears to be enhanced along the periphery of the H i structure, mainly at the end of the eastern lobe.

The morphology strongly suggests that the lobes represent jets or collimated outflows ejected by RX J0822–4300. Synchrotron nebular tails interpreted as jets associated with pulsars have been detected both in X-rays and in radio continuum (e.g. PSR B1757–24, Kaspi et al. 2001). In some cases, like PSR B1509–58 in G320.4–1.2 (Gaensler et al., 1999, 2002), the radio continuum is enhanced at both sides of the X-ray features. In these cases, the radio synchrotron emission is thought to originate in a cylindrical sheath around a hot, thermal X-ray jet (Hjellming & Johnston, 1988; Frail et al., 1997), where particle acceleration might occur via laterally expanding shocks. Such lateral shocks could account for the H i emission feature detected at an anomalous velocity (Dubner et al., 2002) aligned with the X-ray jet in G320.4–1.2. In most cases, the collimated outflows are believed to be directed along the pulsar’s spin axis (Hester et al., 1995; Gaensler et al., 2002). The process by which jets are produced is not well understood.

Dodson et al. (2003) discovered two aligned lobes in radio continuum centered on the Vela pulsar, with a morphology very similar to the double lobed H i structure detected here. Two opposing X-ray jets are aligned in the direction of the proper motion of the Vela pulsar (Helfand, Gotthelf & Halpern, 2001; Pavlov et al., 2000, 2003). However, the radio continuum double lobed structure is almost prependicular to this axis (Dodson et al., 2003). The fact that the jets align with the proper motion is not coincidental, and has implications for formation models of neutron stars. The radio luminosity of the two lobes is only $`10^6`$ the spin down energy $`\dot{E}`$ of the pulsar. The morphological similarity between the double lobed structures in Vela and RX J0822–4300 is suggestive of a common origin, yet their different orientation with respect to the proper motion of the NS is difficult to interpret.

There are also problems in trying to interpret the two H i lobes as jets. First, jets have velocities of at least a few thousand km s-1 (Frail et al., 1997; Kaspi et al., 2001), which seems incompatible with the narrow spectral width of the H i structure. Also, jets are usually less than 1 pc in extension, unlike the H i lobes. Rather, the lobes are comparable in size with typical PWN (Petre, Kuntz & Shelton, 2002). It has been suggested that the motion of the pulsar might determine the morphology of the surrounding ISM with the pulsar lying at the apex of a nebula emitting in radio or X-rays (e.g. W44, Frail et al. 1996; IC 443, Olbert et al. 2001). Such a scenario for RX J0822–4300 is unlikely since it cannot explain either the western lobe or the central hole. However, it is possible that two effects are combined: the ejection of two opposing jets into a medium in turn modified by the passage of the CCO.

Undoubtedly, the main difficulty with trying to explain the double lobed feature as an energetic pulsar phenomenon is the lack of any significant radio or X-ray counterpart. If RX J0822–4300 were a normal pulsar, the non-detection of a radio continuum counterpart to the H i structure could be explained by the inefficiency in converting $`\dot{E}`$ into detectable radio emission. The lack of detection of any pulsation or PWN associated with RX J0822–4300, probably (but not necessarily) means that this source is not a high $`\dot{E}`$ pulsar. Developing a detailed explanation to account for the H i double lobed structure discovered here constitutes a challenge that could help to interpret the nature of unconventional neutron stars.

### 4.2 The distance to Puppis A

The distance to Puppis A of $`2.2\pm 0.3`$ kpc was determined based on a systemic velocity of +16 km s-1 obtained in a VLA H i absorption study (Reynoso et al., 1995). Additional determinations based on the proper motion of optical filaments (Dechristopher & Winkler, 1994) and on a possible association with Vela OB1 (Sakhinov & Smirnov, 1983), yielded a distance of 1.9 kpc, in good agreement with the previous value. However, an OH 1667 MHz study (Woermann et al., 2000) casts doubt on this value of 2.2 kpc. The OH spectra show absorption lines at velocities less than +7.6 km s-1 and emission lines above this velocity. If the systemic velocity of Puppis A is indeed +7.6 km s-1, then the kinematic distance would be 1.3 kpc, after applying the Galactic rotation model of Fich, Blitz & Stark (1989).

To clarify this issue, we analyzed the H i column densities obtained by integrating the brightness temperature in two velocity ranges: from $`v=10`$ to $`+7.6`$ km s-1, and from $`10`$ to $`+16`$ km s-1. The two column densities obtained are $`N_\mathrm{H}=1.1`$ and $`2.5\times 10^{21}`$ cm-2 respectively. There are no previous direct measurements of this quantity. We recall that these values are lower limits, since they rely on the assumption that the H i emission is optically thin. Aschenbach (1993) analyzed the diffuse X-ray emission from Puppis A and concluded that $`N_\mathrm{H}2.9\times 10^{21}`$ cm-2. Fitting atmosphere models to RX J0822–4300, Zavlin et al. (1999) obtain a 90% confidence range of $`N_\mathrm{H}=2.94.7\times 10^{21}`$ cm-2, consistent with the $`26\times 10^{21}`$ cm-2 range inferred by Winkler et al. (1981) based on X-ray emission lines of O vii and O viii. From the fitted H i column density, Zavlin et al. (1999) infer a distance of between 1.9 and 2.5 kpc to Puppis A.

The agreement of the higher $`N_\mathrm{H}`$ obtained by us with these previous estimates provides supporting evidence for the choice of +16 km s-1 as the systemic velocity for Puppis A. The only support for the lower value of $`N_\mathrm{H}`$ is the column density of $`1.6\times 10^{21}`$ cm-2 estimated by Diplas & Savage (1994), based on Ly$`\alpha `$ observations towards the nearby star HD 69882. Since this star is almost $`1^{}`$ away from RX J0822–4300, this result may not be relevant. The column density estimated here when integrating from $`10`$ to $`+16`$ km s-1 not only supports the previously accepted kinematic distance of 2.2 kpc but also excludes the power-law fitted by Zavlin et al. (1999) to the X-ray spectra of RX J0822–4300, which requires that $`N_\mathrm{H}10^{22}`$ cm-2.

In addition to the agreement in column densities, another argument in favour of the systemic velocity of +16 km s-1 for Puppis A is provided by the velocity at which the double lobed H i structure appears. Woermann et al. (2000) found that their results are compatible with a similar excitation temperature for the two spectral components in OH towards Puppis A at +3.5 and +13 km s-1. Given these assumptions, the second component must necessarily lie behind Puppis A in order to appear in emission. However, there is no direct evidence to suggest that the two components do, in fact, have the same excitation temperatures. Moreover, since the assumed excitation temperature ($`6.5`$ K) is quite close to the brightness temperature of the continuum background (3.4 K off source; $`9`$ K on source), a small change in the excitation temperature (to $`10`$ K), would lead to an emission line at +13 km s-1, even if the OH line arises in molecular gas in front of the SNR. Such a condition would have been revealed by subtracting an “expected” profile from the OH spectra towards Puppis A.

## 5 Conclusions

We have found a second example of a CCO which appears to have modified the surrounding neutral gas. The CCO is RX J0822–4300 and the host SNR is Puppis A. The first example reported is 1E 1207.4–5209 in the SNR G296.5+10.0 (Giacani et al., 2000). For both cases, the CCO lies near the centre of an H i depression. In the case of Puppis A, the depression consists of two lobes, located on either side of the CCO, with possibly a blue-shifted hole, similar to that found at the position of 1E 1207.4–5209. This structure appears to be formed by the ejection of two opposing, collimated jets. This hypothesis is based on the assumption that the explosion site of Puppis A is coincident with the expansion centre of optical features suggested by Winkler et al. (1988). The proper motion of RX J0822–4300 is estimated to be $`0.1`$ arcsec yr-1. X-ray observatories currently in progress should be able to measure within the next few years if the CCO has moved from the present position, providing evidence to test this hypothesis. Observations of H i carried out with higher spatial resolution, and more sensitive X-ray observations, would be very valuable in searches for collimated outflows ejected from the CCO. The present H i observations have been used to confirm the distance of 2.2 kpc to Puppis A, derived in an earlier VLA H i absorption study (Reynoso et al., 1995). This estimate is based on a systemic velocity of $`+16`$ km s-1 of the double lobed structure, and reinforced by the agreement between the value for the H i column density obtained by integrating the H i emission from –10 to +16 km s-1, with those derived from models for X-ray spectra (Winkler et al., 1981; Zavlin et al., 1999).

## Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Naomi McClure-Griffiths, who provided data from the SGPS and assisted with their amalgamation into the ATCA data; and to Jim Caswell, Pablo Velázquez and Beate Woermann for helpful discussions. This research was partially funded through CONICET grant 4203/96, UBACYT grant A013 and by the Australian Research Council. The Australia Telescope Compact Array is funded by the Commonwealth of Australia for operation as a National Facility by CSIRO. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under a cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.


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# Entanglement and quantum fluctuations

## Abstract

We discuss maximum entangled states of quantum systems in terms of quantum fluctuations of all essential measurements responsible for manifestation of entanglement. Namely, we consider maximum entanglement as a property of states, for which quantum fluctuations come to their extreme.

In spite of a great progress in investigation and implementation of quantum entanglement, it still remains an enigmatic phenomenon, which is in need of accurate definition and disclosure of mathematical structure hidden behind it. The urgency of this is caused by the discovery of quantum cryptography 1  and quantum teleportation 2  that put entanglement at the very heart of quantum information processing and quantum computing (e.g., see Ref. 3 ).

As usually, the first thing to settle is to separate the essential from accidental. In the case of entanglement, this touches upon even the very definition, which still remains intuitive at great extent. In fact, the concept of entanglement was formed under strong influence of bipartite systems that have transparent mathematical structure provided by the Schmidt decomposition 4 .

Probably, the definition of entanglement that the most experts are agreeing with is as follows.

”Quantum entanglement is a subtle nonlocal correlation among the parts of a quantum system that has no classical analog. Thus, entanglement is best characterized and quantified as a feature of the system that cannot be created through local operations that act on the different parts separately, or by means of classical communication among the parts.” (See Ref. 5 ).

The assigning primary importance to the quantum correlations, having no classical analog, seems to be the most essential in the intuitive definitions of entanglement. In particular, just these correlations are responsible for information transmission in quantum channels 6 .

At the same time, the assumption of nonlocality, which is important for quantum communication processing, leads to a loss in generality. In particular, this requirement is meaningless in the case of entanglement in Bose-Einstein condensate because of the strong overlap of wave functions of individual atoms 7 . Besides that, it leaves aside the single-particle entanglement with respect to intrinsic degrees of freedom 8 ; 9 ; 10 .

The entanglement is also defined in terms of violation of classical realism described by the Bell-type inequalities 11  and Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) conditions 12 . This means the violation of local classical constrains on the correlation of measurements performed on different parts of the system. In fact, violation of these constrains indicates the quantum nature of states and can be observed for unentangled states as well. An example is provided by coherent states 9  that represent an exact antithesis to entanglement.

In turn, the requirement of nonseparability of states that is often considered as a definition, in reality is not a sufficient condition of entanglement 13 . An example of nonseparable unentangled state is considered below.

An important property of entangled states is that one can change the amount of entanglement by a certain operations such as the Lorentz bust 14  and SLOCC (stochastic local operations assisted by classical communications) 15 ; 16 ; 17 . In particular, this means that all entangled states can be constructed from the maximum entangled (ME) states through the use of these operations 17 . Thus, if ME states are well defined, all other entangled states can be constructed.

The main aim of this note is to discuss a novel definition of ME states and its consequences.

From the intuitive definitions, it follows that the maximum entanglement should be considered as an extreme property of quantum states maximally remote from the ”classical reality” (classical bonds on correlation of measurements). Such a ”remoteness” can be naturally specified in terms of quantum fluctuations of observables.

As a matter of fact, the principle difference between the classical and quantum levels of description of physical systems consists just in the existence of quantum fluctuations (uncertainties) in the latter case, caused by the interpretation of observables in terms of Hermitian operators. The total uncertainty of all essential measurements performed over a physical system can be used as a measure of remoteness of a state of this system from the classical reality.

We choose to interpret ME state of a given system as that, providing the maximum remoteness from the classical reality.

To cast this definition into a rigorous form, consider a quantum system $`S`$ (not necessarily a nonlocal one) defined in the Hilbert space $`(S)`$. Let $`\{M_i\}`$ be a set of all essential measurements. The choice of the essential observables depends on the physical measurements we are going to perform over the system, or, what is the same, on the Hamiltonians, which are accessible for the manipulation with quantum states. Let $`\psi (S)`$ be a pure state. Then, the result of quantum measurement $`M_i`$ is specified by the expectation value

$`M_i=\psi |M_i|\psi `$ (1)
and variance (uncertainty)

$`V_i(\psi )(\mathrm{\Delta }M_i)^2=\psi |M_i^2|\psi \psi |M_i|\psi ^2,`$ (2)
describing quantum fluctuations. In the case of mixed state with the density matrix $`\rho `$, instead of (1) and (2) we get

$`M_i=Tr(\rho M_i),V_i(\rho )=Tr[\rho (\mathrm{\Delta }M_i)^2],`$ (3)
respectively.

We choose to specify the remoteness of quantum states from the classical reality by the total variance that has the form

$`𝕍(\psi )={\displaystyle \underset{i}{}}V_i(\psi ),`$ (4)
in the case of pure states, and

$`𝕍(\rho )={\displaystyle \underset{i}{}}V_i(\rho ),`$ (5)
in the case of mixed states.

In the spirit of our philosophy, we define ME of pure states in $`(S)`$ by the condition

$`𝕍(\psi _{ME})=\underset{\psi (S)}{\mathrm{max}}𝕍(\psi ).`$ (6)
In the case of mixed states, Eq. (6) is replaced by the following

$`𝕍(\rho _{ME})=\underset{\rho }{\mathrm{max}}𝕍(\rho ).`$ (7)
This definition means that ME states have the maximum scale of quantum fluctuations of all essential measurements. Eqs. (6) and (7) represent a variational principle for maximum entanglement similar in a sense to the maximum entropy principle in statistical mechanics. In particular, this principle permits us to understand how to prepare a persistent ME state, which is necessary for teleportation and other quantum information processes. First, we should exert influence upon the system to achieve the state with maximum scale of quantum fluctuations. Then, the energy of the system should be decreased up to a (local) minimum under the condition of retention of the fluctuation scale. The possible realization of the process in atom-photon system was discussed in Refs. 18 ; 19 .

In a special case of interest, when the enveloping algebra of the Lie algebra of all essential measurements $`(M)`$ contains a uniquely defined Casimir operator

$`\widehat{𝐂}={\displaystyle \underset{i}{}}M_i^2=𝐂\times 𝕀,`$ (8)
where $`𝕀`$ is the unit operator, the conditions (6) and (7) can be represented in a different form. Namely, it follows from Eqs. (2)-(5) and (8) that the maximum in (6) and (7) is achieved if

$`iM_i=0.`$ (9)
Then, the maximum total variance takes the form

$`𝕍_{max}=𝐂.`$ (10)
It should be mentioned that it was observed in Ref. 20  that ME states obey the condition (9), which can be used as an operational definition of maximum entanglement.

To illustrate the definition of ME states (4) and condition (9), consider a system of $`N`$ qubits defined in the Hilbert space

$`_{2,N}=(_2)^N.`$
A pure state $`\psi _{2,N}`$ has the form

$`|\psi ={\displaystyle \psi _{\mathrm{}_1\mathrm{}_2\mathrm{}\mathrm{}_N}𝐞_\mathrm{}_1𝐞_\mathrm{}_2\mathrm{}𝐞_\mathrm{}_N},`$ (11)
where $`𝐞_{\mathrm{}}=|\mathrm{}`$, $`\mathrm{}=0,1`$, are the base vectors in $`_2`$. The dynamic symmetry group $`G`$ in the two-dimensional space $`_2`$ is $`G=SU(2)`$. At the same time, the local measurements are provided by the Pauli operators 21

$`\{\begin{array}{cc}\sigma _1=\hfill & |01+|10|\hfill \\ \sigma _2=\hfill & i(|01||10|)\hfill \\ \sigma _3=\hfill & |00||11|\hfill \end{array}`$ (15)
that form a representation of the infinitesimal generators of the $`SL(2,)`$ algebra $`^c`$. The corresponding dynamic symmetry group $`G^c=\mathrm{exp}(^c)`$ is the $`SL(2,)`$ group, which is known to be the complexification of $`G=SU(2)`$.

It should be stressed that the complexification of the dynamic group plays here very important role 8 . In particular, SLOCC in an $`N`$-partite system is identified with the complexification $`G^c=_iSL(_i)`$ of the dynamic symmetry group $`G=_iSU(_i)`$ 16 ; 17 . The complexification of the spin group $`G=SU(2)`$ also emerges as Lorentz group, locally isomorphic to $`G^c=SL(2,)`$, in study of relativistic transformation of entanglement 14 .

The condition of maximum entanglement (9) imposes a certain restrictions on the multidimensional matrix 22  $`[\psi ]`$ of coefficients in (11). Namely, the parallel slices of $`[\psi ]`$ should be orthogonal and have the same norm. This result can also be considered as the necessary and sufficient condition of ME states 8 .

Consider the three-qubit system ($`N=3`$). In this case, $`[\psi ]`$ is a three-dimensional matrix (cube) shown in Fig. 1. The parallel slices are represented by the faces of the cube. Consider, for example, the parallel faces $`(\psi _{000},\psi _{010},\psi _{100},\psi _{110})`$ and $`(\psi _{001},\psi _{011},\psi _{101},\psi _{111})`$. The condition of orthogonality then gives the equations

$`Re(\psi _{000}\psi _{001}^{}+\psi _{010}\psi _{011}^{}+\psi _{110}\psi _{111}^{}+\psi _{100}\psi _{101}^{})`$ $`=0,`$
$`Im(\psi _{000}\psi _{001}^{}+\psi _{010}\psi _{001}^{}+\psi _{110}\psi _{111}^{}+\psi _{100}\psi _{101}^{})`$ $`=0,`$
that coincide with the conditions $`\sigma _1^{(3)}=0`$ and $`\sigma _2^{(3)}=0`$, where the superscript indicates the measuring party. In turn, the equation

$`|\psi _{000}|^2+|\psi _{010}|^2+|\psi _{110}|^2+|\psi _{100}|^2`$
$`=|\psi _{001}|^2+|\psi _{011}|^2+|\psi _{111}|^2+|\psi _{101}|^2,`$
specifying the equality of the corresponding norms, comes from the condition $`\sigma _3^{(3)}=0`$. All other conditions in (9) can be considered in the same way.

It is seen that the conditions (9) in the case of $`N`$-qubit system give $`3\times N`$ equations. One more equation comes from the normalization of (11). At the same time, the number of complex elements in $`[\psi ]`$ is equal to $`dim_{2,N}=2^N`$, which corresponds to $`2\times 2^N`$ real parameters. Since $`2^{N+1}>3\times N+1`$ at $`N2`$, any bipartite and multipartite system of two qubits has infinitely many ME states. Among them, the ME states forming a basis in $`_{2,N}`$ are important. Such a basis can be constructed in the following way. Consider first the generic ME state of $`N`$ qubits

$`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}}(|00\mathrm{}0\pm |11\mathrm{}1)={\displaystyle \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}}{\displaystyle \underset{\mathrm{}=0}{\overset{1}{}}}{\displaystyle \underset{j=1}{\overset{N}{}}}|\mathrm{}_j.`$ (16)
It is easily seen that the two states (13) obey the condition (9). The examples at $`N=2`$ and $`N=3`$ are provided by the Bell and GHZ states, respectively. The basis of ME states in $`_{2,N}`$ can be generated by the action of the local cyclic permutation operator

$`𝒞_2=|01|+|10|`$ (17)
on the generic states (13) $`(2^{N1}1)`$ times (also see Ref. 2 ). Here the operator (14) formally coincides with $`\sigma _1`$ in (12). In the case of qudits ($`d`$ degrees of freedom per party), this operator takes the form

$`𝒞_d=|01|+\mathrm{}+|d10|`$
so that $`𝒞^d=𝕀`$.

Consider now a few important corollaries of the above definition of ME states.
$``$ Corollary 1. The classification of quantum states according to the scale of quantum fluctuations is known since the discussion of coherent states (e.g., see 23 ; 24 ). The coherent states have the minimum scale of quantum fluctuations and therefore they are considered as almost classical states. Thus, by definition, ME states represent an exact antithesis to coherent states.
$``$ Corollary 2. The definition of ME states (6) or (7) is independent on whether the system is nonlocal or not. For example, it can be used to specify ME states of a particle with respect to internal degrees of freedom. An example is provided by $`\pi `$-mesons that are built from the up $`u`$ and down $`d`$ quarks as follows 25

$`\pi ^+u\overline{d},\pi ^{}\overline{u}d,\pi _0{\displaystyle \frac{u\overline{u}d\overline{d}}{\sqrt{2}}}.`$
The first two particles $`\pi ^\pm `$ correspond to the coherent states of internal (quark) degrees of freedom, while $`\pi ^0`$ is specified by ME state with respect to quarks. Since these two states have quite different levels of quantum fluctuations, $`\pi ^0`$ meson should be less stable than $`\pi ^\pm `$. In fact, the ratio of lifetimes is $`\tau _0/\tau _\pm 3\times 10^9`$. The single-particle entangled states are possible if the number of internal degrees of freedom exceeds two (single qutrit etc.).
$``$ Corollary 3. The definition of ME states (6) can also be applied to the photon field, when the dynamic symmetry is specified by the Weyl-Heisenberg group. Choosing the measurements as the field quadratures

$`q={\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}(a+a^+),p={\displaystyle \frac{i}{2}}(aa^+),[a,a^+]=1`$
and employing condition (9), it is easily seen that the Fock number state $`|n`$ and squeezed vacuum state give $`q=p=0`$ and provide the total variances

$`𝕍_{Fock}=(2n+1)/2,𝕍_{squeez}=(2\mathrm{cosh}r1)/2,`$
respectively. Here $`r`$ is the squeezing parameter. A certain difference between the variances is caused by the fact that the Weyl-Heisenberg algebra has no uniquely defined Casimir operator. The number and squeezed vacuum state represents a kind of parametric ME states because the scale of quantum fluctuations is specified by the parameters $`n`$ and $`r`$, respectively. The real ME states are achieved in the limit $`n,r\mathrm{}`$.

Of course, some other entangled states of light, specified by the measurements belonging to the $`SU(N)`$ subalgebras in the Weyl-Heisenberg algebra and corresponding to the polarization and angular moment of photons, can also be considered in terms of definition (6) and (7).
$``$ Corollary 4. The total variance (4) cannot be used as a measure of entanglement. The unentangled states may manifest even more quantum fluctuations than entangled states but not ME states. For example, the three-qubit $`W`$ state 16  has $`𝕍_W=8+2/3`$. The maximum entangled GHZ state has $`𝕍_{GHZ}=9`$, so that the level of quantum fluctuations in $`W`$ state is quite close to maximum. At the same time, $`W`$ state is not entangled because the 3-tangle 26 , which is similar to Cayley’s hyperdeterminant 27  and is an entangled monotone in the case of three qubits, is equal to zero. Thus, nonseparable $`W`$ state is not entangled. In turn, the state

$`|\psi _x=x(|000+|111)+y(|001+|110),`$ (18)
where $`x^2+y^2=1/2`$, is entangled but not maximum entangled at $`x1/2,1/\sqrt{2}`$. In the intervals $`0.122<x<0.5`$ and $`0.5<x<0.696`$, we get $`𝕍_x<𝕍_W`$.
$``$ Corollary 5. The definition (6) and possibility to construct the entangled states from ME states by means of SLOCC put the notion of entanglement within the framework of geometric invariant theory 8  (concerning geometric invariant theory, see Ref. 28 ). This permits us to introduce a new universal measure of entanglement which is the length of minimal vector in complex orbit 8

$`\mu (\psi )=\underset{gG^c}{\mathrm{min}}|g\psi |^2.`$ (19)
Here $`\psi (S)`$ is a state of quantum system $`S`$ and $`G^c`$ is the complexified dynamic symmetry group in $`(S)`$. This measure represents an entangled monotone, which is equal to zero for unentangled states and achieves maximum for ME states. The measure (16) coincides with the concurrence (determinant of $`[\psi ]`$ in (11) at $`N=2`$) in the case of two qubits and with the square root of 3-tangle for three qubits. It can also be calculated in the case of four qubits (all geometric invariants in four-qubit system were calculated in Ref. 29 ). The description of entanglement and its proper measure (not necessarily of maximum entanglement) within the framework of geometric invariant theory deserves a special, more detailed discussion.

Summarizing, we should stress that the definition of ME states in terms of extreme quantum fluctuations agrees with that based on the consideration of quantum correlations, whose maximum in many cases can be expressed in terms of condition (9) as well. At the same time, definition in terms of the variational principle (6) or (7) is more general and has an evident heuristic advantage. It lays bare the physical essence of the phenomenon as the manifestation of quantum fluctuations at their extreme and reveals the mathematical structure hidden behind the entanglement.

The most of examples in this note were referred to pure states. They can be easily generalized on the case of mixed states because the latter can be treated as a pure state of a certain doublet, consisting of the system $`S`$ and its ”mirror image” 30 .