Van Kampen-Flores theorem and Stiefel-Whitney classes

Abstract

The van Kampen-Flores theorem states that the $d$-skeleton of a $(2d+2)$-simplex does not embed into ${\mathbb{R}}^{2d}$. We prove the van Kampen-Flores theorem for triangulations of manifolds satisfying a certain condition on their Stiefel-Whitney classes. In particular, we show that the $d$-skeleton of a triangulation of a $(2d+1)$-manifold with non-trivial total Stiefel-Whitney class does not embed into ${\mathbb{R}}^{2d}$.

8 pages, minor revision, to appear in Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society