Algebraically constructible functions: real algebra and topology
arXiv:math/0202086
Abstract
Algebraically constructible functions connect real algebra with the topology of algebraic sets. In this survey we present some history, definitions, properties, and algebraic characterizations of algebraically constructible functions, and a description of local obstructions for a topological space to be homeomorphic to a real algebraic set.
14 page survey article for RAAG'01, see http://www.maths.univ-rennes1.fr/~raag01/