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A $d$-dimensional embedded submanifold $F\subseteq M^m$ has the subspace topology and, near each of its points, a manifold chart identifying it with a coordinate slice ${\mathbb{R}}^d\times \{0\}$. These slice charts for an embedded submanifold give its smooth structure, and its inclusion is a smooth embedding.

A regular value $q\in N^n$ of a smooth map $f:M^m\to N^n$ is one for which $d{f}_p:T_{p}M\to T_{q}N$ is surjective at every $p\in f^{-1}(q)$. If the preimage is nonempty this forces $m\ge n$.

The inverse function theorem used here says that if $G:U\subseteq {\mathbb{R}}^m\to {\mathbb{R}}^m$ is smooth and $D{G}_p$ is an invertible matrix, then its restriction to a suitable neighbourhood of $p$ is a diffeomorphism onto an open neighbourhood of $G(p)$, with smooth inverse.

To prove the regular level set theorem, fix $p\in f^{-1}(q)$ and choose coordinates centred at $p,q$. The coordinate representative $\tilde{f}$ has a rank-$n$ Jacobian matrix. After permuting domain coordinates, its first $n$ columns form an invertible matrix. DefineIts Jacobian matrix is block triangular with invertible diagonal blocks, so the inverse function theorem makes $G$ a local coordinate change. In these coordinates, $f^{-1}(q)$ is precisely the slice with first $n$ coordinates zero. Thus it is an embedded submanifold of dimension $m-n$, withAn empty preimage is harmless; the local assertion is then vacuous.

Three equivalent formulations of orientability of a smooth manifold are: an oriented atlas whose transition Jacobian determinants are positive; a smoothly varying orientation of a vector space on each tangent space; and a nowhere-vanishing smooth top-degree differential form. An oriented atlas gives compatible oriented coordinate frames. A partition of unity glues their positive local top forms, and a nonzero top form declares a frame positive precisely when it evaluates positively on that frame. These constructions prove the equivalence.

For the orientability of a regular fibre, write $F=f^{-1}(q)$. The derivative gives a short exact sequence of vector bundlesThis is the reason the normal bundle of a regular fibre is trivial. Choose any fixed positive basis $b_1,\dots ,b_n$ of $T_{q}N$ and an ambient orientation on $M$. Declare a frame $v_1,\dots ,v_{m-n}$ of $T_{p}F$ positive whenis positive in $T_{p}M$, where $d{f}_p({\tilde{b}}_i)=b_i$. Changing a lift adds a tangent vector and leaves the determinant sign unchanged. Local smooth lifts exist because $df$ is surjective, so this rule varies smoothly and agrees on overlaps. It gives a global orientation on $F$. Only an orientation of the single vector space $T_{q}N$ was chosen; $N$ itself need not be orientable.