Special framed Morse functions on surfaces
  Let $M$ be a smooth closed orientable surface. Let $F$ be the space of Morse functions on $M$, and $\mathbb{F}^1$ the space of framed Morse functions, both endowed with $C^\infty$-topology. The space $\mathbb{F}^0$ of special framed Morse functions is defined. We prove that the inclusion mapping $\mathbb{F}^0\hookrightarrow\mathbb{F}^1$ is a homotopy equivalence. In the case when at least $\chi(M)+1$ critical points of each function of $F$ are labeled, homotopy equivalences $\mathbb{\widetilde K}\sim\widetilde{\cal M}$ and $F\sim\mathbb{F}^0\sim{\mathscr D}^0\times\mathbb{\widetilde K}$ are proved, where $\mathbb{\widetilde K}$ is the complex of framed Morse functions, $\widetilde{\cal M}\approx\mathbb{F}^1/{\mathscr D}^0$ is the universal moduli space of framed Morse functions, ${\mathscr D}^0$ is the group of self-diffeomorphisms of $M$ homotopic to the identity. 
Elena A. Kudryavtseva
math.GT math.AT