TY - JOUR AB - We study robust properties of zero sets of continuous maps f: X → ℝn. Formally, we analyze the family Z< r(f) := (g-1(0): ||g - f|| < r) of all zero sets of all continuous maps g closer to f than r in the max-norm. All of these sets are outside A := (x: |f(x)| ≥ r) and we claim that Z< r(f) is fully determined by A and an element of a certain cohomotopy group which (by a recent result) is computable whenever the dimension of X is at most 2n - 3. By considering all r > 0 simultaneously, the pointed cohomotopy groups form a persistence module-a structure leading to persistence diagrams as in the case of persistent homology or well groups. Eventually, we get a descriptor of persistent robust properties of zero sets that has better descriptive power (Theorem A) and better computability status (Theorem B) than the established well diagrams. Moreover, if we endow every point of each zero set with gradients of the perturbation, the robust description of the zero sets by elements of cohomotopy groups is in some sense the best possible (Theorem C). AU - Franek, Peter AU - Krcál, Marek ID - 568 IS - 2 JF - Homology, Homotopy and Applications SN - 15320073 TI - Persistence of zero sets VL - 19 ER -