Proof:

Note that if $ T$ is non-singular, it is a proper map and so it extends continuously as a map of $ S^n$ sending the point at infinity to itself. Conversely, if $ T$ fails to be bijective then there is a sequence of points $ {\bf x}_n$ such that $ \Vert{\bf x_n}\Vert\rightarrow +\infty$ but $ T({\bf x}_n) = 0$ for every $ n$. Thus if $ T$ were to extend continuously as a map of $ S^n$ we would be forced to map the point at infinity namely the north pole to (the point of $ S^n$ corresponding to) the origin. On the other hand since $ T$ is not the zero map, pick a vector $ {\bf u}$ such that $ T{\bf u} \neq 0$ and the sequence $ m{\bf u}$ converges (as $ m\rightarrow \infty$) to the point at infinity on $ S^n$. Thus by continuity we would have $ \lim T(m{\bf u}) = 0$, as $ m\rightarrow 0$. Hence, $ m\Vert T{\bf u}\Vert\longrightarrow 0$ which is plainly false since $ T{\bf u} \neq 0$.

More important examples are furnished by regarding $ S^2$ as the one point compactification of the plane $ \mathbb{C}$ and using the field structure on the plane. The proof of the following is an exercise.

nisha 2012-03-20