Vanishing cycle

The term "vanishing cycle" can refer to different concepts depending on the context in which it is used. Here are a couple of notable interpretations: 1. **Mathematics and Algebraic Geometry**: In the context of algebraic geometry, a "vanishing cycle" is associated with the study of singularities of algebraic varieties. It arises in the context of the vanishing cycle method for understanding how the topology of a fiber varies in a family of algebraic varieties.