Skip to main content

All Questions

2,364 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
14 votes
0 answers
318 views

Do Sullivan's and Wilkerson's algebraic group structures on rational homotopy automorphisms coincide?

For a 1-connected space $X$ with the homotopy type of a finite CW-complex, the homotopy automorphisms $\pi_0\,\mathrm{hAut}(X)$ are known to have the structure of an arithmetic group up to finite ...
skupers's user avatar
  • 8,167
14 votes
0 answers
788 views

Covering image of a connected CW-complex need not be a CW-complex

This question is already asked here MSE, and there is an answer based on some conjecture (probably still open). I am posting the same question for a counterexample (if any, not based on such unsolved ...
Sumanta's user avatar
  • 632
14 votes
0 answers
404 views

Computations using "Stover's spectral sequence"

In this article from 1990, Stover describes a specral sequence which converges to the higher homotopy groups of the homotopy colimit of a diagram $\underline{X}$ of topological spaces. The second ...
Matt's user avatar
  • 208
14 votes
0 answers
225 views

Hauptvermutung for non-manifolds

The Hauptvermutung proposes the following: if two finite simplicial complexes are homeomorphic then they are PL-homeomorphic, meaning that they have a common refinement. People are mostly interested ...
Stefan Witzel's user avatar
14 votes
0 answers
378 views

When is a map of topological spaces homotopy equivalent to an algebraic map?

My question is simple, but I don't expect there are any simple answers. Let $X$ and $Y$ be a pair of schemes, and let $X(\mathbb{C})$ and $Y(\mathbb{C})$ denote their respective spaces complex points....
Patrick Elliott's user avatar
14 votes
0 answers
245 views

How many cells are needed in a simplicial structure of $\mathbb{S}^n$ to induce all of $\pi_n(\mathbb{S}^m)$

Serre proved, that for (allmost) all $n,m\in\mathbb{N}$ the homotopy groups $\pi_n(\mathbb{S}^m)$ are finite, so - using simplicial approximation - for $n, m$ fixed there is a finite cell ...
Takirion's user avatar
  • 549
14 votes
0 answers
338 views

Are there Alexander-Whitney maps in geometric homology?

When $X$ is a smooth manifold, Lipyanskiy defines a chain complex whose homology is isomorphic to singular homology - let's say $GC_*(X)$ - generated by maps $\sigma: M \to X$ from compact $k$-...
mme's user avatar
  • 9,580
14 votes
0 answers
272 views

Homotopy type of spaces of functions with few critical points

Given a closed manifold $M$ and an integer $k\geq 0$, let $G_k(M)$ denote the space of smooth functions $f:M\to\mathbb R$ with at most $k$ critical points. To what extend has the topology of the ...
John Pardon's user avatar
  • 18.7k
14 votes
0 answers
414 views

Does the category of G-spectra know G?

I was recently in the situation of having access to the category of $G$-modules (for some group $G$ which I had forgotten), as just a category, i.e. no monoidal structure, together with the forgetful ...
Vivek Shende's user avatar
  • 8,723
14 votes
0 answers
315 views

Uniqueness of connected cover of Morava K-theory

Let $k(n)$ denote the connected cover of Morava $K$-theory $K(n)$ at the prime $2$ and in particular $n=2$. It is known that $$ H^*(k(n)) = A//E(Q_n), $$ where $A$ is the Steenrod algebra and $Q_n$ is ...
Prasit's user avatar
  • 2,023
14 votes
0 answers
830 views

What does convergence of a Bousfield-Kan spectral sequence say about the homotopy type of the totalization?

Given a cosimplicial space or spectrum $X^\bullet$, there is an associated Bousfield-Kan spectral sequence. This starts out as the bigraded object obtained by taking homotopy groups of each $X^n$ and ...
Jonathan Beardsley's user avatar
14 votes
0 answers
574 views

Reference for a proof of the fiberwise Stokes theorem

The fiberwise Stokes theorem says that given a differential form on a smooth fiber bundle whose fibers have boundary, the difference between the fiberwise integral of the differential and the ...
Dmitri Pavlov's user avatar
14 votes
0 answers
660 views

Who stated and proved the "Hopf lemma" on bilinear maps?

If $A\otimes B\rightarrow C$ is a nondegenerate linear map, where $A, B, C$ are vector spaces over an algebraically closed field, then $\dim C\ge \dim A + \dim B -1$. Nondegenerate here means that ...
quim's user avatar
  • 1,811
14 votes
0 answers
799 views

How to see the quaternionic hopf map generates the stable 3-stem?

I am looking for a direct proof that the quaternionic hopf map generates (after suspension) the 3rd stable homotopy group of spheres. There are some related MO questions, for example: third-stable-...
Chris Schommer-Pries's user avatar
14 votes
1 answer
2k views

Finite dimensional real division algebras

A celebrated theorem of Milnor and Kervaire asserts that any finite dimensional (not necessarily associative, unital) division algebra over the real numbers has dimension 1,2,4 or 8. This result is ...
Adam Epstein's user avatar
  • 2,550
13 votes
0 answers
318 views

Is there an analogue of Steenrod's problem for $p>2$?

An element $\alpha \in H_k(X; \mathbb{Z})$ is said to be realisable if there is a $k$-dimensional connected, closed, orientable $k$-dimensional submanifold $Y$ such that $\alpha = i_*[Y]$. The ...
Crash Bandicoot's user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
388 views

Does the existence of an almost complex structure solely depend on the topology of the manifold?

To be precise, let $M$ and $N$ be two 2n-dimensional smooth, closed manifolds that are homeomorphic. If $M$ admits an almost complex structure, can we deduce that $N$ also admits an almost complex ...
Chicken feed's user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
223 views

Examples of manifolds with first nontrivial SW-class in degree 16 or bigger

As a module over the Steenrod algebra, $H^{\ast}(BO;\mathbb F_2) = \mathbb F_2[w_1, w_2, w_3, \dots]$ is generated by $w_{2^t}, t \geq 0$. Thus, the first nontrivial SW-class of any vector bundle $\xi ...
Jens Reinhold's user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
864 views

A step in Toda's computation of a Cotor

I am trying to understand a proof from Toda's paper Cohomology of classifying spaces. The step I am stuck on is at page 96. Here is the setup. We work with cohomology with $\mathbb{F}_2$ coefficients. ...
StuckStudent's user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
340 views

Morava K-theory of loop spaces of spheres

Some time ago I cam across the paper "What we still don't know about loop spaces of spheres" by Ravenel: https://people.math.rochester.edu/faculty/doug/mypapers/loop.pdf which concerns ...
Igor Sikora's user avatar
  • 1,759
13 votes
0 answers
479 views

Structures between PL and smooth

Let $X$ be a topological manifold of dimension at least five. The Kirby-Siebenmann invariant $ks(X)\in H^4(X,\mathbb{Z}_2)$ is an obstruction to the existence of a PL structure on $X$. If it vanishes, ...
Philip Engel's user avatar
  • 1,493
13 votes
0 answers
319 views

Exotic smooth structures on Fano manifolds

If two Fano projective manifolds are homeomorphic are they diffeomorphic? There are examples with one manifold being Fano and the other of general type (Barlow surfaces). Moreover, the number of ...
user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
330 views

One periodic cohomology theories?

Is there a classification of one periodic cohomology theories? In other words, spaces $X$ such that $\Omega X \simeq X$? For example, $X=*$ and $X= K(G,0) \times K(G,1) \times \dots$ are examples. ...
Connor Malin's user avatar
  • 5,849
13 votes
0 answers
391 views

Looking for an invariant similar to algebraic K-theory

I'm wondering if there is an invariant, similar to algebraic K-theory, topological hochshild homologic, topological cyclic homology etc... that has the following properties: a) It attach to each small ...
Simon Henry's user avatar
  • 42.4k
13 votes
0 answers
483 views

Examples of non-proper model structure

I have recently been thinking about left and right semi-model categories and in which case they can be promoted to Quillen model structure, and I have come to the conclusion that that absolutely all ...
Simon Henry's user avatar
  • 42.4k
13 votes
0 answers
318 views

How does quotienting by a finite subgroup act on the framed-cobordism class of a group manifold?

Let $G$ be a connected simple connected compact Lie group, and $\Gamma \subset G$ a finite subgroup. Then (the underlying manifold of) $G$ can be framed by right-invariant vector fields, and this ...
Theo Johnson-Freyd's user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
290 views

A geometric interpretation of the odd-primary Kervaire elements

Let $\Omega^\mathrm{fr}_\ast \cong \pi_\ast S$ denote the graded ring of cobordism classes of framed manifolds, which, by the Pontryagin-Thom construction, is isomorphic (as a graded ring) to the ...
skd's user avatar
  • 5,760
13 votes
0 answers
260 views

Alexander modules and weight filtrations

$\def\Ext{\mathrm{Ext}}$I have the following situation: I have a complex algebraic variety $X$. I want to compute the weight filtration on various abelian covers $Y \to X$. As a concrete example, take ...
David E Speyer's user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
564 views

Cohomology of a blow-up of a real algebraic variety

Let $X$ be a complex algebraic variety, $Z \subset X$ a closed subvariety, $\mathrm{Bl}_Z X$ the blow-up and $E$ the exceptional divisor. There is an isomorphism of cohomology groups $$ H^k(X(\mathbf ...
Dan Petersen's user avatar
  • 40.2k
13 votes
0 answers
287 views

Actions of $\mathbb Z/2\mathbb Z$ on algebraically closed fields and even-dimensional spheres and parallel between Galois theory and covering theory

It is well known that there is a parallel between Galois theory and covering theory. So I wonder whether there is a deep similarity between the following two facts: Artin-Schreier theorem. The only ...
evgeny's user avatar
  • 1,980
13 votes
0 answers
371 views

What is the cup-product structure like on a hyperbolic 5-manifold?

Let $X$ be a hyperbolic 5-manifold. Can there be any class in $H^2(X;\mathbf{Z})$ that is torsion and whose square in $H^4(X;\mathbf{Z})$ is not zero? For example, are there hyperbolic 5-manifolds ...
David Treumann's user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
586 views

Finite groups inside an infinite group with the same homology

Suppose we have a triple of groups $G,H,K$ satisfying the following conditions: $G$ and $H$ are finite groups and $K$ is an infinite group. there exist two monomorphisms $G \rightarrow K \leftarrow H$...
Ilias A.'s user avatar
  • 1,974
13 votes
0 answers
251 views

Is every simply connected finite complex the classifying space of a finite monoid

On page 323 of Fiedorowicz, "Classifying Spaces of Topological Monoids and Categories" it was stated that "it seems likely that any finite simply connected complex should [have the same weak homotopy ...
user46652's user avatar
  • 665
13 votes
0 answers
561 views

When does an $E_\infty$ algebra come from a commutative differential graded algebra?

Suppose that $K$ is an $E_\infty$-algebra on a space $X$ (more generally, any ringed topos; also, feel free to assume that $X$ is a point). That is, $K$ is a cochain complex of sheaves on $X$, endowed ...
Piotr Achinger's user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
1k views

Fundamental group of the complement homogeneous variety in $\mathbb{C}P^{n-1}$

Let $f,g:\mathbb{C}^n\to \mathbb{C}$ are two irreducible homogeneous polynomials. If there is a homeomorphism $h:\mathbb{C}^n\to \mathbb{C}^n$ such that $h(X)=Y$ and $h(0)=0$, where $X=f^{-1}(0)$ and $...
userX10's user avatar
  • 131
13 votes
0 answers
476 views

Singular cohomology of $BG$ and Borel cohomology of $G$

Stasheff, in "Continuous Cohomology of Groups and Classifying Spaces", attributes the following result to Wigner. For $A$ a discrete abelian group and $G$ a finite dimensional locally compact, $\...
mme's user avatar
  • 9,580
13 votes
0 answers
408 views

Does the de Rham version of Cohen's theorem hold in the $\infty$-setting?

One of the first results that one needs to prove in the theory of chiral algebras is a de Rham version of Cohen's theorem on the homology of $C_n$ spaces. This is achieved in Beilinson-Drinfeld's book ...
Reimundo Heluani's user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
411 views

Topological type of Brieskorn manifolds

Let us consider the complex hypersurface and suppose that $n\geq 3$: $$F(d,n)=\{(z_0,\ldots,z_n)\in \mathbb{C}^{n+1}:z_0^d+z_1^d+\ldots+z_n^d=0\}$$ and the link $V(d,n)=F(d,n)\cap S^{2n+1}_{\epsilon}$ ...
David C's user avatar
  • 9,870
13 votes
0 answers
680 views

Singular chains generated by manifolds with corners --- does it really work?

Usually we define singular homology via the complex of singular chains: $$C_\ast(X)=\bigoplus_{n\geq 0}\mathbb Z\langle\sigma:\Delta^n\to X\rangle$$ where the right hand side denotes the free abelian ...
John Pardon's user avatar
  • 18.7k
13 votes
0 answers
863 views

About maps inducing bijections on homotopy classes

Let us assume that $f:X \to Y$ is a map of connected CW complexes, having the following property: if $K$ is a finite CW complex, then the induced map $f_{\ast}:[K,X] \to [K,Y]$ on \emph{free} homotopy ...
Johannes Ebert's user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
783 views

What's so difficult about $\pi_{15}(SO)$?

Regarding the table of $SO(n)$s-of-origin in Davis+Mahowald (if you can get MathSciNet), is there a good reason that it should take longer for $\pi_{15}(SO)$ to be representable than $\pi_{19}(SO)$, ...
some guy on the street's user avatar
12 votes
0 answers
257 views

When do (or don't) residue fields generate the derived category of a ring?

Let $R$ be a commutative ring, and $D(R)$ its derived category of unbounded chain complexes. I'm interested in when the residue fields $k(\mathfrak{p}) = \mathrm{Frac}(R/\frak p)$ for $\mathfrak p \in ...
Drew Heard's user avatar
  • 3,784
12 votes
0 answers
482 views

What is the infinity category of subspaces of $\mathbb{R}^n$?

Let $\mathcal{J}$ denote the topological category of finite-dimensional real inner product spaces with linear isometric embeddings. The space of morphisms $\mathcal{J}(\mathbb{R}^k, \mathbb{R}^n)$ is ...
Niall Taggart's user avatar
12 votes
0 answers
384 views

What are some examples of 3-dualizable $(\infty,2)$ categories?

From the cobordism hypothesis, we know that (the space of) symmetric monoidal functors from the $(\infty,3)$ category of framed cobordisms into a symmetric monoidal $(\infty,3)$ category is the same ...
Andy Jiang's user avatar
  • 2,356
12 votes
0 answers
493 views

Proofs of Serre's theorem on simply-connected finite CW complexes

A famous result due to Serre states that any simply-connected finite CW complex with non-trivial $\mathbb{Z}_2$ homology has infinitely many non-zero homotopy groups. (In fact, Serre proves more than ...
homotopy-enthusiast's user avatar
12 votes
0 answers
222 views

Spin 6-fold with signature $\pm 16$

Does there exist a spin (i.e. $\frac{c_{1}}{2} \in H^{2}(M,\mathbb{Z})$) smooth complex projective $6$-fold with signature $\pm 16$? The motivation is the Rochlin-Ochanine theorem, which says that $16$...
Nick L's user avatar
  • 6,995
12 votes
0 answers
879 views

Chromatic blueshift and Tate cohomology

Let $R$ be an $L_n$-local ring spectrum. Then one knows that the Tate construction $R^{tC_p}$ (with respect to the trivial $C_p$-action on $R$) is $L_{n-1}$-local; this "blueshift" result is ...
Akhil Mathew's user avatar
  • 25.6k
12 votes
0 answers
241 views

Does cohomology ring determine a compact symmetric space?

Suppose that $M_1, M_2$ are compact connected symmetric spaces with isomorphic integer cohomology rings. Does it follow that $M_1$ is diffeomorphic to $M_2$? The only result I am aware of is this ...
Moishe Kohan's user avatar
  • 12.3k
12 votes
0 answers
408 views

The $\infty$-category of $n$-manifolds and open embeddings determined homotopically from that of topological manifolds?

Let $\mathrm{Diff}_n$, $\mathrm{PL}_n$, $\mathrm{Top}_n$ denote the $\infty$-categories of $n$-manifolds which are respectively smooth/PL/topological, and open embeddings (for instance by taking the ...
Saal Hardali's user avatar
  • 7,799
12 votes
0 answers
500 views

The homotopy theory presented by a Waldhausen category

Waldhausen introduced his categories for the purposes of defining algebraic $K$-theory of suitable categories. From a modern perspective, it looks like he was really doing two things at once: ...
Tim Campion's user avatar

1 2
3
4 5
48