Higher cohomology operations, exotic characteristic classes and spherical fibrations (Q1911824): Difference between revisions

Let \(BSG\) be the classifying space for spherical fibrations. Let \(p\) be an odd prime and let all cohomology have coefficients in \(\mathbb{Z}/p\). We have \(j:BSO \to BSG\) and the \(J\)-homomorphism \(J_*: \pi_* (BSO) \to \pi_*(BSG)\). Tsuchiya computed \(H^*(BSG) \cong P(q_i) \otimes E(\beta q_i) \otimes C\), where the \(q_i\) are Wu classes. Sullivan gave a \(p\)-local splitting \(BSG_{(p)} \simeq BJ_p \times B \text{Coker} J_p\). The author proves a conjecture of Peterson that \(H^* (\text{Coker} J_p) \cong C\) as algebras over the mod \(p\) Steenrod algebra. Cohomology classes of \(H^* (BSG)\) which lie in the kernel of \(j^*\) and which are not generated by Wu classes are the exotic (primary) characteristic classes. The author gives a criterion for proving the nontriviality of higher order exotic characteristic classes.