A Borsuk-Ulam type theorem for the product of a projective space and 3-sphere (Q529095)

Let \(X\) be a finitistic space where \(\mathbb{Z}_2\) acts freely such that the cohomology ring of \(X\) with \(\mathbb{Z}_2\) coefficients is isomorphic to the cohomology ring of \(\mathbb{F}P^m\times S^3\), (\(\mathbb{F}=\mathbb{R}, \mathbb{C} \;or \;\mathbb{H} \;)\), where \(\mathbb{F}P^m\) is the projective space. The goal of the paper under review is to study the existence of equivariant maps either from the sphere \(S^n\) into \(X\) or from \(X\) into certain spaces \(Y\) which admit a free \(\mathbb Z_2\) action. It is well known that such results are closely related with Borsuk-Ulam type theorems. The major technical part of the work is to determine a list of algebras such that \(H^*(X/\mathbb{Z}_2; \mathbb{Z}_2)\) is one of these, for \(\mathbb{F}\) all 3 possible fields. This is obtained using the spectral sequence associated to the Borel fibration of the action of \(\mathbb{Z}_2\) on \(X\). It is not clear if all the algebras in the list are realizable. Nevertheless the list can be used to show a number of results, which is the last part of the work, stated in terms of equivariant maps. To illustrate the type of results, for \(\mathbb{F}=\mathbb{R}\), the authors show: Proposition 4.1 Let \(X \sim_2 \mathbb{R}P^m\times \mathbb{S}^3\) be a finitistic free \(G\)-space and the unit \(n\)-sphere \(\mathbb{S}^n\) be equipped with the antipodal action. Then, there is no \(G\)-equivariant map \(\mathbb{S}^n\to X\) (a) For \(n\geq 2\) if \(\mathrm{co-index}_2(X)=1\); (b) For \(n\geq 4\) if \(\mathrm{co-index}_2(X)=3\); (c) For \(n\geq m+3\) if \(\mathrm{co-index}_2(X)=m+2\); (d) For \(n\geq m+4\) if \(\mathrm{co-index}_2(X)=m+3\). Here \(G\) is isomorphic to \(\mathbb{Z}_2\) and \(\sim_2\) means isomorphism mod 2. For \(\mathbb{F}=\mathbb{C}\) or \(\mathbb{H}\) the authors show a similar result. Concerning maps from \(X\) into a paracompact Hausdorff space \(Y\) equipped with a free \(\mathbb{Z}_2\) action, they show for \(\mathbb{F}=\mathbb{R}\): Proposition 4.7 Suppose that \(G=\mathbb{Z}_2\) acts freely on a finitistic space. Let \(X \sim_2 \mathbb{R}P_ m\times \mathbb{S}^3\) and \(Y\) a path connected, paracompact Hausdorff space. Then, there is no \(G\)-equivariant map \(X \to Y\) (a) If \(\iota(X)=4\) and \(H^k(Y/G)=0\) for \(k=2 \;or \;3\); (b) If \(\iota(X)=m+3\) and \(H^k(Y/G)=0\) for some \(2\leq k<m+ 3\); (c) If \(\iota(X)=m+4\) and \(H^k(Y/G)=0\) for some \(2\leq k<m+ 4\). Here \(\iota\) means the index defined by \textit{A. Yu. Volovikov} [Sb. Math. 191, No. 9, 1259--1277 (2000; Zbl 0987.57016); translation from Mat. Sb. 191, No. 9, 3--22 (2000)].