On the LS-category and topological complexity of projective product spaces (Q2063071)

In the present paper TC\((X)\) denotes the topological complexity (à la Farber, cf. [\textit{M. Farber}, Discrete Comput. Geom. 29, No. 2, 211--221 (2003; Zbl 1038.68130)]). The invariant \(\text{cat}(X)\) means the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of \(X\). Note that the authors use the reduced version, i.e., \(\text{cat}(X)=0\) if and only if \(X\) is contractible if and only if \(\text{TC}(X)=0\). For an \(r\)-tuple \(\overline{n}:=(n_1,\ldots,n_r)\) with \(n_1\leq \cdots\leq n_r\) consider the projective product space \[ P_{\overline{n}}=\left(S^{n_1}\times\cdots\times S^{n_r}\right)/\left((x_1,\ldots,x_r)\sim (-x_1,\ldots,-x_r)\right). \] It was introduced by \textit{D. M. Davis} [J. Topol. 3, No. 2, 265--279 (2010; Zbl 1198.55008)]. The case \(r=1\) coincides with the real projective space \(P^{n_1}\). The authors compute the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category and present a new upper bound for the topological complexity of \(P_{\overline{n}}\). Specifically, they show the following statements. \noindent \textbf{Theorem 1.2} \[ \text{cat}(P_{\overline{n}})=\text{cat}(P^{n_1})+r-1=n_1+r-1. \] \noindent \textbf{Theorem 1.3} \[ \text{TC}(P_{\overline{n}})\leq\text{TC}(P^{n_1})+\sum_{q=2}^{r} S^{n_q}. \] Theorem 1.2 is obtained through the construction of an explicit categorical cover together with the knowledge of the cohomology of \(P_{\overline{n}}\) over \(\mathbb{Z}_2\). Theorem 1.3 is obtained through the construction of an explicit motion planner for a given projective product space.