Secondary cohomology and the Steenrod square (Q1605638)

This paper presents an elaborate new theory of secondary modules, algebras, etc. If \(k\) is a field and \(R\) a \(k\)-algebra, a secondary module over \(R\) consists of a diagram \(R\otimes X_0@>\Gamma>> X_1 @>\partial >> X_0\) satisfying various properties. To define secondary cohomology \({\mathcal H}^n(X)\) of a topological space \(X\) one first fixes a field \(k\) and Eilenberg-MacLane spaces \(Z^n= K(k,n)\) admitting an action of the symmetric group \(\sigma_n\). Then \({\mathcal H}^n(X)\) is the secondary module given by \({\mathcal H}^n(X)_1 @>\partial >> {\mathcal H}^n(X)_0\), where the above \(k\)-algebra \(R\) is \(k[\sigma_n]\), \({\mathcal H}^n(X)_0\) is the set of all pointed maps \(X\to Z^n\), and \({\mathcal H}^n(X)_1\) is the set of pairs \((x,H)\) with \(x\in{\mathcal H}^n(X)_0\) and \(H:x\Rightarrow 0\) a homotopy class of homotopies \(x\simeq 0\). For a secondary module \(X\) as above, \(\pi_1X\) is defined to be \(\ker(\partial)\), and \(\pi_0X\) to be coker\((\partial)\). Then \(\pi_0{\mathcal H} ^n(X)=\widetilde H^n(X)\) and \(\pi_1{\mathcal H}^n(X)=\widetilde H^{n-1}(X)\). The main relationship with Steenrod squares is that Sq\(^{n-1}:H^n\to H^{2n-1}\) can be interpreted as sending \(y\in\pi_0{\mathcal H}^n\) to the element \(\Gamma(\tau_{n,n},y\cdot y)\in\pi_1{\mathcal H}^{2n}\), where \(\tau_{n,n}\in k[\sigma_{n+n}]\) is the interchange element, and \(y\cdot y\) utilizes the pairing \(Z^n\times Z^n\to Z^{2n}\). A relationship of this theory with Hochschild cohomology HH\(^3\) is also described.