Une interprétation géométrique des nombres de Radon-Hurwitz (Q2528590)

The author proves that the Radon-Hurwitz numbers \(q(n,F)\) over the fields \(F=\mathbb R\), \(\mathbb C\) or \(\mathbb H\) have the following common geometric significance, stated in two equivalent theorems. Theorem I. The geometric dimension of the tangent bundle \(\tau(P^{n-1}(F))\) to the \((n-1)\)-\(F\)-dimensional projective space over \(F\) is \(d(F)\cdot n-q(n,F)\), where \(d(F) =1, 2, 4\) resp. when \(F=\mathbb R\), \(\mathbb C\) or \(\mathbb H\). Theorem II. If \(F_0^*\) is the multiplicative group of elements of \(F\) of length 1, then the tangent bundle to \(S^{n-1}(F)\) (the unit sphere \(S^{n\cdot d(F)-1}\) in \(F^n\cong \mathbb R^{n\cdot d(F)})\) admits a trivial \(F_0^*\)-invariant factor of dimension \(q(n,F)-1\), and has no such of higher dimension. The result is known when \(F= \mathbb R\) from the work of Adams and the author is extending to the cases \(F=\mathbb C\) and \(\mathbb H\). The only nontrivial case is when \(n\) is even. Using the fact that \(q=q(n,F)\) is the greatest integer such that \(C_q(F)\), the Clifford algebra over \(F\), has an irreducible module \(M^0\otimes M^1\) with \(M^0\simeq M^1 \simeq F^k\) and \(k\mid n\), the author shows how to construct from such a module \(q-1\) F_0^*\(-independent fields on \)S^{n-1}(F)\(, in cases \)F = \Bbb C, \Bbb H\(, thus proving the existence of the factor of theorem II, or that \)d(F)\cdot n-q(n,F)\( in theorem I is a bound on the geometric dimension. He finishes the proof by using \)K\(-theory to prove the geometric dimension cannot be less than \)d(F)\cdot n - q(n,F)\(. Namely, he shows that a necessary condition that a \)2n-1\( dimensional vector bundle \)\mu\( over a finite CW complex \)X\( with \)\mathrm{Spin}(2n-1)\( structure have geometric dimension \)< 2n - 2r\( is that there exist \)\beta\in K(X)\( such that \)2^{r+1}\beta=\Delta(n)(\mu)\(, where \)\Delta(n)\( is the representation \)\mathrm{Spin}(2n-1)\rightarrow U(2^{n-1})\(. Then the author finishes by calculating that \)\Delta(n)(\tau\otimes 1)=\pm \tfrac12 (2+\alpha)^n\cdot (1+\alpha)^{-n/2}\( when \)F=\Bbb C\( and \)\Delta(n)(\tau\otimes 3)=\pm \tfrac12 (4+\alpha)^n\( when \)F=\Bbb H\( where \)\alpha\( generates the polynomial ring \)K(\pm \tfrac12(2+\alpha)^n)\(, and \)\tau\( is the real tangent bundle to \)\pm \tfrac12(2+\alpha)^n\(.\)