A criterion for the existence of periodic points based on the eigenvalues of maps induced in cohomology (Q2123151)

A formula for the Lefschetz number of the iterate \(f^k\) of a map \(f\) was developed by \textit{H. Duan} [Topology Appl. 67, No. 1, 71--79 (1995; Zbl 0836.55001)] for a self map \(f:X \to X\) where \(X\) is a space such that \(H^*(X, \mathbb{Q})\) is an exterior algebra on odd dimensional homogeneous elements. Since then several people have generalized the result of Duan. The present work under review shows the most general formulation of the result above so far. More precisely from the paper we have: Definition 12: Let \(X\) be a topological space with all cohomology groups finitely dimensional and such that the graded algebra \(H^*(X,\mathbb{Q})\) is isomorphic to a tensor product of an exterior algebra \(H^{\text{odd}}\) on odd degree generators and an algebra with only even degree elements \(H^{\text{even}}\) such that: (1) There is at most one algebra generator in each degree (in particular the zero degree generator is the identity element), (2) Each such generator squares to zero, (3) The product of all these generators' spans its highest nontrivial degree (considered as a vector space). We call such a space an extended rational exterior space. The main result of the paper is: Theorem 18: Let \(X\) be an extended rational exterior space and let \(f: X \to X\) be a continuous map. Then \(L(f^n)=\Pi_{i=1}^{r}(1-\lambda_i^n)\Pi_{i=1}^{k}(1 + \sigma_l^n)\) where \(\lambda_i\) are the eigenvalues of \(A^{\text{odd}}( f )\) and \(\sigma_i\) are the eigenvalues of \(A^{ev}( f )\). Hence, \(f\) is Lefschetz periodic point free if and only if one of the following conditions hold (1) There exists an integer \(i\) such that \(\lambda_i=1\), (2) There exist integers \(i\) and \(j\) such that \(\lambda_i= \sigma_j = -1\). In particular, if neither of the conditions above is satisfied then \(f\) has a periodic point. Then the authors present a large class of sphere bundles to which their results can be applied. The paper gives a brief but a quite complete description of the state of the art of the problem. The proofs are mostly algebraic and use basic algebraic topology tools. The authors describe the novelty of their results comparing with the ones already in the literature. Also they provide examples of spaces to show that a certain family of spaces which was stated in [loc. cit.] as a family of rational exterior spaces in fact it is not. This does not afflict the other results of the paper [loc. cit.].