A geometric computation of cohomotopy groups in codegree one

DOI10.2140/AGT.2025.25.3603MaRDI QIDQ6895701zbMATH OpenFDO

Publication date 25 November 2025

Published in Algebraic \& Geometric Topology (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.2140/AGT.2025.25.3603

cohomotopy set Euler class immersion local coefficients Pin\({}^\pm\)-structure Pontryagin-Thom construction smooth manifold Spin-structure twisted Poincaré duality vector bundle

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Homology with local coefficients, equivariant cohomology (55N25) Cohomotopy groups (55Q55) Specialized structures on manifolds (spin manifolds, framed manifolds, etc.) (57R15) Topology of vector bundles and fiber bundles (57R22)

Review text

The cohomotopy sets \(\pi^n[X^{n+k},\mathbb{S}^n]\) of (unpointed) homotopy classes of maps from an \((n+k)\)-dimensional cell complex \(X\) into an \(n\)-sphere play an important role in algebraic and differential topology. If \(n\) is large enough, this set can be given a group structure (see [\textit{E. H. Spanier}, Algebraic topology. Berlin: Springer-Verlag (1995; Zbl 0810.55001)]). In the case when \(k=1\) and \(n\ge 3\), Steenrod's main theorem (i.e., Theorem 28.1, p. 318 stated in [\textit{N. E. Steenrod}, Ann. Math. (2) 48, 290--320 (1947; Zbl 0030.41602)]) implies that \(\pi^n(X)\) fits into a short exact sequence of abelian groups. While this approach relies on homotopical techniques involving Postnikov towers, it is worth exploring a more geometric approach if \(X\) is a manifold. Notably, Kirby, Melvin and Teichner [\textit{R. Kirby} et al., Geom. Topol. Monogr. 18, 161--190 (2012; Zbl 1273.57012)] provided a geometric proof for the case of closed, oriented \(4\)-manifolds, contributing to a deeper understanding of the subject. Additionally, \textit{P. Konstantis} [Abh. Math. Semin. Univ. Hamb. 90, No. 2, 183--199 (2020; Zbl 1476.55037)] presented a geometric proof for closed \((n+1)\)-dimensional spin manifolds, introducing a new counting invariant in the process.\N\NUsing geometric arguments, the authors compute the group of homotopy classes of maps from a closed \((n+1)\)-dimensional manifold to the \(n\)-sphere for \(n \ge 3\). Their work extends results of Kirby, Melvin and Teichner for closed oriented \(4\)-manifolds, and of Konstantis for closed \((n+1)\)-dimensional spin manifolds, considering possibly nonorientable and nonspinnable manifolds. In the process, the authors introduce two types of manifolds that generalize the notion of odd and even \(4\)-manifolds. Furthermore, for \(n \ge 4\), they discuss applications of rank \(n\) spin vector bundles and obtain a refinement of the Euler class in the cohomotopy group that fully obstructs the existence of a nonvanishing section.

Cites work

Cited in

(1)

Suspension splittings of 5-dimensional Poincaré duality complexes and their applications

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