A composition formula for manifold structures (Q1022829)

Let \(M\) be an \(n\)-dimensional topological manifold. The structure set \(\mathcal{S}^{TOP} (M)\) is the basic object for the classification of manifolds which are homotopy equivalent to \(M\). Strictly speaking, the set \(\mathcal{S}^{TOP} (M)\) is the pointed set of equivalence classes of pairs \((N,f)\) with \(N\) an \(n\)-dimensional manifold and \(f: N\to M\) a homotopy equivalence, with \((N_1,f_1)=(N_2,f_2)\in \mathcal{S}^{TOP} (M)\) if and only if \((f_1)^{-1}f_2: N_2\to N_1\) is homotopic to a homeomorphism, and \((M,1)\in \mathcal{S}^{TOP} (M)\) the base point. For \(n\geq 5\), the structure set \(\mathcal{S}^{TOP} (M)\) fits into the topological Browder-Novikov-Sullivan-Wall surgery exact sequence, which is isomorphic to the algebraic surgery exact sequence which was constructed by the author in [Algebraic \(L\)-theory and topological manifolds, Cambridge Tracts in Mathematics. 102. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1992; Zbl 0767.57002)]. This isomorhism provides a natural abelian group structure with operation \(+\) on the structure set \(\mathcal{S}^{TOP} (M)\). Let \(g: P\to N\), \(f: N\to M\) be homoptopy equivalences with \((N,f)\in \mathcal{S}^{TOP} (M)\), \((P,g)\in \mathcal{S}^{TOP} (N)\). In the paper under review, the author proves the composition formula \((P,fg)=(N,f)+f_*(P,g)\in \mathcal{S}^{TOP} (M)\), where \(f_*\) is a functorial map of algebraic surgery exact sequences induced by \(f\). The author also describes a relation of the obtained formulae to two natural abelian group structures on the set of normal bordism maps to the manifold \(M\). Then the author obtains results about a composition of topological normal maps and about the Whitney sum of topological normal invariants. The paper is concluded with an example of application of the results to \(\mathcal{S}^{TOP} (S^p\times S^q)\).