Vector bundles of maximal codegree (Q1079230)

Let E be an orientable real vector bundle over a finite connected CW- complex X with dim X\(=n\). Writing \(X^ E\) for the Thom space and \(d=\dim E\), the codegree of E, cd(E,X) (or sometimes cd(E)) is defined as being the order of the cokernel of the Hurewicz map \(h: \pi\) \({}^ d_ S(X^ E)\to H^ d(X^ E;{\mathbb{Z}})\simeq {\mathbb{Z}}\). The codegree cd(E,X) is a positive integer depending on the stable isomorphism class of E. Since E is stably isomorphic to a pull-back of the canonical n-dimensional bundle over the Grassmann manifold of oriented n-dimensional subspaces of \({\mathbb{R}}^{2n}\), it follows that cd(E,X) is bounded above by some integer depending only on n. Let M(n) be the least integer such that cd(E,X)\(\leq M(n)\) for all (E,X) with dim X\(=n\). If cd(E,X) is equal to M(n), one says that E has maximal codegree. In this paper the authors study cd(E,X) when it is maximal or near its maximal value, and in particular they determine the function M(n). The main application is to vector bundles over complex projective spaces. Some general properties of the codegree and its relations to James numbers are in preparation by the authors. The authors consider it convenient to work at a fixed prime p and they write \(cd_ p(E,X)=\nu_ p(cd(E,X))\), where \(\nu_ p\) is p-adic valuation (the exponent of p in the prime decomposition). Lower bounds for \(cd_ p(E,X)\) can be obtained using K-theory. By using the so-called j-theory (in preparation) the authors consider the j-theory codegree of E, \(cd^ j_ p(E,X)\). For this one have \(cd^ j_ p(E,X)\leq cd_ p(E,X)\) and the j-theory codegree is usually readily computable; in particular, if p is odd and the integral homology of X has no p-torsion it can be calculated in terms of a certain rational characteristic class. For each prime p one defines a numerical function \(m_ p(n)\) as follows: For \(p=2:\) \(m_ 2(n)=[n/2]\) if \(n\equiv 0,1,2,6,7(mod 8)\), \([n/2]+1\) if \(n\equiv 3,4,5\) (mod 8); for \(p\neq 2:\) \(m_ p(n)=[n/2(p-1)]\). The main result proved in this paper is the following Theorem. Let Z be a CW- spectrum of dimension \(\leq n\). If \(x\in H^ 0(Z; {\mathbb{Z}}_ p)\), then \(p^{^ mp^{(n)}}.x\) is stable spherical, that is, lies in the imagine of the Hurewicz map \(h: \pi\) \({}^ 0_ S(Z)_{(p)}\to H^ 0(Z; {\mathbb{Z}}_{(p)}).\) As a corollary (to appear) precise bounds for \(cd^ j_ p\) are obtained. Some other results on the codegree are discussed and a detailed study of the problem in the case of the complex projective space \(P({\mathbb{C}}^{r+1})\) is given.