Mod \(p\) cohomology of \(\text{SL}(n,\mathbb Z)\) (Q1196972)

The authors study the stable mod-\(p\)-cohomology \(H^ i(\text{SL}(n,\mathbb Z);\mathbb F_ p)\) for an odd prime \(p\) by comparing it with the Farrell cohomology \(\hat H\). Denote \(G=\text{SL}(p-1;\mathbb Z)\) and \(n={1\over 2}p(p-1)-1\). Then for any \(i\) with \({1\over 2}(p-1)\leq i\leq{1\over 2}(p- 1)^ 2-2\) the following inequality is proved: \[ \dim(H^ i(G;\mathbb F_ p)\oplus H^{n-i-1}(G;\mathbb F_ p))\geq\dim(\hat H^ i(G;\mathbb F_ p)\oplus\hat H^{n-i-1}(G;\mathbb F_ p)). \] From the known behavior of the Farrell mod-\(p\)-cohomology [\textit{A. Ash}, Isr. J. Math. 67, 327--336 (1989; Zbl 0693.20041)] one gains a lower asymptotic bound on the mod-\(p\) Betti numbers of \(\text{SL}(p-1;\mathbb Z)\). The proofs use several topological results.