Flag manifolds and the Landweber-Novikov algebra (Q1269698)

This paper provides a geometric framework within which to study the Landweber-Novikov algebra and its dual. The dual is realized as a subring of double complex cobordism, which is the cobordism theory of manifolds for which the normal bundle is the Whitney sum of two complex vector bundles. The subring is generated by a collection of toric varieties which are called bounded flag manifolds. In analogy with the classical Schubert decomposition, the cell structure of these flag manifolds is given by a collection of varieties which are nonsingular. In turn, these subvarieties give a base for the ring. Thus, one has a rather complicated collection of interesting nonsingular varieties having double complex structure. The behavior of the Landweber-Novikov algebra is expressible by formulae in these manifolds.