On the homology of configuration spaces \(C((M, M_0) \times R^n; X)\) (Q1281667)

Let \((M,M_0)\) be a smooth triangulated manifold pair and \(\widetilde C^k(M,M_0)\) be its \(k\)-th ordered configuration space consisting of all \(k\)-tuples of distinct points in \(M\). On \(\widetilde C^k(M,M_0)\) the symmetric group \(\Sigma_k\) acts permuting coordinates. For a space \(X\) with a non-degenerate base point \(\ast\) the configuration space of \((M,M_0)\) with labels in \(X\) is the quotient space \[ C(M,M_0;X) = \left(\coprod^{\infty}_{k=1}\widetilde C^k(M,M_0) \times_{\Sigma_k}X^k\right)/\approx, \] where the identification \(\approx\) is generated by \[ (a_1,\ldots,a_k;x_1,\ldots,x_k)\approx (a_1,\ldots,a_{k-1};x_1,\ldots,x_{k-1}) \] if \(a_k\in M_0\) or \(x_k = \ast\). The author determines the homology with field coefficients of \(C((M,M_0)\times {\mathbb R}^n;X)\) for each \(n \geq 1\) in the case in which \((M,M_0)\) is a compact pair and \(X\) is an arbitrary space. The description is given in terms of \(H_\ast(M,M_0)\) and \(H_\ast(\Omega^{m+n-q} S^{m+n} X)\), \(q = 0,1,\ldots,m\), where \(m =\dim M\). This answers a conjecture of \textit{F. R. Cohen} and \textit{L. R. Taylor} [Lect. Notes Math. 657, 78-143 (1978; Zbl 0398.55004)] and generalizes previous result of \textit{C.-F. Boedigheimer}, \textit{F. Cohen} and \textit{L. Taylor} [Math. Gottingensis, Schriftenr. Sonderforschungsbereichs Geom. Anal. 24 (1987; Zbl 0616.55008)], where the homology of configuration spaces with a sphere as label space were computed.