Relative cohomology of finite groups and polynomial growth (Q1343757)

In an earlier work, Blowers discussed a relatively projective resolution of a field \(k\) for the join of two group permutation representations. Given two group permutation representations \((G,X)\) and \((L,Y)\), their join, denoted by \((G,X) * (L,Y)\), is the permutation representation \((G \times L, X \cup Y)\) with the natural action of \(G \times L\) on \(X \cup Y\). If \({\mathcal H}_ 1\) and \({\mathcal H}_ 2\) are the sets of stabilizer subgroups of \((G,X)\) and \((L,Y)\), resp., then Blowers' resolution is relatively projective for the stabilizer set \(\{G \times H_ 2,\;H_ 1\times L \mid H_ i \in {\mathcal H}_ i\}\). Using this resolution, Blowers gives examples of relative cohomology rings in which all of the cup products are zero. In this paper, the author generalizes Blowers' resolution to the situation of a single group \(G\) with two collections of subgroups. The resolution will be relatively projective for the union of the two collections of subgroups. A spectral sequence is obtained out of this relative cohomology situation which gives some insight into the structure of the relative cohomology ring under cup product and gives Blowers' results on cup products. Also, this spectral sequence is used to prove that the relative cohomology ring has polynomial growth.