On modular homology in the Boolean algebra. II (Q1378447)

Combinatorial insights for ordered structures can often be gained by selecting a population of substructures (e.g. chains) and relating these to some abstract vehicle called a complex and then developing some type of homology theory which reveals what naturally occurring invariants (e.g., Betti numbers) have to do with observed numerical properties of the original structures (as in the Moebius function). In this interesting paper, a sequel to earlier papers involving one of the authors [for part I see \textit{V. Mnukhin} and \textit{J. Siemons}, ibid. 179, No. 1, 191-199 (1996; Zbl 0839.20003)], the ordered structure is the Boolean algebra on a finite set \(\Omega\) and the interesting class of substructures is the class of the \(k\)-subsets of the \(n\)-set \(\Omega\) taken as a basis of a free \(R\)-module \(M_k\), over a ring \(R\) with 1 of (not necessarily prime) characteristic \(p\) with a map \(\partial_r\colon M_k\to M_{k-r}\) \(\partial_r(\Delta)=\sum\Gamma_i\), \(1\leq i\leq{k\choose r}\) summing over all \((k-r)\)-subsets of the \(k\)-set \(\Delta\) taken to be the fundamental map upon which the homology theory developed here is based. The case \(r=1\) was established earlier, as the \(p\)-homology case. The emphasis here is on the case \(p^t=r\), \(t\geq 1\), when chains \(M\): \(0\leftarrow M_m\leftarrow M_{m+r}\leftarrow\cdots\leftarrow 0\) of maps \(\partial_r\) have interesting homological properties, including exactness except for a subchain of middle terms for which the homology is determined and in addition to generating many classes of irreducible modules, these are often shown to be equal or related to several more or less well-known classes of modules when group actions on \(\Omega\) are considered as linear maps on the free \(R\)-module with basis the Boolean algebra on \(\Omega\). In order to accomplish all this the computational machinery has been nicely developed to a sufficient level of completeness that further classes of ordered structures can also be handled in similar manner with every confidence of success.