Additive number theory sheds extra light on the Hopf-Stiefel \(\circ\) function. (Q1419560)

This is a joint review for the papers by A. Plagne and S. Eliahou and M. Kervaire (see Zbl 1040.11020). These two papers are concerned with the generalized Hopf-Stiefel function, which is defined as follows: Let \(r,s\in \mathbb{N}\), and let \(p\) be a prime number. Then \(\beta_p(r,s):= \min\{n:(x+ y)^n\in (x^r,y^s)\}\), where \((x^r, y^s)\) is the ideal generated by \(x^r\) and \(y^s\) in the polynomial ring \(\mathbb{F}_p[x,y]\). The author computes \(\beta_p(r,s)\) by using Kneser's theorem on the minimal density of a sumset. Eliahou-Kervaire give a completely elementary proof of the formula \[ \beta_p(r,s)= \min_{t\in\mathbb{N}}\, \Biggl(\Biggl\lceil{r\over p^t}\Biggr\rceil+ \Biggl\lceil{s\over p^t}\Biggr\rceil- 1\Biggr)\, p^t. \] For \(p=2\) the number \(\beta_p(r,s)\) coincides with the classical Hopf-Stiefel function \(r\circ s\), which is relevant for composition formulas, quadratic forms and various questions in topology.