Cannibalistic classes of string bundles (Q1649362)

Let \(E\) be a cohomology theory and \(V\to X\) a vector bundle with a Thom class \(\tau \in E^n(X)\). Given a stable operation \(\psi\) on \(E\), we can define the \textit{cannibalistic characteristic class} \(\Theta^{\psi}(V)\) by the formula \[ \psi(\tau) = \Theta^{\psi}(V)\tau. \] If \(E\) is ordinary cohomology with \(\mathbb{F}_2\)-coefficients, the Steenrod operations yield the classical Stiefel-Whitney classes as cannibalistic classes and there is also a well-developed theory for \(K\)-theory. The present article investigates cannibalistic classes with respect to the Lubin-Tate spectrum \(E_2\) that arises at the \(K(2)\)-localization of \(TMF(3)\). The input consists of vector bundles with a string or \(BU\langle 6\rangle\)-structure and the stable operations given by the action of the Morava stabilizer group \(\mathbb{S}_2\). The resulting formulae express cannibalistic classes with the help of the characteristic class \(r \in (E_2)^0(BString)\) introduced in a related context by the authors in [\textit{G. Laures}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 368, No. 10, 7339--7357 (2016; Zbl 1345.55001)] and [\textit{G. Laures} and \textit{M. Olbermann}, Math. Z. 282, No. 1--2, 511--533 (2016; Zbl 1337.55008)]. In the last section, the authors provide formulae for \(\langle \psi(r), b\rangle\) for a homology class \(b\in (E_2)_0(BString)\) and \(\psi\in\mathbb{S}_2\).