New bounds on the toral rank with applications to cohomologically symplectic spaces (Q2183728)

Let \(X\) be a topological space. The toral rank \(\mathrm{rk}(X)\) of \(X\) is the highest integer \(r\) such that the \(r\)-dimensional torus \(T^r\) can act continuously and almost freely, i.e., with finite isotropy groups, on \(X\). The toral rank conjecture, posed by \textit{S. Halperin} in [Lond. Math. Soc. Lect. Note Ser. 93, 293--306 (1985; Zbl 0562.57015)], states that for a finite CW-complex \(X\), \(\dim_{\mathbb{Q}}H^\ast(X;{\mathbb{Q}})\geq 2^{\mathrm{rk}(X)}\). In general, the conjecture remains open. The formal dimension of a topological space \(X\) with finite-dimensional cohomology is the highest degree \(n\) such that \(H^n(X;{\mathbb{Q}})\not=0\). Assume \(X\) is a finite CW-complex of formal dimension \(n\) with an almost free \(T^r\)-action. The author uses Boij-Söderberg theory to give two lower bounds for \(\dim H^\ast(X)\) in terms of the toral rank and certain Betti numbers of \(X\). Combining this result with some previously known results, he obtains improved lower bounds for the dimension of the cohomology of c-symplectic spaces, a generalization of compact symplectic manifolds. In particular, he proves the toral rank conjecture for c-symplectic spaces of formal dimension \(\leq 8\).