Cohomology rings of the real and oriented partial flag manifolds (Q2187143)

If \(n_1,\ldots,n_k\) are positive integers and \(n=n_1+\cdots+n_k\), the real oriented partial flag manifold \(Fl_{\mathbb R}^o(n_1,\ldots,n_k)\) consists of the \(k\)-tuples \((W_1,\ldots,W_k)\) of mutually orthogonal oriented subspaces of \(\mathbb R^n\) such that \(\dim W_i=n_i\) and the orientations of the \(W_i\)'s induce the standard orientation of \(\mathbb R^n\). It is naturally identified with the homogeneous space \(SO(n)/(SO(n_1)\times\cdots\times SO(n_k))\). In this paper the author describes the cohomology algebra \(H^*(Fl_{\mathbb R}^o(n_1,\ldots,n_k);\mathbb Z[1/2])\). If all of the integers \(n_1,\ldots,n_k\) are even, this algebra is generated solely by the Pontryagin and Euler classes of the tautological vector bundles over \(Fl_{\mathbb R}^o(n_1,\ldots,n_k)\). If some of these integers are odd, then \(H^*(Fl_{\mathbb R}^o(n_1,\ldots,n_k);\mathbb Z[1/2])\) is the tensor product of an algebra generated by these characteristic classes and an exterior algebra isomorphic to the cohomology algebra of a certain Stiefel manifold. The paper also discusses various actions of the torus \(T^m\) and the \(2\)-torus \(\mathbb Z_2^m\) on flag manifolds and Stiefel manifolds, and describes the corresponding rational and mod \(2\) equivariant cohomology rings.