Module structures and the derived functors of iterated loop functors on unstable modules over the Steenrod algebra (Q2268585)

Let \(\mathcal{A}\) be the mod-\(2\) Steenrod algebra and \(\mathcal{U}\) the associated category of unstable modules. Let \(K\) be an unstable algebra in \(\mathcal{U}\). An object of \(K-\mathcal{U}\) means an unstable module which is provided with a module structure over the unstable algebra \(K\) such that the action \(K\otimes M\to M\) is a morphism of unstable modules. The \textit{doubling functor \(\Phi\)} is defined on a graded vector space \(Y\) by setting \((\Phi Y)_{2n}=Y_n\) and \((\Phi Y)_{2n+1}=0\). The doubling functor induces \(\Phi: \mathcal{U}\to \mathcal{U}\), where the Steenrod algebra acts by \(Sq^m(\Phi x)=\Phi(Sq^{m/2} x)\) if \(m\) is even and \(Sq^m(\Phi x)=0\) if \(m\) is odd for elements \(x\) in a module \(M\) over the Steenrod algebra. The loop functor \(\Omega: \mathcal{U}\to \mathcal{U}\) is defined as the left adjoint to the suspension functor \(\Sigma\). The iterated loop functor \(\Omega^n\) is right exact and has nontrivial left derived functors \(\Omega^n_s\) which have been studied by several people. The main result in this article is as follows: Let \(K\) be an unstable algebra, \(M\) be an object of \(K-\mathcal{U}\) and \(N,k,s\) be natural numbers such that \(2^N\geq k\). Then the derived iterated loop functor \(\Omega^k_sM\) is naturally an object of \(\Phi^{s+N+1}K-\mathcal{U}\). Moreover, if \(K\) is a Noetherian unstable algebra and \(M\) is a Noetherian \(K\)-module, then \(\Omega^{k}_sM\) is a Noetherian \(\Phi^{s+N+1}K\)-module. The iterated loop functor is extremely hard to calculate in general. It is then reasonable to study the structure of the iterated looping. The above result shows that the derived functors of the iterated loop functors applied to \(M\) support actions of the iterated doubles of \(K\). This gives the additional information on the structure of unstable modules.