On some sequences of modules over the \(\operatorname{mod} p\) Steenrod algebra (Q2284282)

The authors consider possible generalizations to odd primes of the Toda exact sequences of left modules over the mod \(2\) Steenrod algebra \(\mathcal{A}_2\); these have the form \[ \mathcal{A}_2 \stackrel{. Sq^{2^r}}{\longrightarrow} \mathcal{A}_2 / \mathcal{A}_2 S_{r-2} \stackrel{. Sq^{2^r}}{\longrightarrow} \mathcal{A}_2 /\mathcal{A}_2 S_{r-1} \] for \(r \in \mathbb{N}\). (In this paper, \(S_n\) denotes the augmentation ideal of the subalgebra generated by the Steenrod squares \(Sq^{2^j}\), for \(0 \leq j \leq n\).) At odd primes \(p\), they replace \(\mathcal{A}_2\) by \(\overline{\mathcal{A}}_p\), the algebra of Steenrod reduced powers, and \(S_n\) by the augmentation ideal of the subalgebra \(\overline{S}_n\) generated by the Steenrod reduced powers \(P^{p^j}\), for \(0 \leq j \leq n\) (again using the notation of the paper). The authors show that the appropriate candidate for the generalized Toda exact sequence, for \(r\in \mathbb{N}\), is the complex: \[ \overline{\mathcal{A}}_p \stackrel{. P^{p^r}}{\longrightarrow} \overline{\mathcal{A}}_p / \overline{\mathcal{A}}_p S_{r-2} \stackrel{. P^{(p-1)p^r}}{\longrightarrow} \overline{\mathcal{A}}_p/\overline{\mathcal{A}}_p S_{r-1} . \] The exactness of this complex can be studied by replacing \(\overline{\mathcal{A}}_p\) by the subalgebra \(\overline{S}_r\). The authors show that, for \(r \geq 1\), the complex thus obtained is not exact. For example, for \(r \geq 2\), the first non-trivial homology has dimension one in degree \(2(p-1) (2p^{r-1} + p^{r-2})\) and they exhibit a generating cycle. The proofs exploit the authors' \(Z\)-basis of \(\overline{\mathcal{A}}_p\) [J. Fixed Point Theory Appl. 17, No. 2, 341--353 (2015; Zbl 1326.55017)].