The generalized algebraic conjecture on spherical classes (Q2309422)

This paper is a contribution to the study of the Lannes-Zarati morphism, introduced in [\textit{J. Lannes} and \textit{S. Zarati}, Math. Z. 194, 25--59 (1987; Zbl 0627.55014)]. For \(M\) an unstable module over the mod \(2\) Steenrod algebra, \(\mathcal{A}\), the \(s\)th Lannes-Zarati morphism is \[ \varphi_s^M : \mathrm{Ext}^{s, s+i} _{\mathcal{A}} (M, \mathbb{F}_2) \rightarrow (\mathbb{F}_2 \otimes_{\mathcal{A}} R_s M)^*_i, \] where \(R_s\) denotes the \(s\)th Singer functor and \(*\) is vector space duality. When \(M\) is the reduced mod \(2\) cohomology of a space, this can be interpreted as representing an associated graded of the Hurewicz morphism. The algebraic form of the generalized spherical class conjecture (due to the first author) asserts that \(\varphi_s^M\) vanishes for filtration \(s>2\) and stem \(i>0\), for any unstable module \(M\). The study of this Conjecture is difficult, due to the complexity of both the domain and the codomain of \(\varphi_s^M\). The case \(M= \mathbb{F}_2\) has received much attention; one of the main goals here is to consider the case \(M=\tilde{P}\), the reduced mod \(2\) cohomology of \(\mathbb{R}P^\infty\). This is of natural interest since it is closely related to the case \(M= \mathbb{F}_2\) via the algebraic Kahn-Priddy theorem and the algebraic transfer. The authors commence by exhibiting an explicit chain-level representative of the dual of the Lannes-Zarati morphism, building on earlier work of the first author and that of \textit{W. M. Singer} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 280, 673--693 (1983; Zbl 0533.55013)]. They also give an algebraic \(Sq^0\) acting on the codomain of \(\varphi_s ^{\tilde{P}}\) that is compatible with the squaring operation \(Sq^0\) on \(\mathrm{Ext}\); this yields an important tool in calculations. They then show that \(\varphi^{\tilde{P}}_s\) is non-trivial for \(s \in \{0, 1\}\) and vanishes for \(s=2\) in positive stem, before turning to their main calculational Theorem, which establishes the vanishing for \(s\in \{3,4 \}\) in positive stem. These results confirm the Conjecture for \(\tilde{P}\) for \(s\in \{3, 4\}\) and allow the recovery of the vanishing of \(\varphi^{\mathbb{F}_2}_s\) for \(s\in \{ 3, 4, 5\}\).