Poset-stratified space structures of homotopy sets (Q2326297)

A \textit {poset-stratified} space is a pair \((S, S\stackrel{\pi}{\to}P)\) of a topological space \(S\) and a continuous map \(\pi : S \to P\) with a poset \(P\) considered as a topological space with its associated Alexandroff topology. \par The authors show that one can impose such a poset-stratified space structure on the set \([X,Y]\) of homotopy classes of continuous maps from a topological space \(X\) to a space \(Y\). Considered orders on \([X,Y]\) are related to the notion of \textit{dependence} of maps studied by \textit{K. Borsuk} [Bull. Acad. Pol. Sci., Cl. III 3, 251--254 (1955; Zbl 0064.41204); ibid. III 3, 81--85 (1955; Zbl 0064.41203)]. Via cohomology, the set \([X,Y]\) can have other poset-stratified space structures. For \(Y=K(\mathbb{Z},p\)), the Eilenberg-Maclane space, the authors get results equivalent to the notion of dependence of cohomology classes considered by \textit{R. Thom} [Séminaire Henri Cartan: Algèbres d'Eilenberg-MacLane et homotopie. 7e année 1954/55. Vols. I, II. Exposés I--XI, XII--XXII. École Normale Supérieure. Paris: Secrétariat mathématique. (1955; Zbl 0067.15601)]. If \(Y=G_n(\mathbb{C}^\infty)\), the Grassmannian of \(n\)-dimensional subspaces in \(\mathbb{C}^\infty\), then the set of isomorphism classes of complex vector bundles can be captured as a poset-stratified space via the poset of the subrings of \(H^\ast(X)\) consisting of all characteristic classes. \par At the end, it is also shown that some invariants such as Gottlieb groups and Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of a map lead to poset-stratified structures on the set \([X,Y]\).