Remarks on spaces of real rational functions (Q2477958)

Let \(\text{Rat}_k(\mathbb CP^n)\) denote the space of based holomorphic maps of degree \(k\) from the Riemannian sphere \(S^2\) to the complex projective space \(\mathbb CP^n\). The subset \(R\text{Rat}_k(\mathbb CP^n)\subset \text{Rat}_k(\mathbb CP^n)\) consists of the maps which commute with complex conjugation. Finally \(RF_k(\mathbb CP^n)\subset R\text{Rat}_k(\mathbb CP^n)\) is the subset of all maps, called full maps, whose image does not lie in any proper projective subspace of \(\mathbb CP^n\). The purpose of the work under review is to compare the homotopy type of \(\text{Rat}_k(\mathbb CP^n)\) and \(R\text{Rat}_k(\mathbb CP^n)\) with the homotopy type of other spaces up to certain dimensions. Let me state some of the main results of the paper. There are inclusions \(i_k: R\text{Rat}_k(\mathbb CP^n) \hookrightarrow \Omega S^n\times \Omega^2S{2n+1}\) and \(j_k: RF_k(\mathbb CP^n)\hookrightarrow R\text{Rat}_k(\mathbb CP^n)\). Corollary B. The inclusion \(i_k\) satisfies the following properties: {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize}\item[(i)] For \(n\geq 2\), \(\iota_k\) induces isomorphisms in homology groups in dimensions \(\leq (k+1)(n-1)-1\). \item[(ii)] For \(n \geq 3\), \(\iota_k\) is a homotopy equivalence up to dimension \((k+1)(n-1)-1\). \end{itemize}} Theorem C. The inclusion \(j_k\) is a homotopy equivalence up to dimension \(k-n\). The author also compares \(RF_k(\mathbb CP^n)\) with the Stiefel manifold. Theorem D. Let \(\text{SO}(k)/\text{SO}(k-n)\) be the Stiefel manifold of orthonormal \(n-\)frames in \(\mathbb R^k\). Then there is a map \(\alpha_{k,n}: RF_k(\mathbb CP^n) \to \text{SO}(k)/\text{SO}(k-n)\) so that \(\alpha_{k,n}\) is a homotopy equivalence up to dimension \(n-1\). A crucial step in the work is the construction of a spectral sequence of Vassiliev type obtained from a geometric resolution of the compactification of the complement of \(R\text{Rat}_k(\mathbb CP^n)\) in \(\mathbb R^{k(n+1)}\). This is used to compute the homology of \(R\text{Rat}(\mathbb CP^n)\).