Real, complex and quaternionic equivariant vector fields on spheres (Q2498043)

Let \(G\) be a compact Lie group and let \(M\) be a finite dimensional \(F\)-representation space of \(G\) and \(S(M)\) be the unit sphere in \(M\), where \(F=\mathbb R\), \(\mathbb C\) or \(\mathbb H\). Denote by \(\rho_G^F(M)\) the maximal number of linearly independent \(G\)-equivariant \(F\)-vector fields on \(S(M)\). In this paper, the author considers the vector field problem of determining the number \(\rho_G^F(M)\). It is shown that this problem can be reduced to a question about the equivariant \(J\)-groups of projective spaces. Let \(FP^{k-1}\) be the \(F\)-projective \((k-1)\)-space and \(\xi_{k-1}\) be the Hopf \(F\)-line bundle over \(FP^{k-1}\). For simplicity set \({\mathbf{M}}=M\times FP^{k-1}\) and view this and \(\mathbf{M}\otimes_F\xi_{k-1}\) as real \(G\)-vector bundles over \(FP^{k-1}\). Moreover let \(JO_G(FP^{k-1})\) denote the equivariant \(JO_G\)-theory of \(FP^{k-1}\). Then the main result of this paper proves the following. Theorem 1: If \(\rho_G^F(M) \geq k-1\) then \(\mathbf{M}\otimes_F\xi_{k-1}-\mathbf{M}\) vanishes in \(JO_G(FP^{k-1})\). The converse is true if \(M\) satisfies the condition that \(\dim_FM^H \leq 2k-2+[2/\dim_{\mathbb R F}]\) for each \(H \leq G\) with \(M^H \neq 0\). This generalizes the theorems of \textit{U. Namboodiri} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 278, No. 2, 431--460 (1983; Zbl 0518.57013)] on equivariant real vector fields, and \textit{T. Önder} [Topology Appl. 109, No. 2, 107--125 (2001; Zbl 0976.57032)] on equivariant complex vector fields.