Smooth manifolds with prescribed rational cohomology ring (Q292065)

With \textit{D. Sullivan}'s theory of rational homotopy [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 47, 269--331 (1977; Zbl 0374.57002)] any graded commutative algebra \(A\) over \(\mathbb Q\) can be realized as the rational cohomology algebra of a space. When \(A\) satisfies Poincaré duality and \(A^1=0\), the question arises of the existence of a realization as the rational cohomology algebra of a closed manifold. This has been studied in [loc. cit.] and [\textit{J. Barge}, Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 9, 469--501 (1976; Zbl 0348.57016)] and [\textit{Z. Su}, Algebr. Geom. Topol. 14, No. 1, 421--438 (2014; Zbl 1291.57019)]. In this last work, the author proves that such a realization of \(A={\mathbb Q}[x]/\langle x^3\rangle\), with \(|x|=2k\), called a rational projective plane, could only exist in dimension \(n=8k\) for \(k>1\) and that the smallest dimensions are 4, 8, 16, 32. In the paper under review, the authors continue this study and prove that a rational projective plane exists only if \(n=8(2^a+2^b)\). They also eliminate any existence between dimension 32 and 128. They use the Hirzebruch signature theorem and rational surgery. With similar techniques, they prove that the 8-dimensional Milnor \(E_{8}\) manifold has the rational homotopy type of a smooth manifold. Other more general results on these manifolds are also given.