Homotopy representations of the unitary groups (Q312378)

Let \(G\) be a compact connected Lie group. For every prime \(p\), there exists a maximal \(p\)-toral subgroup \(N_p^G\subset G\) which is unique up to conjugation. The authors study the following property. A vector bundle \(\nu\) over a space \(X\) has the splitting property with respect to a map \(f:A\to X\) if the following holds for an arbitrary bundle \(\xi\) over \(X\). If there exists a bundle \(\xi^\prime_A\) such that \(f^*\xi \simeq f^*\nu\oplus \xi^\prime_A\), then there exists a bundle \(\xi^\prime\) such that \(\xi \simeq \nu \oplus \xi^\prime\). A complex bundle over the classifying space \(BG\) of \(G\) has the splitting property if it has the splitting property with respect to the map \(\amalg_{p'}BN_p^G\to BG\), induced by the inclusions \(N_p^G\subseteq G\). The authors extend some results about the splitting property, due to Notbohm, Jackowski and Oliver, to a wider class of bundles over \(BU(n)\). Theorem 1.2 For all \(n\) and all \(k\) prime to \(n!\), the bundle \((\Psi^k)^*\gamma^n\) over \(BU(n)\) has the splitting property. In particular, for \(k=1\) this implies that the universal bundle has the splitting property. Theorem 1.2 can be reformulated as follows. Theorem 1.4. For all \(n\) and all \(k\) prime to \(n!\), the character \(\psi^k\) of the unstable Adams representation \(\Psi^k :BU(n)\to BU(n)\) has the splitting property. While proving the main results, the authors develop the obstruction theory for lifting maps from homotopy colimits along fibrations, which generalizes a result of \textit{Z. Wojtkowiak} [Lect. Notes Math. 1298, 227--236 (1987; Zbl 0641.55014)].