Commutators in the Steenrod algebra (Q374047)

Let \(p\) be a prime and \(\mathcal A_p\) the \(\text{mod\,}p\) Steenrod algebra. The graded dual \(\mathcal A^*_p\) is isomorphic to the tensor product of an exterior algebra on generators \(\tau_i\), \(i\geq 0\), of degree \(2p^i- 1\), and an \(\mathbb{F}_p\) polynomial algebra on generators \(\xi_i\), \(i\geq 1\), of degree \(2(p^i- 1)\) if \(p\) is odd. The Milnor basis for \(\mathcal A_p\) is dual to the monomial basis for \(\mathcal A^*_p\). Its elements have the form \(Q_{\iota_1} Q_{\iota_2}\cdots \mathcal P(r_1,r_2,\dots)\) dual to \(\tau_{\iota_1} \tau_{\iota_2}\cdots\xi^{r_1}_1 \xi^{r_2}_2\cdots\). A minimal set of algebra generators for \(\mathcal A_p\) is the set \(\{Q_0, \mathcal P^1, \mathcal P^p, \mathcal P^{p^2},\ldots\}\). The first major result of this paper is a new basis for \(\mathcal A_p\) involving commutators \(c_{s,t}\), \(s\geq 0\), \(t\geq 1\) defined inductively: \(c_{s,1}:= \mathcal P^{p^s}\), \(c_{s,t}:= [\mathcal P^{p^{s+t-1}}, c_{s,t-1}]\), \(t\geq 2\). If these commutators are linearly ordered, then the products \(Q_{\iota_1}\cdots Q_{\iota_m} c^{j_1}_{s_1,t_1}\cdots c^{j_n}_{s_n,t_n}\), \(\iota_1<\cdots< \iota_m\), \(c_{s_1,t_1}<\cdots< c_{s_n,t_n}\), \(1\leq j_k\leq p-1\), \(1\leq k\leq n\), form a basis for \(\mathcal A_p\), \(p\) odd. The second major result offers an analogous basis for \(\mathcal A_2\).