The signature of generalized flag manifolds and applications (Q606294)

Let \(G\) be a linear algebraic group over \(\mathbb C\) and \(P\) be a parabolic subgroup of \(G\). The homogeneous flag space \(G/P\) is a compact simply-connected Kähler manifold. The present paper has two parts. In the first part the authors compute the signature of the flag manifold \(G/P\) for all \(G\) and all parabolic subgroups \(P\) using Schubert calculus. In the second part they give the definition of primeness of a finite CW complex: A finite CW complex \(X\) is called \textit{prime} if for every fibration \(F\rightarrow E\rightarrow B\) with \(E\) homotopy equivalent to \(X\), and \(B\) and \(F\) homotopy equivalent to finite connected CW complexes, either \(B\) or \(F\) is contractible. The authors prove the following main result in the second part: {\parindent6mm \begin{itemize}\item[i)] The nonsingular hypersurfaces of degree \(2\) in \(\mathbb CP^{2n}\) are prime if \(n\) is prime. \item[ii)] The nonsingular hypersurfaces of degree \(2\) in \(\mathbb CP^{2n-1}\) are prime if \(n\) is odd. \end{itemize}}