Symplectic cobordism in small dimensions and a series of elements of order four (Q691251)

Amongst the greatest successes of stable homotopy theory to date has been the calculation of various cobordism rings interpreted as homotopy groups of associated Thom spectra. These include the cases of unoriented and oriented bordism, complex and special unitary bordism, \(Spin\) and \(Spin^c\). Two notable exceptions have proved to be framed bordism (equivalent to the stable homotopy groups of spheres) and symplectic bordism (the homotopy groups of the Thom spectrum \(MSp\) associated to the compact symplectic groups \(Sp(n)\)). Despite heroic efforts by many mathematicians over several decades, the symplectic bordism ring \(MSp_*\) remains poorly understood, and the Introduction of the present paper provides a timely review of the history of this. The highlights of this paper include a detailed description of \(MSp_n\) for \(n\leqslant 51\), and the construction of an infinite family of elements \(\Gamma_i\in MSp_{8i+95}\) of order~\(4\), where \(i=1,3,4,\ldots\) (the strange gap at the beginning seems to be necessary). The results were apparently completed almost twenty years ago, but for various reasons they were not published then, and other work subsequently produced further examples of higher order torsion. The methods used are of course based on the Adams spectral sequence and the output is extremely complicated, with many pages of tables and complicated expressions describing elements. It would be interesting to see some significant use being made of the outcome of this herculean work. Unfortunately, the paper appears to have been poorly translated, or inadequately proof-read as the English text often seems to be incorrect or inelegant.