A number-theoretic approach to homotopy exponents of \(\text{SU}(n)\) (Q863894)

This paper contains an improvement of a previous result of the second author [Acta Arith. 122, 91--100 (2006; Zbl 1104.11010)] in combinatorial number theory, concerning properties of Stirling numbers of the second kind. The authors apply it to homotopy theory and prove that, for each \(n\geq 2\) and any prime \(p\), some homotopy group \(\pi_i(SU(n))\) contains an element of order \(p^{n-1+\text{ ord}_p[n/p]!)}\), where \(\text{ ord}_p(m)\) denotes the largest integer \(\alpha\) such that \(p^\alpha| m\). This theorem improves a previous result of the first author [Topology 37, 293--327 (1998; Zbl 0949.55006)].