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arXiv · 0901.0819

On the construction and topological invariance of the Pontryagin classes

Andrew Ranicki·Michael Weiss
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Abstract

We use sheaves and algebraic L-theory to construct the rational Pontryagin classes of fiber bundles with fiber R^n. This amounts to an alternative proof of Novikov's theorem on the topological invariance of the rational Pontryagin classes of vector bundles. Transversality arguments and torus tricks are avoided.

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Andrew Ranicki, Michael Weiss. 2010-02-24. On the construction and topological invariance of the Pontryagin classes. https://arxiv.org/abs/0901.0819

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