arXiv subjects

Geoffrey Powell

Publications and source records attributed to Geoffrey Powell.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Symmetric powers, Steenrod operations and representation stability

Working over the prime field F_p, the structure of the indecomposables Q^* for the action of the algebra of Steenrod reduced powers A(p) on the symmetric power functors S^* is studied by exploiting the theory of strict polynomial functors. In particular, working at the prime 2, representation stability is exhibited for certain related functors, leading to a conjectural representation stability description of quotients of Q^* arising from the polynomial filtration of symmetric powers.

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arXiv2018

The A-decomposability of the Singer construction

Let $R_s M$ denote the Singer construction on an unstable module $M$ over the Steenrod algebra $A$ at the prime two; $R_s M$ is canonically a subobject of $P_s\otimes M$, where $P_s$ is the polynomial algebra on s generators of degree one. Passage to $A$-indecomposables gives the natural transformation $R_s M \rightarrow F \otimes_A (P_s \otimes M)$, which identifies with the dual of the composition of the Singer transfer and the Lannes-Zarati homomorphism. The main result of the paper proves the weak generalized algebraic spherical class conjecture, which was proposed by the first named author. Namely, this morphism is trivial on elements of positive degree when s>2. The condition s>2 is necessary, as exhibited by the spherical classes of Hopf invariant one and those of Kervaire invariant one.

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arXiv2018

Finite presheaves and $A$-finite generation of unstable algebras mod nilpotents

Inspired by the work of Henn, Lannes and Schwartz on unstable algebras over the Steenrod algebra modulo nilpotents, a characterization of unstable algebras that are $A$-finitely generated up to nilpotents is given in terms of the associated presheaf, by introducing the notion of a finite presheaf. In particular, this gives the natural characterization of the (co)analytic presheaves that are important in the theory of Henn, Lannes and Schwartz. However, finite presheaves remain imperfectly understood, as illustrated by examples. One important class of examples is shown to be provided by unstable algebras of finite transcendence degree (under a necessary weak finiteness condition). For unstable Hopf algebras, it is shown that the situation is much better: the associated presheaf is finite if and only if its growth function is polynomial. This leads to a description of unstable Hopf algebras modulo nilpotents in the spirit of Henn, Lannes and Schwartz.

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arXiv2017

On the derived functors of destabilization and of iterated loop functors

These notes explain how to construct small functorial chain complexes which calculate the derived functors of destabilization (respectively iterated loop functors) in the theory of modules over the mod 2 Steenrod algebra; this shows how to unify results of Singer and of Lannes and Zarati.

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arXiv2017

Algebraic infinite delooping and derived destabilization

Working over the prime field of characteristic two, consequences of the Koszul duality between the Steenrod algebra and the big Dyer-Lashof algebra are studied, with an emphasis on the interplay between instability for the Steenrod algebra action and that for the Dyer-Lashof operations. The central algebraic framework is the category of length-graded modules over the Steenrod algebra equipped with an unstable action of the Dyer-Lashof algebra, with compatibility via the Nishida relations. A first ingredient is a functor defined on modules over the Steenrod algebra that arose in the work of Kuhn and McCarty on the homology of infinite loop spaces. This functor is given in terms of derived functors of destabilization from the category of modules over the Steenrod algebra to unstable modules, enriched by taking into account the action of Dyer-Lashof operations. A second ingredient is the derived functors of the Dyer-Lashof indecomposables functor to length-graded modules over the Steenrod algebra. These are related to functors used by Miller in his study of a spectral sequence to calculate the homology of an infinite delooping. An important fact is that these functors can be calculated as the homology of an explicit Koszul complex with terms expressed as certain Steinberg functors. The latter are quadratic dual to the more familiar Singer functors. By exploiting the explicit complex built from the Singer functors which calculates the derived functors of destabilization, Koszul duality leads to an algebraic infinite delooping spectral sequence. This is conceptually similar to Miller's spectral sequence, but there seems to be no direct relationship. The spectral sequence sheds light on the relationship between unstable modules over the Steenrod algebra and all modules.

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arXiv2016

On double Poisson structures on commutative algebras

Double Poisson structures (a la Van den Bergh) on commutative algebras are studied; the main result shows that there are no non-trivial such structures on polynomial algebras of Krull dimension greater than one. For a general commutative algebra A, this places significant restrictions on possible double Poisson structures. Exotic double Poisson structures are exhibited by the case of the polynomial algebra on a single generator, previously considered by Van den Bergh.

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arXiv2016

Essential extensions, the nilpotent filtration and the Arone-Goodwillie tower

The spectral sequence associated to the Arone-Goodwillie tower for the n-fold loop space functor is used to show that the first two non-trivial layers of the nilpotent filtration of the reduced mod 2 cohomology of a (sufficiently connected) space with nilpotent cohomology are comparable. This relies upon the theory of unstable modules over the mod 2 Steenrod algebra, together with properties of a generalized class of almost unstable modules which is introduced here. An essential ingredient of the proof is a non-vanishing result for certain extension groups in the category of unstable modules localized away from nilpotents.

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arXiv2015

Around conjectures of N. Kuhn

We discuss two extensions of results conjectured by Nick Kuhn about the non-realization of unstable algebras as the mod $p$ singular cohomology of a space, for $p$ a prime. The first extends and refines earlier work of the second and fourth authors, using Lannes' mapping space theorem. The second (for the prime $2$) is based on an analysis of the $-1$ and $-2$ columns of the Eilenberg-Moore spectral sequence, and of the associated extension. In both cases, the statements and proofs use the relationship between the categories of unstable modules and functors between $\Fp$-vector spaces. The second result in particular exhibits the power of the functorial approach.

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arXiv2015

On the BP -cohomology of elementary abelian p-groups

The structure of the BP -cohomology of elementary abelian p-groups is studied, obtaining a presentation expressed in terms of BP-cohomology and mod-p singular cohomology, using the Milnor derivations. The arguments are based on a result on multi-Koszul complexes which is related to Margolis's criterion for freeness of a graded module over an exterior algebra.

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arXiv2014

Truncated projective spaces, Brown-Gitler spectra and indecomposable A(1)-modules

A structure theorem for bounded-below modules over the subalgebra A(1) of the mod 2 Steenrod algebra generated by Sq^1, Sq^2 is proved; this is applied to prove a classification theorem for a family of indecomposable A(1)-modules. The action of the A(1)-Picard group on this family is described, as is the behaviour of duality. The cohomology of dual Brown-Gitler spectra is identified within this family and the relation with members of the A(1)-Picard group is made explicit. Similarly, the cohomology of truncated projective spaces is considered within this classification; this leads to a conceptual understanding of various results within the literature. In particular, a unified approach to Ext-groups relevant to Adams spectral sequence calculations is obtained, englobing earlier results of Davis (for truncated projective spaces) and recent work of Pearson (for Brown-Gitler spectra).

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arXiv2014

On connective KO-theory of elementary abelian 2-groups

A general notion of detection is introduced and used in the study of the cohomology of elementary abelian 2-groups with respect to the spectra in the Postnikov tower of orthogonal K-theory. This recovers and extends results of Bruner and Greenlees and is related to calculations of the (co)homology of the spaces of the associated Omega-spectra by Stong and by Cowen Morton.

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arXiv2013

On the derived functors of destabilization at odd primes

An explicit chain complex is constructed to calculate the derived functors of destabilization at an odd prime, generalizing constructions of Zarati and of Hung and Sum. The methods are based on the ideas of Singer and Miller and also apply at the prime two. A structural result on the derived functors of destabilization is deduced.

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arXiv2011

On connective K-theory of elementary abelian 2-groups and local duality

The connective ku-(co)homology of elementary abelian 2-groups is determined as a functor of the elementary abelian 2-group. The argument requires only the calculation of the rank one case and the Atiyah-Segal theorem for KU-cohomology together with an analysis of the functorial structure of the integral group ring. The methods can also be applied to the odd primary case. These results are used to analyse the local cohomology spectral sequence calculating ku-homology, via a functorial version of local duality for Koszul complexes. This gives a conceptual explanation of results of Bruner and Greenlees.

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arXiv2011

On the double transfer and the f-invariant

The purpose of this paper is to investigate an algebraic version of the double complex transfer, in particular the classes in the two-line of the Adams-Novikov spectral sequence which are the image of comodule primitives of the MU-homology of the product of two copies of infinite complex projective space via the algebraic double transfer. These classes are analysed by two related approaches; the first, p-locally for an odd prime, by using the morphism induced in MU-homology by the chromatic factorization of the double transfer map together with the f'-invariant of Behrens (for p>=5). The second approach uses the algebraic double transfer and the f-invariant of Laures.

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arXiv2010

On quadratic coalgebras, duality and the universal Steenrod algebra

The notion of quadratic self-duality for coalgebras is developed with applications to algebraic structures which arise naturally in algebraic topology, related to the universal Steenrod algebra via an appropriate form of duality. This explains and unifies results of Lomonaco and Singer.

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arXiv2009

On the Singer functor R_1 and the functor Fix

Lannes' T-functor is used to give a construction of the Singer functor R_1 on the category U of unstable modules over the Steenrod algebra A. This leads to a direct proof that the composite functor Fix R_1 is naturally equivalent to the identity. Further properties of the functors R_1 are deduced, especially when applied to reduced and nilclosed unstable modules.

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arXiv2009

Embedding the flag representation in divided powers

A generalization of a theorem of Crabb and Hubbuck concerning the embedding of flag representations in divided powers is given, working over an arbitrary finite field F, using the category of functors from finite-dimensional F-vector spaces to F-vector spaces.

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