English

A counter-example to Singer's conjecture for the algebraic transfer

Algebraic Topology 2024-08-27 v2

Abstract

Write Pk:=F2[x1,x2,,xk]P_k:= \mathbb F_2[x_1,x_2,\ldots ,x_k] for the polynomial algebra over the prime field F2\mathbb F_2 with two elements, in kk generators x1,x2,,xkx_1, x_2, \ldots , x_k, each of degree 1. The polynomial algebra PkP_k is considered as a module over the mod-2 Steenrod algebra, A\mathcal A. Let GLkGL_k be the general linear group over the field F2\mathbb F_2. This group acts naturally on PkP_k by matrix substitution. Since the two actions of A\mathcal A and GLkGL_k upon PkP_k commute with each other, there is an inherit action of GLkGL_k on F2APk\mathbb F_2{\otimes}_{\mathcal A}P_k. Denote by (F2APk)nGLk(\mathbb F_2{\otimes}_{\mathcal A}P_k)_n^{GL_k} the subspace of F2APk\mathbb F_2{\otimes}_{\mathcal A}P_k consisting of all the GLkGL_k-invariant classes of degree nn. In 1989, Singer [24] defined the homological algebraic transfer φk:\mboxTork,k+nA(F2,F2)(F2APk)nGLk,\varphi_k :\mbox{Tor}^{\mathcal A}_{k,k+n}(\mathbb F_2,\mathbb F_2) \longrightarrow (\mathbb F_2{\otimes}_{\mathcal A}P_k)_n^{GL_k}, where \mboxTork,k+nA(F2,F2)\mbox{Tor}^{\mathcal{A}}_{k, k+n}(\mathbb{F}_2, \mathbb{F}_2) is the dual of ExtAk,k+n(F2,F2)_{\mathcal{A}}^{k,k+n}(\mathbb F_2,\mathbb F_2), the E2E_2 term of the Adams spectral sequence of spheres. In general, the transfer φk\varphi_k is not a monomorphism and Singer made a conjecture that φk\varphi_k is an epimorphism for any k0k \geqslant 0. The conjecture is studied by many authors. It is true for k3k \leqslant 3 but unknown for k4k \geqslant 4. In this paper, by using a technique of the Peterson hit problem we prove that Singer's conjecture is not true for k=5k=5 and the internal degree n=108n = 108. This result also refutes a one of Ph\'uc in [19].

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Cite

@article{arxiv.2408.06669,
  title  = {A counter-example to Singer's conjecture for the algebraic transfer},
  author = {Nguyen Sum},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2408.06669},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

57 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-28T18:11:21.465Z