English

An $HP^2$-bundle over $S^4$ with nontrivial $\hat{A}$-genus

Algebraic Topology 2022-02-10 v2 Differential Geometry Geometric Topology

Abstract

We explain the existence of a smooth HP2HP^2-bundle over S4S^4 whose total space has nontrivial A^\hat{A}-genus. Combined with an argument going back to Hitchin, this answers a question of Schick and implies that the space of Riemannian metrics of positive sectional curvature on a closed manifold can have nontrivial higher rational homotopy groups.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2007.15062,
  title  = {An $HP^2$-bundle over $S^4$ with nontrivial $\hat{A}$-genus},
  author = {Manuel Krannich and Alexander Kupers and Oscar Randal-Williams},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2007.15062},
  year   = {2022}
}

Comments

5 pages, to appear in Comptes Rendus. Math\'ematique

R2 v1 2026-06-23T17:30:18.826Z