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- From: asimov@wk223.nas.nasa.gov (Daniel A. Asimov)
- Newsgroups: sci.math
- Subject: Maps of Hopf Invariant 1
- Message-ID: <1992Oct14.021919.18973@nas.nasa.gov>
- Date: 14 Oct 92 02:19:19 GMT
- Sender: news@nas.nasa.gov (News Administrator)
- Organization: NAS, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
- Lines: 30
-
- There are continuous maps f: S^(2n-1) -> S^n, for n = 1,2,4,8
- such that the inverse image of any two points are a pair of
- linking (n-1)-spheres in S^(2n-1) with linking number = 1.
-
- [These can be inferred from the construction of actual fibre
- bundles S^(2n-1) -> S^n having as fibre S^(n-1). (e.g. see
- Steenrod, Fibre Bundles)]
-
- I vaguely recall believing that it had been proved that this
- *cannot* continue for any n = 2^k, k > 3 (or any other n, for that
- matter). (Was it J. Frank Adams in the mid-fifties?)
-
- I'm somewhat more certain that the actual fibre bundles
- S^(2n-1) -> S^n with fibre = S^(n-1) can't continue the
- sequence after n = 8.
-
- In case these memories are correct, does there exist *any* nice
- mappings S^31 -> S^16 (S^63 -> S^32, etc.) with pleasant properties,
- which seem to be the "best you can do" in those dimensions?
-
- Can someone clarify for me the state of knowledge about this
- situation? Many thanks!
-
- Dan Asimov
- Mail Stop T045-1
- NASA Ames Research Center
- Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000
-
- asimov@nas.nasa.gov
- (415) 604-4799
-