Formal group laws and genera

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1 Introduction

The theory of formal group laws, originally appeared in algebraic geometry, has been brought into the bordism theory in the pioneering work [Novikov1967]. The applications of formal group laws in algebraic topology are closely connected with the Hirzebruch genera [Hirzebruch1966], one of the most important class of invariants of bordism classes of manifolds.

2 Elements of the theory of formal group laws

Let $R$${{Authors|Taras Panov}} == Introduction == The theory of <i>formal group laws</i>, originally appeared in algebraic geometry, has been brought into the [[Bordism|bordism theory]] in the pioneering work \cite{Novikov1967}. The applications of formal group laws in algebraic topology are closely connected with the <i>Hirzebruch genera</i> \cite{Hirzebruch1966}, one of the most important class of invariants of bordism classes of manifolds. == Elements of the theory of formal group laws == <wikitex>; Let $R$ be a commutative ring with unit. A formal power series $F(u,v)\in R[[u,v]]$ is called a (commutative one-dimensional) <i>formal group law</i> over $R$ if it satisfies the following equations: # $F(u,0)=u$, $F(0,v)=v$; # $F(F(u,v),w)=F(u,F(v,w))$; # $F(u,v)=F(v,u)$. The original example of a formal group law over a field $\mathbf k$ is provided by the expansion near the unit of the multiplication map $G\times G\to G$ in a one-dimensional algebraic group over $\mathbf k$. This also explains the terminology. A formal group law $F$ over $R$ is called <i>linearisable</i> if there exists a coordinate change $u\mapsto g_F(u)=u+\sum_{i>0}g_iu^i\in R[[u]]$ such that $$ g_F(F(u,v))=g_F(u)+g_F(v). $$ Note that every formal group law over $R$ determines a formal group law over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$. {{beginthm|Theorem}} Every formal group law $F$ is linearisable over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$. {{endthm}} ''Proof.'' Consider the series $\omega(u)=\frac{\partial F(u,w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}$. Then $$ \omega(F(u,v))=\frac{\partial F(F(u,v),w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}=\frac{\partial F(F(u,w),v)}{\partial F(u,w)}\cdot\frac{\partial F(u,w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}=\frac{\partial F(u,v)}{\partial u}\omega(u). $$ We therefore have $\frac{du}{\omega(u)}=\frac{dF(u,v)}{\omega(F(u,v))}$. Set $$ g(u)=\int_0^u\frac{dv}{\omega(v)}; $$ then $dg(u)=dg(F(u,v))$. This implies that $g(F(u,v))=g(u)+C$. Since $F(0,v)=v$ and $g(0)=0$, we get $C=g(v)$. Thus, $g(F(u,v))=g(u)+g(v)$. $\square$ A series $g(u)$ satisfying the equation $g(F(u,v))=g(u)+g(v)$ is called the <i>logarithm</i> of the formal group law $F$; the above Theorem shows that a formal group law over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$ always has a logarithm. Its functional inverse series $f(t)\in R\otimes\mathbb Q[[t]]$ is called the <i>exponential</i> of the formal group law, so that we have $F(u,v)=f(g(u)+g(v))$ over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$. If $R$ does not have torsion (i.e. $R\to R\otimes\mathbb Q$ is monic), the latter formula shows that a formal group law (as a series with coefficients in $R$) is fully determined by its logarithm (which is a series with coefficients in $R\otimes\mathbb Q$). Let $F=\sum_{k,l}a_{kl}u^kv^l$ be a formal group law over a ring $R$ and $r\colon R\to R'$ a ring homomorphism. Denote by $r(F)$ the formal series $\sum_{k,l}r(a_{kl})u^kv^l\in R'[[u,v]]$; then $r(F)$ is a formal group law over $R'$. A formal group law $F_U$ over a ring $A$ is <i>universal</i> if for any formal group law $F$ over any ring $R$ there exists a unique homomorphism $r\colon A\to R$ such that $F=r(F_U)$. {{beginthm|Proposition}} Assume that the universal formal group law $F_U$ over $A$ exists. Then # The ring $A$ is multiplicatively generated by the coefficients of the series $F_U$; # The universal formal group law is unique: if $F'_U$ is another universal formal group law over $A'$, then there is an isomorphism $r\colon A\to A'$ such that $F'_U=r(F_U)$. {{endthm}} <i>Proof.</i> To prove the first statement, denote by $A'$ the subring in $A$ generated by the coefficients of $F_U$. Then there is a monomorphism $i\colon A'\to A$ satisfying $i(F_U)=F_U$. On the other hand, by universality there exists a homomorphism $r\colon A\to A'$ satisfying $r(F_U)=F_U$. It follows that $ir(F_U)=F_U$. This implies that $ir=\mathrm{id}\colon A\to A$ by the uniqueness requirement in the definition of $F_U$. Thus $A'=A$. The second statement is proved similarly. $\square$ {{beginthm|Theorem|(\cite{Lazard1955})}} The universal formal group law $F_U$ exists, and its coefficient ring $A$ is isomorphic to the polynomial ring $\mathbb Z[a_1,a_2,\ldots]$ on an infinite number of generators. {{endthm}} </wikitex> == Formal group law of geometric cobordisms == <wikitex>; The applications of the formal group laws in the [[Bordism|cobordism theory]] build upon the following basic example. Let $X$ be a cell complex and $u,v\in U^2(X)$ two [[Complex bordism#Geometric cobordisms|geometric cobordisms]] corresponding to elements $x,y\in H^2(X)$ respectively. Denote by $u+_{\!{}_H}\!v$ the geometric cobordism corresponding to the cohomology class $x+y$. {{beginthm|Proposition}} The following relation holds in $U^2(X)$: $$ u+_{\!{}_H}\!v=\mathcal F(u,v)=u+v+\sum_{k\ge1,\,l\ge1}\alpha_{kl}\,u^kv^l, $$ where the coefficients $\alpha_{kl}\in\varOmega_U^{-2(k+l-1)}$ do not depend on $X$. The series $\mathcal F(u,v)$ is a formal group law over the [[Complex bordism|complex bordism]] ring $\varOmega_U$. {{endthm}} See the [[Media:proofs-fglgc.pdf|proof]]. <!-- <i>Proof.</i> We first do calculations with the universal example $X=\mathbb C P^\infty\times\mathbb C P^\infty$. Then $$ U^*(\mathbb C P^\infty\times\mathbb C P^\infty)=\varOmega^*_U[[\underline u,\underline v]], $$ where $\underline u,\underline v$ are canonical geometric cobordisms given by the projections of $\mathbb C P^\infty\times\mathbb C P^\infty$ onto its factors. We therefore have the following relation in $U^2(\mathbb C P^\infty\times\mathbb C P^\infty)$: $$ \underline u+_{\!{}_H}\!\underline v= \sum_{k,l\ge0} \alpha_{kl}\,\underline u^k\underline v^l, $$ where $\alpha_{kl}\in\varOmega_U^{-2(k+l-1)}$. Now let the geometric cobordisms $u,v\in U^2(X)$ be given by maps $f_u,f_v\colon X\to\mathbb C P^\infty$ respectively. Then $u=(f_u\times f_v)^*(\underline u)$, $v=(f_u\times f_v)^*(\underline v)$ and $u+_{\!{}_H}\!v=(f_u\times f_v)^*(\underline u+_{\!{}_H}\!\underline v)$, where $f_u\times f_v\colon X\to\mathbb C P^\infty\times\mathbb C P^\infty$. Applying the $\varOmega^*_U$-module map $(f_u\times f_v)^*$ to the universal formula for $\underline u+_{\!{}_H}\!\underline v$ above gives the required expression. The fact that $\mathcal F(u,v)$ is a formal group law follows directly from the properties of the group multiplication $\mathbb C P^\infty\times\mathbb C P^\infty\to \mathbb C P^\infty$. $\square$ --> The series $\mathcal F(u,v)$ is called the <i>formal group law of geometric cobordisms</i>; nowadays it is also usually referred to as <i>"complex cobordism formal group law"</i>. The geometric cobordism $u\in U^2(X)$ is the first <i>Chern-Conner-Floyd class</i> of the complex line bundle $\xi$ over $X$ obtained by pulling back the canonical bundle along the map $f_u\colon X\to\mathbb C P^\infty$. It follows that the formal group law of geometric cobordisms gives an expression of the first class $c_1^U(\xi\otimes\eta)\in U^2(X)$ of the tensor product of two complex line bundles over $X$ in terms of the classes $u=c_1^U(\xi)$ and $v=c_1^U(\eta)$ of the factors: $$ c_1^U(\xi\otimes\eta)=\mathcal F(u,v). $$ The next statement describes manifolds representing the coefficients of the formal group law of geometric cobordisms. {{beginthm|Theorem|(\cite{Buchstaber1970})}} $$ \mathcal F(u,v)=\frac{\sum_{i,j\ge0}[H_{ij}]u^iv^j} {\bigl(\sum_{r\ge0}[\mathbb C P^r]u^r\bigr)\bigl(\sum_{s\ge0}[\mathbb C P^s]v^s\bigr)}, $$ where $H_{ij}$ (<script type="math/tex">R$ be a commutative ring with unit.

A formal power series $F(u,v)\in R[[u,v]]$$F(u,v)\in R[[u,v]]$ is called a (commutative one-dimensional) formal group law over $R$$R$ if it satisfies the following equations:

1. $F(u,0)=u$$F(u,0)=u$, $F(0,v)=v$$F(0,v)=v$;
2. $F(F(u,v),w)=F(u,F(v,w))$$F(F(u,v),w)=F(u,F(v,w))$;
3. $F(u,v)=F(v,u)$$F(u,v)=F(v,u)$.

The original example of a formal group law over a field $\mathbf k$$\mathbf k$ is provided by the expansion near the unit of the multiplication map $G\times G\to G$$G\times G\to G$ in a one-dimensional algebraic group over $\mathbf k$$\mathbf k$. This also explains the terminology.

A formal group law $F$$F$ over $R$$R$ is called linearisable if there exists a coordinate change $u\mapsto g_F(u)=u+\sum_{i>0}g_iu^i\in R[[u]]$$u\mapsto g_F(u)=u+\sum_{i>0}g_iu^i\in R[[u]]$ such that

$\displaystyle g_F(F(u,v))=g_F(u)+g_F(v).$ $$\displaystyle g_F(F(u,v))=g_F(u)+g_F(v).$$

Note that every formal group law over $R$$R$ determines a formal group law over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\otimes\mathbb Q$.

Theorem 2.1. Every formal group law $F$$F$ is linearisable over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\otimes\mathbb Q$.

Proof. Consider the series $\omega(u)=\frac{\partial F(u,w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}$$\omega(u)=\frac{\partial F(u,w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}$. Then

$\displaystyle \omega(F(u,v))=\frac{\partial F(F(u,v),w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}=\frac{\partial F(F(u,w),v)}{\partial F(u,w)}\cdot\frac{\partial F(u,w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}=\frac{\partial F(u,v)}{\partial u}\omega(u).$ $$\displaystyle \omega(F(u,v))=\frac{\partial F(F(u,v),w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}=\frac{\partial F(F(u,w),v)}{\partial F(u,w)}\cdot\frac{\partial F(u,w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}=\frac{\partial F(u,v)}{\partial u}\omega(u).$$

We therefore have $\frac{du}{\omega(u)}=\frac{dF(u,v)}{\omega(F(u,v))}$$\frac{du}{\omega(u)}=\frac{dF(u,v)}{\omega(F(u,v))}$. Set

$\displaystyle g(u)=\int_0^u\frac{dv}{\omega(v)};$ $$\displaystyle g(u)=\int_0^u\frac{dv}{\omega(v)};$$

then $dg(u)=dg(F(u,v))$$dg(u)=dg(F(u,v))$. This implies that $g(F(u,v))=g(u)+C$$g(F(u,v))=g(u)+C$. Since $F(0,v)=v$$F(0,v)=v$ and $g(0)=0$$g(0)=0$, we get $C=g(v)$$C=g(v)$. Thus, $g(F(u,v))=g(u)+g(v)$$g(F(u,v))=g(u)+g(v)$. $\square$$\square$

A series $g(u)$$g(u)$ satisfying the equation $g(F(u,v))=g(u)+g(v)$$g(F(u,v))=g(u)+g(v)$ is called the logarithm of the formal group law $F$$F$; the above Theorem shows that a formal group law over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\otimes\mathbb Q$ always has a logarithm. Its functional inverse series $f(t)\in R\otimes\mathbb Q[[t]]$$f(t)\in R\otimes\mathbb Q[[t]]$ is called the exponential of the formal group law, so that we have $F(u,v)=f(g(u)+g(v))$$F(u,v)=f(g(u)+g(v))$ over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\otimes\mathbb Q$. If $R$$R$ does not have torsion (i.e. $R\to R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\to R\otimes\mathbb Q$ is monic), the latter formula shows that a formal group law (as a series with coefficients in $R$$R$) is fully determined by its logarithm (which is a series with coefficients in $R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\otimes\mathbb Q$).

Let $F=\sum_{k,l}a_{kl}u^kv^l$$F=\sum_{k,l}a_{kl}u^kv^l$ be a formal group law over a ring $R$$R$ and $r\colon R\to R'$$r\colon R\to R'$ a ring homomorphism. Denote by $r(F)$$r(F)$ the formal series $\sum_{k,l}r(a_{kl})u^kv^l\in R'[[u,v]]$$\sum_{k,l}r(a_{kl})u^kv^l\in R'[[u,v]]$; then $r(F)$$r(F)$ is a formal group law over $R'$$R'$.

A formal group law $F_U$$F_U$ over a ring $A$$A$ is universal if for any formal group law $F$$F$ over any ring $R$$R$ there exists a unique homomorphism $r\colon A\to R$$r\colon A\to R$ such that $F=r(F_U)$$F=r(F_U)$.

Proposition 2.2. Assume that the universal formal group law $F_U$$F_U$ over $A$$A$ exists. Then

1. The ring $A$$A$ is multiplicatively generated by the coefficients of the series $F_U$$F_U$;
2. The universal formal group law is unique: if $F'_U$$F'_U$ is another universal formal group law over $A'$$A'$, then there is an isomorphism $r\colon A\to A'$$r\colon A\to A'$ such that $F'_U=r(F_U)$$F'_U=r(F_U)$.

Proof. To prove the first statement, denote by $A'$$A'$ the subring in $A$$A$ generated by the coefficients of $F_U$$F_U$. Then there is a monomorphism $i\colon A'\to A$$i\colon A'\to A$ satisfying $i(F_U)=F_U$$i(F_U)=F_U$. On the other hand, by universality there exists a homomorphism $r\colon A\to A'$$r\colon A\to A'$ satisfying $r(F_U)=F_U$$r(F_U)=F_U$. It follows that $ir(F_U)=F_U$$ir(F_U)=F_U$. This implies that $ir=\mathrm{id}\colon A\to A$$ir=\mathrm{id}\colon A\to A$ by the uniqueness requirement in the definition of $F_U$$F_U$. Thus $A'=A$$A'=A$. The second statement is proved similarly. $\square$$\square$

Theorem 2.3 ([Lazard1955]). The universal formal group law $F_U$$F_U$ exists, and its coefficient ring $A$$A$ is isomorphic to the polynomial ring $\mathbb Z[a_1,a_2,\ldots]$$\mathbb Z[a_1,a_2,\ldots]$ on an infinite number of generators.

3 Formal group law of geometric cobordisms

The applications of the formal group laws in the cobordism theory build upon the following basic example.

Let $X$$X$ be a cell complex and $u,v\in U^2(X)$$u,v\in U^2(X)$ two geometric cobordisms corresponding to elements $x,y\in H^2(X)$$x,y\in H^2(X)$ respectively. Denote by $u+_{\!{}_H}\!v$$u+_{\!{}_H}\!v$ the geometric cobordism corresponding to the cohomology class $x+y$$x+y$.

Proposition 3.1. The following relation holds in $U^2(X)$$U^2(X)$:

$\displaystyle u+_{\!{}_H}\!v=\mathcal F(u,v)=u+v+\sum_{k\ge1,\,l\ge1}\alpha_{kl}\,u^kv^l,$ $$\displaystyle u+_{\!{}_H}\!v=\mathcal F(u,v)=u+v+\sum_{k\ge1,\,l\ge1}\alpha_{kl}\,u^kv^l,$$

where the coefficients $\alpha_{kl}\in\varOmega_U^{-2(k+l-1)}$$\alpha_{kl}\in\varOmega_U^{-2(k+l-1)}$ do not depend on $X$$X$. The series $\mathcal F(u,v)$$\mathcal F(u,v)$ is a formal group law over the complex bordism ring $\varOmega_U$$\varOmega_U$.

See the proof.

The series $\mathcal F(u,v)$$\mathcal F(u,v)$ is called the formal group law of geometric cobordisms; nowadays it is also usually referred to as "complex cobordism formal group law".

The geometric cobordism $u\in U^2(X)$$u\in U^2(X)$ is the first Chern-Conner-Floyd class of the complex line bundle $\xi$$\xi$ over $X$$X$ obtained by pulling back the canonical bundle along the map $f_u\colon X\to\mathbb C P^\infty$$f_u\colon X\to\mathbb C P^\infty$. It follows that the formal group law of geometric cobordisms gives an expression of the first class $c_1^U(\xi\otimes\eta)\in U^2(X)$$c_1^U(\xi\otimes\eta)\in U^2(X)$ of the tensor product of two complex line bundles over $X$$X$ in terms of the classes $u=c_1^U(\xi)$$u=c_1^U(\xi)$ and $v=c_1^U(\eta)$$v=c_1^U(\eta)$ of the factors:

$\displaystyle c_1^U(\xi\otimes\eta)=\mathcal F(u,v).$ $$\displaystyle c_1^U(\xi\otimes\eta)=\mathcal F(u,v).$$

The next statement describes manifolds representing the coefficients of the formal group law of geometric cobordisms.

Theorem 3.2 ([Buchstaber1970]).

$\displaystyle \mathcal F(u,v)=\frac{\sum_{i,j\ge0}[H_{ij}]u^iv^j} {\bigl(\sum_{r\ge0}[\mathbb C P^r]u^r\bigr)\bigl(\sum_{s\ge0}[\mathbb C P^s]v^s\bigr)},$ $$\displaystyle \mathcal F(u,v)=\frac{\sum_{i,j\ge0}[H_{ij}]u^iv^j} {\bigl(\sum_{r\ge0}[\mathbb C P^r]u^r\bigr)\bigl(\sum_{s\ge0}[\mathbb C P^s]v^s\bigr)},$$

where $H_{ij}$$H_{ij}$ ($0\le i\le j$$0\le i\le j$) are Milnor hypersurfaces and $H_{ji}=H_{ij}$$H_{ji}=H_{ij}$.

See the proof.

Theorem 3.3 (Mishchenko, see [Novikov1967]). The logarithm of the formal group law of geometric cobordisms is given by the series

$\displaystyle g_{\mathcal F}(u)=u+\sum_{k\ge1}\frac{[\mathbb C P^k]}{k+1}u^{k+1} \in\varOmega_U\otimes\mathbb Q[[u]].$ $$\displaystyle g_{\mathcal F}(u)=u+\sum_{k\ge1}\frac{[\mathbb C P^k]}{k+1}u^{k+1} \in\varOmega_U\otimes\mathbb Q[[u]].$$

See the proof.

Theorem 3.4 ([Quillen1969]). The formal group law $\mathcal F$$\mathcal F$ of geometric cobordisms $\mathcal F$$\mathcal F$ is universal.

See the proof.

The earliest applications of the formal group laws in cobordism concerned finite group actions on manifolds, or "Differentiable periodic maps", see [Novikov1967], [Buchstaber&Novikov1971], [Buchstaber&Mishchenko&Novikov1971]. For instance, a theorem of [Novikov1967] describes the complex cobordism ring of the classifying space of the group $\mathbb Z/p$$\mathbb Z/p$ as

$\displaystyle U^*(B\mathbb Z/p)\cong\varOmega_U[[u]]/[u]_p,$ $$\displaystyle U^*(B\mathbb Z/p)\cong\varOmega_U[[u]]/[u]_p,$$

where $\varOmega_U[[u]]$$\varOmega_U[[u]]$ denotes the ring of power series in one generator $u$$u$ of degree 2 with coefficients in $\varOmega_U$$\varOmega_U$, and $[u]_p$$[u]_p$ denotes the $p$$p$th power in the formal group law of geometric cobordisms. This result extended and unified many earlier calculations of bordisms with $\mathbb Z/p$$\mathbb Z/p$-actions from [Conner&Floyd1964].

The universality of the formal group law of geometric cobordism has important consequences for the stable homotopy theory: it implies that complex bordism is the universal complex oriented cohomology theory.

5 References

• [Buchstaber&Mishchenko&Novikov1971] V. M. Buhštaber, A. S. Mišcenko and S. P. Novikov, Formal groups and their role in the apparatus of algebraic topology, Uspehi Mat. Nauk 26 (1971), no.2(158), 131–154. MR0445522 (56 #3862) Zbl 0226.55007
• [Buchstaber&Novikov1971] V. M. Buhštaber and S. P. Novikov, Formal groups, power systems and Adams operators, Mat. Sb. (N.S.) 84(126) (1971), 81–118. MR0291159 (45 #253) Zbl 0239.55005
• [Buchstaber1970] V. M. Buhštaber, The Chern-Dold character in cobordisms. I, Mat. Sb. (N.S.) 83 (125) (1970), 575–595. MR0273630 (42 #8507) Zbl 0219.57027
• [Conner&Floyd1964] P. E. Conner and E. E. Floyd, Differentiable periodic maps, Academic Press Inc., Publishers, New York, 1964. MR0176478 (31 #750) Zbl 0417.57019
• [Hirzebruch1966] F. Hirzebruch, Topological methods in algebraic geometry, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1966. MR0202713 (34 #2573) Zbl 0843.14009
• [Lazard1955] M. Lazard, Sur les groupes de Lie formels à un paramètre, Bull. Soc. Math. France 83 (1955), 251–274. MR0073925 (17,508e) Zbl 0068.25703
• [Novikov1967] S. P. Novikov, Methods of algebraic topology from the point of view of cobordism theory, Math. USSR, Izv. 1, (1967) 827–913. MR0221509 (36 #4561) Zbl 0176.52401
• [Quillen1969] D. Quillen, On the formal group laws of unoriented and complex cobordism theory, Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 75 (1969), 1293–1298. MR0253350 (40 #6565) Zbl 0199.26705

This page has not been refereed. The information given here might be incomplete or provisional.

\le i\le j$) are [[Complex bordism#Multiplicative generators|Milnor hypersurfaces]] and $H_{ji}=H_{ij}$. {{endthm}} See the [[Media:proofs-fglgc.pdf|proof]]. {{beginthm|Theorem|(Mishchenko, see \cite{Novikov1967})}} The logarithm of the formal group law of geometric cobordisms is given by the series $$ g_{\mathcal F}(u)=u+\sum_{k\ge1}\frac{[\mathbb C P^k]}{k+1}u^{k+1} \in\varOmega_U\otimes\mathbb Q[[u]]. $$ {{endthm}} See the [[Media:proofs-fglgc.pdf|proof]]. {{beginthm|Theorem|(\cite{Quillen1969})}} The formal group law $\mathcal F$ of geometric cobordisms $\mathcal F$ is universal. {{endthm}} See the [[Media:proofs-fglgc.pdf|proof]]. The earliest applications of the formal group laws in cobordism concerned finite group actions on manifolds, or "Differentiable periodic maps", see \cite{Novikov1967}, \cite{Buchstaber&Novikov1971}, \cite{Buchstaber&Mishchenko&Novikov1971}. For instance, a theorem of \cite{Novikov1967} describes the complex cobordism ring of the [[Wikipedia:Classifying_space|classifying space]] of the group $\mathbb Z/p$ as $$ U^*(B\mathbb Z/p)\cong\varOmega_U[[u]]/[u]_p, $$ where $\varOmega_U[[u]]$ denotes the ring of power series in one generator $u$ of degree 2 with coefficients in $\varOmega_U$, and $[u]_p$ denotes the $p$th power in the formal group law of geometric cobordisms. This result extended and unified many earlier calculations of bordisms with $\mathbb Z/p$-actions from \cite{Conner&Floyd1964}. The universality of the formal group law of geometric cobordism has important consequences for the [[Wikipedia:Stable_homotopy_theory|stable homotopy theory]]: it implies that [[Complex bordism|complex bordism]] is the universal complex oriented [[Wikipedia:Homology_theory|cohomology theory]]. == Hirzebruch genera == == References == {{#RefList:}} [[Category:Theory]] [[Category:Bordism]] [[Category:Manifolds]] {{Stub}}R be a commutative ring with unit.

A formal power series $F(u,v)\in R[[u,v]]$$F(u,v)\in R[[u,v]]$ is called a (commutative one-dimensional) formal group law over $R$$R$ if it satisfies the following equations:

1. $F(u,0)=u$$F(u,0)=u$, $F(0,v)=v$$F(0,v)=v$;
2. $F(F(u,v),w)=F(u,F(v,w))$$F(F(u,v),w)=F(u,F(v,w))$;
3. $F(u,v)=F(v,u)$$F(u,v)=F(v,u)$.

The original example of a formal group law over a field $\mathbf k$$\mathbf k$ is provided by the expansion near the unit of the multiplication map $G\times G\to G$$G\times G\to G$ in a one-dimensional algebraic group over $\mathbf k$$\mathbf k$. This also explains the terminology.

A formal group law $F$$F$ over $R$$R$ is called linearisable if there exists a coordinate change $u\mapsto g_F(u)=u+\sum_{i>0}g_iu^i\in R[[u]]$$u\mapsto g_F(u)=u+\sum_{i>0}g_iu^i\in R[[u]]$ such that

$\displaystyle g_F(F(u,v))=g_F(u)+g_F(v).$ $$\displaystyle g_F(F(u,v))=g_F(u)+g_F(v).$$

Note that every formal group law over $R$$R$ determines a formal group law over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\otimes\mathbb Q$.

Theorem 2.1. Every formal group law $F$$F$ is linearisable over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\otimes\mathbb Q$.

Proof. Consider the series $\omega(u)=\frac{\partial F(u,w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}$$\omega(u)=\frac{\partial F(u,w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}$. Then

$\displaystyle \omega(F(u,v))=\frac{\partial F(F(u,v),w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}=\frac{\partial F(F(u,w),v)}{\partial F(u,w)}\cdot\frac{\partial F(u,w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}=\frac{\partial F(u,v)}{\partial u}\omega(u).$ $$\displaystyle \omega(F(u,v))=\frac{\partial F(F(u,v),w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}=\frac{\partial F(F(u,w),v)}{\partial F(u,w)}\cdot\frac{\partial F(u,w)}{\partial w}\Bigl|_{w=0}=\frac{\partial F(u,v)}{\partial u}\omega(u).$$

We therefore have $\frac{du}{\omega(u)}=\frac{dF(u,v)}{\omega(F(u,v))}$$\frac{du}{\omega(u)}=\frac{dF(u,v)}{\omega(F(u,v))}$. Set

$\displaystyle g(u)=\int_0^u\frac{dv}{\omega(v)};$ $$\displaystyle g(u)=\int_0^u\frac{dv}{\omega(v)};$$

then $dg(u)=dg(F(u,v))$$dg(u)=dg(F(u,v))$. This implies that $g(F(u,v))=g(u)+C$$g(F(u,v))=g(u)+C$. Since $F(0,v)=v$$F(0,v)=v$ and $g(0)=0$$g(0)=0$, we get $C=g(v)$$C=g(v)$. Thus, $g(F(u,v))=g(u)+g(v)$$g(F(u,v))=g(u)+g(v)$. $\square$$\square$

A series $g(u)$$g(u)$ satisfying the equation $g(F(u,v))=g(u)+g(v)$$g(F(u,v))=g(u)+g(v)$ is called the logarithm of the formal group law $F$$F$; the above Theorem shows that a formal group law over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\otimes\mathbb Q$ always has a logarithm. Its functional inverse series $f(t)\in R\otimes\mathbb Q[[t]]$$f(t)\in R\otimes\mathbb Q[[t]]$ is called the exponential of the formal group law, so that we have $F(u,v)=f(g(u)+g(v))$$F(u,v)=f(g(u)+g(v))$ over $R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\otimes\mathbb Q$. If $R$$R$ does not have torsion (i.e. $R\to R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\to R\otimes\mathbb Q$ is monic), the latter formula shows that a formal group law (as a series with coefficients in $R$$R$) is fully determined by its logarithm (which is a series with coefficients in $R\otimes\mathbb Q$$R\otimes\mathbb Q$).

Let $F=\sum_{k,l}a_{kl}u^kv^l$$F=\sum_{k,l}a_{kl}u^kv^l$ be a formal group law over a ring $R$$R$ and $r\colon R\to R'$$r\colon R\to R'$ a ring homomorphism. Denote by $r(F)$$r(F)$ the formal series $\sum_{k,l}r(a_{kl})u^kv^l\in R'[[u,v]]$$\sum_{k,l}r(a_{kl})u^kv^l\in R'[[u,v]]$; then $r(F)$$r(F)$ is a formal group law over $R'$$R'$.

A formal group law $F_U$$F_U$ over a ring $A$$A$ is universal if for any formal group law $F$$F$ over any ring $R$$R$ there exists a unique homomorphism $r\colon A\to R$$r\colon A\to R$ such that $F=r(F_U)$$F=r(F_U)$.

Proposition 2.2. Assume that the universal formal group law $F_U$$F_U$ over $A$$A$ exists. Then

1. The ring $A$$A$ is multiplicatively generated by the coefficients of the series $F_U$$F_U$;
2. The universal formal group law is unique: if $F'_U$$F'_U$ is another universal formal group law over $A'$$A'$, then there is an isomorphism $r\colon A\to A'$$r\colon A\to A'$ such that $F'_U=r(F_U)$$F'_U=r(F_U)$.

Proof. To prove the first statement, denote by $A'$$A'$ the subring in $A$$A$ generated by the coefficients of $F_U$$F_U$. Then there is a monomorphism $i\colon A'\to A$$i\colon A'\to A$ satisfying $i(F_U)=F_U$$i(F_U)=F_U$. On the other hand, by universality there exists a homomorphism $r\colon A\to A'$$r\colon A\to A'$ satisfying $r(F_U)=F_U$$r(F_U)=F_U$. It follows that $ir(F_U)=F_U$$ir(F_U)=F_U$. This implies that $ir=\mathrm{id}\colon A\to A$$ir=\mathrm{id}\colon A\to A$ by the uniqueness requirement in the definition of $F_U$$F_U$. Thus $A'=A$$A'=A$. The second statement is proved similarly. $\square$$\square$

Theorem 2.3 ([Lazard1955]). The universal formal group law $F_U$$F_U$ exists, and its coefficient ring $A$$A$ is isomorphic to the polynomial ring $\mathbb Z[a_1,a_2,\ldots]$$\mathbb Z[a_1,a_2,\ldots]$ on an infinite number of generators.

3 Formal group law of geometric cobordisms

The applications of the formal group laws in the cobordism theory build upon the following basic example.

Let $X$$X$ be a cell complex and $u,v\in U^2(X)$$u,v\in U^2(X)$ two geometric cobordisms corresponding to elements $x,y\in H^2(X)$$x,y\in H^2(X)$ respectively. Denote by $u+_{\!{}_H}\!v$$u+_{\!{}_H}\!v$ the geometric cobordism corresponding to the cohomology class $x+y$$x+y$.

Proposition 3.1. The following relation holds in $U^2(X)$$U^2(X)$:

$\displaystyle u+_{\!{}_H}\!v=\mathcal F(u,v)=u+v+\sum_{k\ge1,\,l\ge1}\alpha_{kl}\,u^kv^l,$ $$\displaystyle u+_{\!{}_H}\!v=\mathcal F(u,v)=u+v+\sum_{k\ge1,\,l\ge1}\alpha_{kl}\,u^kv^l,$$

where the coefficients $\alpha_{kl}\in\varOmega_U^{-2(k+l-1)}$$\alpha_{kl}\in\varOmega_U^{-2(k+l-1)}$ do not depend on $X$$X$. The series $\mathcal F(u,v)$$\mathcal F(u,v)$ is a formal group law over the complex bordism ring $\varOmega_U$$\varOmega_U$.

See the proof.

The series $\mathcal F(u,v)$$\mathcal F(u,v)$ is called the formal group law of geometric cobordisms; nowadays it is also usually referred to as "complex cobordism formal group law".

The geometric cobordism $u\in U^2(X)$$u\in U^2(X)$ is the first Chern-Conner-Floyd class of the complex line bundle $\xi$$\xi$ over $X$$X$ obtained by pulling back the canonical bundle along the map $f_u\colon X\to\mathbb C P^\infty$$f_u\colon X\to\mathbb C P^\infty$. It follows that the formal group law of geometric cobordisms gives an expression of the first class $c_1^U(\xi\otimes\eta)\in U^2(X)$$c_1^U(\xi\otimes\eta)\in U^2(X)$ of the tensor product of two complex line bundles over $X$$X$ in terms of the classes $u=c_1^U(\xi)$$u=c_1^U(\xi)$ and $v=c_1^U(\eta)$$v=c_1^U(\eta)$ of the factors:

$\displaystyle c_1^U(\xi\otimes\eta)=\mathcal F(u,v).$ $$\displaystyle c_1^U(\xi\otimes\eta)=\mathcal F(u,v).$$

The next statement describes manifolds representing the coefficients of the formal group law of geometric cobordisms.

Theorem 3.2 ([Buchstaber1970]).

$\displaystyle \mathcal F(u,v)=\frac{\sum_{i,j\ge0}[H_{ij}]u^iv^j} {\bigl(\sum_{r\ge0}[\mathbb C P^r]u^r\bigr)\bigl(\sum_{s\ge0}[\mathbb C P^s]v^s\bigr)},$ $$\displaystyle \mathcal F(u,v)=\frac{\sum_{i,j\ge0}[H_{ij}]u^iv^j} {\bigl(\sum_{r\ge0}[\mathbb C P^r]u^r\bigr)\bigl(\sum_{s\ge0}[\mathbb C P^s]v^s\bigr)},$$

where $H_{ij}$$H_{ij}$ ($0\le i\le j$$0\le i\le j$) are Milnor hypersurfaces and $H_{ji}=H_{ij}$$H_{ji}=H_{ij}$.

See the proof.

Theorem 3.3 (Mishchenko, see [Novikov1967]). The logarithm of the formal group law of geometric cobordisms is given by the series

$\displaystyle g_{\mathcal F}(u)=u+\sum_{k\ge1}\frac{[\mathbb C P^k]}{k+1}u^{k+1} \in\varOmega_U\otimes\mathbb Q[[u]].$ $$\displaystyle g_{\mathcal F}(u)=u+\sum_{k\ge1}\frac{[\mathbb C P^k]}{k+1}u^{k+1} \in\varOmega_U\otimes\mathbb Q[[u]].$$

See the proof.

Theorem 3.4 ([Quillen1969]). The formal group law $\mathcal F$$\mathcal F$ of geometric cobordisms $\mathcal F$$\mathcal F$ is universal.

See the proof.

The earliest applications of the formal group laws in cobordism concerned finite group actions on manifolds, or "Differentiable periodic maps", see [Novikov1967], [Buchstaber&Novikov1971], [Buchstaber&Mishchenko&Novikov1971]. For instance, a theorem of [Novikov1967] describes the complex cobordism ring of the classifying space of the group $\mathbb Z/p$$\mathbb Z/p$ as

$\displaystyle U^*(B\mathbb Z/p)\cong\varOmega_U[[u]]/[u]_p,$ $$\displaystyle U^*(B\mathbb Z/p)\cong\varOmega_U[[u]]/[u]_p,$$

where $\varOmega_U[[u]]$$\varOmega_U[[u]]$ denotes the ring of power series in one generator $u$$u$ of degree 2 with coefficients in $\varOmega_U$$\varOmega_U$, and $[u]_p$$[u]_p$ denotes the $p$$p$th power in the formal group law of geometric cobordisms. This result extended and unified many earlier calculations of bordisms with $\mathbb Z/p$$\mathbb Z/p$-actions from [Conner&Floyd1964].

The universality of the formal group law of geometric cobordism has important consequences for the stable homotopy theory: it implies that complex bordism is the universal complex oriented cohomology theory.

5 References

• [Buchstaber&Mishchenko&Novikov1971] V. M. Buhštaber, A. S. Mišcenko and S. P. Novikov, Formal groups and their role in the apparatus of algebraic topology, Uspehi Mat. Nauk 26 (1971), no.2(158), 131–154. MR0445522 (56 #3862) Zbl 0226.55007
• [Buchstaber&Novikov1971] V. M. Buhštaber and S. P. Novikov, Formal groups, power systems and Adams operators, Mat. Sb. (N.S.) 84(126) (1971), 81–118. MR0291159 (45 #253) Zbl 0239.55005
• [Buchstaber1970] V. M. Buhštaber, The Chern-Dold character in cobordisms. I, Mat. Sb. (N.S.) 83 (125) (1970), 575–595. MR0273630 (42 #8507) Zbl 0219.57027
• [Conner&Floyd1964] P. E. Conner and E. E. Floyd, Differentiable periodic maps, Academic Press Inc., Publishers, New York, 1964. MR0176478 (31 #750) Zbl 0417.57019
• [Hirzebruch1966] F. Hirzebruch, Topological methods in algebraic geometry, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1966. MR0202713 (34 #2573) Zbl 0843.14009
• [Lazard1955] M. Lazard, Sur les groupes de Lie formels à un paramètre, Bull. Soc. Math. France 83 (1955), 251–274. MR0073925 (17,508e) Zbl 0068.25703
• [Novikov1967] S. P. Novikov, Methods of algebraic topology from the point of view of cobordism theory, Math. USSR, Izv. 1, (1967) 827–913. MR0221509 (36 #4561) Zbl 0176.52401
• [Quillen1969] D. Quillen, On the formal group laws of unoriented and complex cobordism theory, Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 75 (1969), 1293–1298. MR0253350 (40 #6565) Zbl 0199.26705

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