Serres Thesis

Singular homology of fiber spaces1
J.-P. Serre
Introduction
The main purpose of this paper is to study loop space 0 2 on a given
by COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY on 07/03/17. For personal use only.
Topological Library Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com
space X. The motivation of this study is twofold: on the one hand, Marston
Morse [30] proved that if X is a Riemannian space, then the homological
properties of the space n are closely related to the properties of the geodesic
lines in X. On the other hand, following Hurewicz [23] we can obtain the
recurrent definition of homotopy groups of X, using !l and, therefore, any
result on the homology groups of the space n improves our knowledge of
the homotopy groups of X.
However, the direct study of the homology of the space !l becomes
difficult. It was carried out to a sufficient extent in case when X is a sphere
only. We use here an indirect method, which follows from the relation
1ri (n) = 7rH1 (X). Here the space n is considered as a fiber in a contractible
total space E of a fibration with a given base X. In this case applying the
cohomology theory of fibrations developed by J. Leray, we obtain direct
relations between homology of X and n, which can be successfully applied
to both problems mentioned above.
1 J.-P. Serre. Homologie singuliere des espaces fibrffi. Applications, Ann. of Math.
1951.
2 The phrase "The main purpose of this paper is the study of loop space 0" seems
to be inexact. Here the loop spaces play an auxiliary role. Actua.lly, my initial aim was
to calculate the cohomology groups of the Eilenberg-MacLane spaces K(II, n). I have
noticed that the Leray theory allows one to reali2e these calculations by induction on n
in the case when we have at our disposal a fiber space E such that
a) E is contractible,
b) the base of the corresponding fibration has the type K(II, n), and hence
c) the fibers of this fibration are the spaces K(II, n- 1).
I have started with the !lllBUmption of the existence of a space E, since it seems to be
plausible. In the case n = 1 such a space is the universal covering, for n = 2, and
II = Z, the base of corresponding fibration is the complex projective space P 00 {C). In
particular, I have calculated in this way cohomology of K(Z, n) with coefficients in Q,
and low-dimensional cohomology modulo p. Just after these heuristic calculations I have
noticed that the loop space realizes the required contractible fiber space with a given
base, and hence, it satisfies conditions a) and b), if the base has type K(II, n). Then I
had to justify the applications of the Leray's theory to this fibration. Fortunately, J .-L.
Koszul and H. Cartan have pointed out a filtration of singular complex {cf. Chapter I),
which happened to have all required properties. As this technical obsta.cle was overcome,
the applications to the spaces K(II, n), and to the Morse theory appeared by themselves.
2 J.-P. Serre
Since the homology theory used here is the theory of singular homology,
and only this theory is suitable for solving homotopy problems, we have to
prove the applicability of Leray theory in this case. So we have completely
modified its topological part. Therefore, our exposition does not require
preliminary studies of Leray paper.
The contents of the chapters is the following:
Chapter I contains the necessary preliminary notions, mainly the notion
of spectral sequences ( [24], [27]) of differential graded groups. We give here
the "abstract" description of the transgression and the suspension. The
first of these notions was introduced by Chern, Hirsch, Koszul (for some
fiber spaces), the second was introduced by Eilenberg and MacLane in the
case of complexes K(II, q). A brief review of Cartan-Leray theory of the
covering spaces (in particular of the universal coverings) is given here as
well.
Chapter II sets the properties of the (singular) homology spectral se-
quence of fiber spaces. First of all, one has to choose a new definition of
singular homology using cubes instead of simplexes, this is done in section 1.
After the definition of the filtration, the essential point here is to prove that
the term E 1 of the spectral sequence is isomorphic to the group of chains
of the base with coefficients in the homology group of the fiber. This proof
requires some constructions with singular cubes, which can be realized if
the fibration satisfies the homotopy oovering theorem for polyhedra. So, this
last property is taken here as the definition of the fibrations 3 .
In Chapter III the first applications of the theorems for various spe-
cial cases are shown. In particular, we single out Propositions 5 and 3,
which are the keys to the most interesting results of the following chapters.
Other results (considered in the framework of the theory of Cech) belong
to J.Leray [29].
Chapter IV is dedicated to the loop space, and has a twofold purpose.
On the one hand, this chapter provides us with general results, which have
their own interest (for example, such as the Hopf theorem, the simplicity
in all dimensions etc.) and are used in sections 7 and 8 in the studies of the
geodesic lines. On the other hand, this chapter prepares the approach to
studies of homotopy groups, which is the aim of the next chapter. Among
the results of the first type, we single out a simple proof of the fact that
for any connected compact Riemannian manifold there are infinitely many
geodesics with two given endpoints (this result was known earlier in the
3 In modern literature these fibrations are called the Serre fibrations - Editorial note.
Singular homology of fiber spaces 3
case of spheres only).
In Chapter V we indicate a method which allows us, to some extent,

to compute the homotopy groups of spaces, whose homology groups are
known. These considerations imply that the homotopy groups of a space are
finitely generated if and only if its homology groups are finitely generated
(at least for the simply connected spaces). We consider also the problem
of calculation of the homotopy groups of spheres. It is convenient here to
separate the tasks, using calculation with different characteristics of the
coefficient fields. The case of characteristic zero can be fully investigated,
it turns out that all the groups 1ri(Sn) are finite, except the groups 7rn(Sn)
and '1r4n-l (82.,) for an arbitrary n. In the case of characteristic p =f 0, we
restrict our calculations to the case of the first homotopy group of Sn (after
the n-th), whose order is divisible by p. This is 7rn+2p-a(S.,) (at least if n
is odd).
Chapter VI gives a short description of application of the previous

method and can be applied to studies of inverse problems, i.e., in real-
ization of simple and short calculations of the Eilenberg-MacLane groups.
Some of these results were known, but their proofs were too difficult.
The main results of this work were summarized in three notes in

Comptes Rendus [35].
I could not finish this introduction without expressing my gratitude to

M. H. Cartan for his permanent help in my work, both at his seminar,
which he conducted during three years, and personal useful and numerous
direct contacts. Due to his help (and that of J.-L. Koszul, whom I also
express my thanks here), I was able to translate the theory of Leray to the
language of singular homology, and also to realize on a solid foundation the
calculations, which until then had been a matter of pure luck. In addition
to these particularly important contributions, I am indebted to him for the
numerous improvements of the results, their presentation, and the editing.
I would also like to thank A. Borel, N. Bourbaki, S. Ellenberg, and J.

Leray for the their help, encouragement, and the piece of advice, different
in nature, but equally valuable. I also want to express my gratitude to
A. Denjoy, who was the head of the jury, when I presented this thesis.
4 J.-P. Serre
Contents
Chapter I. The notion of spectral sequence. 5

1. Spectral sequence of a differential group with increasing
filtration. 5
2. The case of graded group. 8
3. Transgression and suspension. 11
4. Exact sequence. 13
5. The cohomology spectral sequence. 15
6. Spectral sequence of universal covering. 17

Chapter II. Singular homology and cohomology of fiber spaces. 19

1. Singular cubic homology. 19
2. Fiber spaces. Definitions and simple properties. 23
3. Local family composed by homology of fiber. 25
4. Filtration of singular complex of the space E. 28
5. Calculation of the term E1 . 29
6. Calculation of the term E2 . 32
7. Properties of the homology spectral sequences. 34
8. Cohomology spectral sequence. 37
9. Properties of the cohomology spectral sequence. 40
10. Transformation of second terms of homology and cohomology
spectral sequences. 42
11. Proof of Lemma 4. 44
Chapter III. Applications of spectral sequences of fiber spaces. 51
1. First application. 51
2. Euler- Poincare characteristic of fiber spaces. 52
3. Fibrations of Euclidean spaces. 53
4. Exact sequence. 56
5. Gysin exact sequence. 58
6. Wang exact sequence. 59
7. Leray-Hirsch theorem. 61
Chapter IV. Loop spaces. 63
1. Loop spaces. 63
2. Hopf theorem. 65
3. Simplicity of H-spaces. 67
4. The loop spaces fibrations. 70
5. Fibration of a path space with fixed origin. 72
6. Some general results on homology of loop spaces. 74
7. Applications to variations calculus (Morse theory). 76
8. Applications to variations calculus: geodesics transversal
to two sub-manifolds. 79
9. The homology and cohomology of loop space on a sphere. 80
Chapter V. Homotopy groups. 83
1. General method. 83
2. First results. 85
3. Finiteness of homotopy groups of odd-dimensional spheres. 87
4. Auxiliary calculations. 89
5. The first nontrivial modulo p homotopy group
of an odd-dimensional sphere. 90
6. Stiefel manifolds and even-dimensional spheres. 92
Chapter VI. Groups of Eilenberg-MacLane. 95
1. Introduction. 95
2. General results. 95
3. The Hopf theorem. 97
Appendix. On homology of some coverings. 99
References. 102
Chapter I. The notion of spectral sequence

1. Spectral sequence of a differential group with
increasing filtration
Definition. Let (A, d) be a differential group, i.e., an abelian group A,
endowed with an endomorphism d whose square equals zero. A family of
subgroups (AP) (pis an integer, positive or negative) is called an increasing
filtration, if the following conditions are satisfied:
6 J.-P. Serre
It is convenient to complete the definition of the subgroups AP by the

conditions A-oo = 0 and A+oo =A.
Let x EA. We denote by w(x) the lower bound of the integers p such
that x E AP. The map x-+ w(x) obviously has the following properties:
w(a- b):::; Sup(w(a), w(b)); w(da) :::; w(a).
Conversely, if a function w(x) defined on A has integer values (includ-
ing -oo), and satisfies these two properties, then it determines on A an
increasing filtration.
Notations (r is a positive integer):
c~ is the set of all elements of the group AP' whose boundaries are
contained in Ap-r ;
nr is the set of all elements of the group AP' which are boundaries of
the elements of AP+r;
c~ is the set of all elements of the group AP, which are cycles;
B~ is the set of all elements of the group AP, which are boundaries.
All these sets are subgroups of AP, and satisfy the following inclusion
relationships:
Bf{ c Bf c · · · c n:_ 1 c Bf c · · · c B~ c C~ c ...

· · · c q c c~-1 c · .. c Cf c c& = AP.
Note also that d(cr+r) = Bf.
Definition ofthe groups E~. Let E~ = Crf(~~i +B:_ 1 ).

The differential d maps C~ and ( ~~ + i n:_
1 ) to er- r and, respectively,
to n:~r. Hence, it determines a homomorphism of the quotients:
~: ~ -~-r.
The kernel of~ is (C~+l + c:~i)J(~~i + 1) . n:_

The image of ~+r is (~~i + B¥)/(C:~{ + 1) . n:_
Comparing these two results implies that ~ o ~+r = 0. Moreover, the
quotient of the kernel of ~ by the image of ~+r has the form4
(C:+l + c:~i)J(B: + ~~{) = c:+lJ(C:+l n (~~i +B:)J

1
= c:+l;cq- + n:) = E:+I·
4 The symbol = denotes isomorphism. - Editorial note.
Interpretation of the previous results: the spectml sequence.

Let Er = Lp Ef? (in what follows, the symbol L denotes a direct
sum). The group Er is graded by the subgroups E~, the elements of the
subgroups E~ have the filtration degree p, where the maps d~ determine
there homogeneous differentials of degree -r with respect to the filtmtion
degree. The sequence of differential graded groups (Er), r = 0, 1, ... , is
called spectml sequence associated with the differential filtered group A.
As we will see below, the homology group of Er with respect to the
differential dr, calculated for E~, is isomorphic to the group ~+ 1 . Thus,
we have
.. '
~
... etc.
The term Eo.

We have E& = APIAP- 1 • Hence, Eo is the direct sum of successive
quotients APIAP- 1 , and this direct sum is called the gmded group associated
with the filtered group A.
The differential do maps E{; into itself, it is obtained from the differential
d of A by factorization (this is possible because the subgroups AP and AP- 1
are invariant with respect to the differential d).
The term E1.
As above, we have Ef = H(APIAP- 1 ).
1
The differential d 1 maps Ef to Er- , it coincides with the boundary
homomorphism
8: H(AP IAP-l)--+ H(AP-11AP-2)
of the exact homology sequence of the "triple" (AP, AP- 1 , AP- 2 ).

The term Eoo.
By analogy with the definition of the groups Er we define the term
Eoo = Lp E~, the limit (terminal) group of the spectral sequence is as
follows:
On the one hand, the interest to this definition is that the term E 00 can
be considered as the limit of the terms of Er (we will specify this in the
next section), and on the other hand, the term Eoo is closely linked with
the group H(A). Thus, it is a kind of transition from (Er) to H(A).
8 J.-P. Serre
In order to precise this last idea we denote by DP the image of H(AP)

in H(A), induced by the inclusion map of AP to A. So we have
DP = crx,j B~.
Thus, DP/DP- 1 = C~j(c~-l + B~) = E~. In other words, if H(A) is

considered as a group, filtered by the subgroups DP, the group E 00 is the
graded group associated with the filtered group H(A).
Note, however' that the equality np DP = 0 is not necessary valid, even
if npAP = 0, and we will give in the next section a sufficient condition for
the fulfilment of this relation.
Remark. The previous definitions are just translation of the notions

introduced by J. Leray [28] and J.-L. Koszul [25] to the language adapted
to the homology theory. The results of this section can be obtained from
the results of Leray by just a simple change of the notation: it is sufficient
to replace p by -p.
Large part of this theory can be extended to the "axiomatic homology
theory", as it was done by S. Eilenberg, see [10], Exp 8.
2. The case of graded group

We assume in what follows that the group A is graded, i.e., is presented
in the form of a direct sum of its subgroups of nA (where n is an integer,
positive or negative). In addition, we suppose that the differential d has
degree -1 with respect to the grade (in other words, d(nA) C n- 1A) and
that the filtration is compatible with the grade, i.e., each subgroup AP is a
direct sum of its intersections with the subgroups nA. Let Ap,q = p+qAnAP.
We denote also by Hn(A) the n-th homology group of A.
Grade of the terms of the spectral sequence.
Given a grade in A, one can determine the grades in different groups,
introduced in the previous section. We denote by C~,q, B~,q, C~q, B~q,
Dp,q the subgroups of Of, ... , DP, composed by homogeneous elements of
degree p + q. Each of the groups Cf, ... , DP is a direct sum of groups
c~,q 1 ••• , DP,q for -oo < q < +oo.
We also introduce the notation: Ep,q r
= CP,q/(a!'-
r r-1
1
•q+ 1 + Bp,q ) 0<
r-1 ' -
r ~ +oo. Groups E~,q define a grade in E~. Thus, the term Er of the
spectral sequence is bigraded by the groups E~,q. The number p is called
the filter degree, or filtration and q is called the complementary degree. It
is also convenient to consider the total degree p + q (it corresponds to the
degree in the group A). The differentials d.- change these degrees in the
following way:
dr decreases the filter degree by r,
dr decreases the total degree by 1,
dr increases the complementary degree by r - 1.
An additional assumption.
We assume below that the following condition is satisfied:
(.P) If x-# 0 is a homogeneous element of A, then 0 ~ w(x) ~ degx. In
other words, the filtmtion and the degree are positive, and the filtration does
not exceed the degree, or, equivalently: An,o = nA, and Ap,q = 0, if p < 0.
Consequences of the condition (.P).

First of all, if p or q are negative, then EC•q = 0. Hence, for any r, if
p or q are negative, then E~·q = 0. The same is true for E 00 , since E~q =
DP·q/Dp-l,q+l, and thus n-l,n+l = 0 and nn,O = Hn(A), Therefore, we
obtain an increasing sequence of subgroups of H(A):
0 = n-l,n+l c DO,n c ... c nn-1,1 c Dn,O = Hn(A) .
In particular, we get npDP = o.

Proposition 1. If the condition (.P) is satisfied, then
Er·q = E:~1 = E:~2 = · · · = E~q for r > Sup(p, q + 1).

If r > p, then all elements E~·q are cycles of the differential d.-, since
dr decreases the filtration degree by r, and E:·t = 0 for s < 0. Similarly,
if r- 1 > q, then none of the nonzero elements of Ef•q is a coboundary of
d.-, since d.- increases the complementary degree by r - 1. It follows that
Ep,q
r -
- Ep,q
r+l- - ·· ··
It remains to show that these groups are isomorphic to E~q, and this
follows from the fact that if r is sufficiently large, then
Thus, we see that the group E 00 is the limit of the groups Er in the
following sense: given a total degree n, there exists a sufficiently large r
such that the groups composed by elements of Er of the total degree n in
Er, and in E 00 are isomorphic.
The differential group R .
Let R = A 0 ,Rq = A 0 •q. Then R is a graded subgroup of A invariant
with respect to the action of the differential. So, we have E~·q = Hq(R). On
10 J.-P. Serre
the other hand, all the elements of E~·q (r ~ 1) are cycles of the differential
dr, since dr decreases the filtration degree, and these elements have minimal
filtration degree. Hence we obtain a sequence of epimorphisms
Moreover, according to Proposition 1, we have r > q + 1 so, these

epimorphisms are isomorphisms. Thus, the group E~q = E~t2 coincides
with a quotient of Hq(R) (this follows immediately from the representations
of these groups in terms of Cf•q and Bf•q). On the other hand, E~q =
D 0 •q c Hq(A). Therefore, we obtain the sequence of homomorphisms
such that the first homomorphism is surjective, and the second one injec-
tive. Their composition is nothing but the homomorphism Hq(R) ~ Hq(A)
induced by the inclusion R ~ A.
The differential group S.
Let Ef'0 = 811 and S = Lp 811 • The group S coincides with the subgroup
of E1, composed by the elements of complementary degree 0. Since the
differential d1 does not change the complementary degree, the subgroup S
is invariant with respect to d1 , and is a differential graded group.
We have H11 (S) = E~· 0 • On the other hand, none of the nonzero ele-
ments of Ef•0 is a boundary of dr, (r ~ 2), since dr increases the comple-
mentary degree, and these elements have minimal complementary degree.
Hence we get a sequence of monomorphisms
... -+ EK• 0 ~ E~· 0 = H11 (S).

Moreover, for sufficiently large values of r these homomorphisms are
isomorphisms. More precisely, according to Proposition 1, we have E;~1 =
E~o, but E~0 = DP·0 jDp-l,l = H 11 (A)jDP- 1 •1 • Thus, we get a sequence
of homomorphisms
H 11 (A) ~ E~0 ~ H 11 (S),

where the first homomorphism is surjective, and the second one is injective.
Let us give an interpretation of the composition of these homomorphisms.
Recall that Ef' 0 = Cf• 0 f(C'C- 1 ' 1 + B'C'0 ). Since Cf• 0 = PA, we have a
natural homomorphism 1r: A -+ S, which commutes with the boundary
and determines the homomorphism 1r*: Hp(A) --+ Hp(S), which is exactly
the composition mentioned above.
In particular this implies that the image of 1r* coincides with E~0 , and
its kernel is DP- 1 •1 .
Remark. fu all applications of spectral sequences, which are known
by now, the filtered group A is graded. Conversely, the condition (41) is
satisfied in general in applications related to some extent to the theory of
fibrations only (for example, except this latter theory, which is considered
in the next chapter, these are the theory of groups with operators, or the
theory of extensions of discrete groups). The most important case where
this condition is not satisfied, is the Morse theory.

In the case of a fiber space E with fiber F and base B, the group A
is the group of chains of E, the group R is composed by chains of the
fiber F, and the group Sis that of the chains of the base B. In addition,
the natural homomorphisms R --+ A --+ S are induced by the continuous
mappings F --+ E --+ B.
3. Transgression and suspension
The group A/ R.
Consider again the natural homomorphism
7r: AP,o = Cf•o--+ Cf'o /(08-1,1 + Bg•o) = Sp.
If p ~ 1, then 1r maps the group Rp = A 0 ·P to G&- 1' 1 , and, hence,

defines a homomorphism of the quotient
7r' : Ap,O IA O,p --+ Sp.
Moreover, if p ~ 2, then 1r' commutes with the boundary operator, and

thus defines the homomorphism
1r~: Hq(A/ R) --+ Hp(S).

11
Hence, Hp(A/R) = CC• 0 /(C0 •P+Bf•0 ) and Hp(B) = C~· 0 /(Cf- • +Bf•0 ).
Therefore, the kernel of 1r~ coincides with the image of the natural map
c;=t·1
--+ Hp(A/ R), and its image is
12 J.-P. Serre
As a result of these considerations, we see that the sequence
E~· = H 11 (S) is
0
is exact, and that the composition Hp(Aj R) -+ E:· 0 -+
nothing but 1r~.
A diagram.
Consider the following diagram (I):
(I)
~ EO,p-1 --+ E~- 1 -+ 0

p
1
0
r
0
The columns and the rows of diagram (I) are exact sequences, and this
diagram is commutative, since all its arrows are induced either by inclusions
in A, or by factorization of the differential d in A. Finally, the homomor-
phisms >. and /i in this diagram are injective.
The transgression.
Consider two homomorphisms (p ~ 2):
Let Land M be the kernels of 8 and 1r~, respectively, and L', M' be their
images.
Let x E M' and y be such that 1r~ (y) = x. Then 8(y) is an element
of Hp-1 (R), it describes a class modulo 8(M) when y varies. Hence, we
obtain a homomorphism of quotients called transgression:
T: M'-+ Hp-1(R)/8(M).
The elements of the subgroup M' are called transgressive elements of Hp(S).
A cycle of S, whose homology class is transgressive, is called transgressive
cycle.
In terms of chains the definition of M' means that a cycle x E Sp is
transgressive if and only if there exists an element a E A such that 1r( a) = x,
and da E Rp-1·
Proposition 2. The groups M' and Hp-1(R)/8(M) are naturally iso-
morphic to the groups E&·0 and E~,P- 1 • These isomorphisms transform the
transgression
T: M' ---+ Hp-1 (R) / 8( M) to the differential dp : EJ&• 0 ---+ E~,p-l.
This result follows immediately from diagram (I).

The suspension.
Quite similarly we can define a homomorphism of L' C Hp- 1 (R) to
Hp(S)j1r~(L). This homomorphism is called suspension and is denoted by
:E. Note that it increases the degrees by one.
The most important case for further considerations is the following:
Hp(A) = Hp-t(A) = 0. Here, we have L' = Hp-t(R), 1r~(L) = 0 and the
suspension is a homomorphism Hp_ 1 (R) ---+ Hp(S), which is equal to 1r~ o
a- 1 . In this case, diagram (I) implies the following commutative diagram
(II):
Ep,O ~ ~,p-1
1"" 1 (II)
Here, dp is an isomorphism, Eft,• 0 ---+ Hp(S) is injective, and its image co-
incides with that of :E, Hp_ 1 ~R) ---+ ~,p- 1 is surjective, and its kernel
coincides with that of :E.
Remark. As it was indicated in the introduction, the notions of trans-
gression and suspension were introduced in some particular cases by Chern-
Hirsch-Koszul, and Eilenberg-MacLane, respectively. Proposition 2 be-
longs to Koszul ([25], the last two rows).
4. Exact sequence
Assumptions.
Let i, j, k be positive integers, and i < j.
14 J.-P. Serre
We assume that E~·q = 0 for each natural number n, such that i ~ n ~

j, and all pairs (p, q), p + q = n, except two pairs (an, bn) and (en, dn). In
order to simplify the formulae, we denote by nE~ (respectively, by nE~') the
terms E~·q corresponding top= an, q = bn (respectively, p = Cn, q = dn)·
So, the term Er contains at most two groups of the total degree n, which
can be nonzero, these are nE~ and .,.E~. We assume that a,.. < c,...
Finally, we suppose that
~,q = 0, if p+ q = n -1, p ~a.,.- r, and i ~ n ~ j;

~,q = 0, if p + q = n + 1, p ~ Cn + r, and i ~ n ~ j.
Proposition 3. Under these assumptions, we have an exact sequence
Proof. Consider first the increasing sequence of subgroups of Hn(A)

composed by the groups DP,q, p+q = n. It is known that DP,qjDP-l,q+l =
E~q. So, let i ~ n ~ j. Thus, if p =/= an and p =/= c,.., then by the
assumptions, E~·q = 0, and, hence, E~q = 0. Therefore, we obtain the
exact sequence
0 - nE'oo - H n (A) - nE"

oo - 0 '
We have to find nE~ . Note that the differential d11 vanishes on nE~
(s ~ r), since it maps this group to E~·q. Here p =a.,.- s, q = bn + s- 1,
and this group is trivial by the assumptions. Thus, nE~ is the quotient
of nE~ by a subgroup composed by elements, which are boundaries of the
differentials d 8 • Similarly, none of the nonzero elements o£11-E~ is a boundary
of any of d8 , s ~ r. Therefore nE~ is a subgroup of nE~, composed by
elements, which are cycles of all these differentials d8 • Consequently, we
get the exact sequence
Let us find the kernel of the first homomorphism. We have already seen
that this kernel is the subgroup of elements, which are the boundaries of
one of the differentials of d 8 , s ~ r. Let i ~ n ~ j - 1, then E 8 contains at
most two terms n+lE~, and n+lE~, which can be nonzero. As we have seen
above, all elements of n+lE~ are cycles of the differentials d,,. Hence, there
exists at most one non-zero differential d8 , which maps n+ 1E~1 to nE~, so,
it corresponds to s = Cn+1- an. Thus we have the exact sequence
n+lE~ ---t nE; ---t Hn(A), i ::=; n ::=; j - 1.
In a similar way we get the following exact sequence:

Hn(A) ---t nE~ ---t n- 1E;, i + 1 :::; n:::; j.
Combination of the previous exact sequences implies the required result.

Corollary. Let Ep,q = 0 for all p + q = n, p "# a,.., n ~ 0, and
a,.. < an-1 + r for all n ~ 0. Then Hn(A) = E~.. ,b.. for any n ~ 0.
The corollary follows from the previous proposition in the case Cn =

a...+ 1, d... = b,.. - 1, i = 0, j = +oo.
Remark. Usually, exact sequences are obtained from spectral se-
quences with the help of proposition 3. Numerous examples are described
in Chapter III.
5. The cohomology spectral sequence
This is the classical subject. The reader can find the details in [25]
or [28], and we give here just a short resume of the essential facts.
Differential graded group with a decreasing filtration.
Let (A*, d) be a graded group, endowed with a differential d of degree
+ 1. By definition, the subgroups A*P (where pare arbitrary integers) define
a decreasing filtration on A*, if the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) npA*P = o, A*P+l c A*P, d(A*P) c A*P.
(2) Each subgroup A*P is a direct sum of its homogeneous components.
(3) If x # 0 is a homogeneous element, then 0:::; w(x):::; degx.
We denote byw(x) the upper bound of the integerspsuch that x E A*P.
Condition (3) implies that A* 0 =A*.
The spectral sequence.
We define the groups A*p,q' C"~·q, C*~q' B*~·q, B*~q' D*p,q' E*~·q,
as in section 2. For example, C*~,q is composed by homogeneous elements
x E A*P of degree p + q such that dx E A*P+r. So, we have:
E .p,q = c•p,q/(C*P+ 1 ,q- 1 + B"p,q ) o 1
r r r-1 r-1 ' r = ' , · · ·, OOj
E"p,q = D"p,q/D*P+ 1,q- 1 •
00 ,
0 = D"'n+l,-1 C D"n,o C ... C D*l,n-1 C D"'o,n = Hn(A).

16 J.-P. Serre
The differential d.,., constructed by taking the quotients, as in section 1,

maps E*~,q to E*~+r,q-r+ 1 • In contrast with the case considered in section
2, it changes the degrees in the opposite direction. We also have H(E;) =
E;+l. The sequence (E;) is called cohomology spectml sequence of the
group A*.
Differential groups R* and 8*.
Let R* = A* fA *1 ' S*p = E*p,O
1 '
and S* = "L..Jp S*p· Then the results of
sections 2 and 3 can be easily rewritten as follows: the natural admissible
homomorphisms s· -A* - R*, induce the homomorphisms HP(S*) -
HP(A*) - HP(R*). For p ~ 2, the tmnsgression dp: E*~,p- 1 - E*:•0
maps some subgroup of HP- 1 (R*) to a quotient of HP(S*). It can also be

obtained by factorization of the homomorphisms
A (p- I)-dimensional cycle x E R* is transgressive (i.e., its cohomology

class is contained in E* ~,p- 1 ) if and only if there exists an element a E A",
which is mapped to x by the homomorphism A* - R*, and such that
da E s;.
Example.
Let A be a differential graded group with an increasing filtration, sat-
isfying the condition («<>). Let nA* = Hom(nA, G), where G is an arbitrary
abelian group. The group A*= En nA* is graded by the groups nA*, and
can be endowed with a differential d, which is determined by the differential
of the group A.
Let the filtration on A be determined by the subgroups AP, then A*P
is defined as annihilator of AP-1 . Properties (1), (2), (3) are obviously
verified.
Multiplicative structure.
Let the group A* be endowed with a ring structure, such that the fol-
lowing properties are satisfied:
(a) if x andy are homogeneous elements of degrees p and q, then x · y is
a homogeneous element of degree p + q, and d(x · y) = dx · y + (-1)Px · dy.
In this case the operator d is called antidifferentiation in A*.
(b) A*'· A*j c A*i+j.
Then it is easy to see that the groups E; have a ring structure such that
, , +, +,
E*p,q
r
·E*Pr ,q c E*Pr P ,q q ' and the differentials u-r
ri are antidi~erentiations
:JJ'
in E; with respect to the total degree.
IT A* is associative (respectively, has a unit element), then the same is

true forE;.
An exact sequence.
The results of section 4 can also be applied here without difficulties.
Under the same assumptions as above, we replace the groups EJ!•q by the
groups E*~'q. Now, we denote by "E*~ (respectively, by .,E*~) the term
E*~'q, corresponding top= a.,, q = b., (respectively, top= c.,, q = d.,).
So we obtain
Proposition 3' Under the previous assumptions, we have an exact
sequence:
6. Spectral sequence of universal covering
Let X be a path connected, locally path connected, and locally simply

connected space. We define in the usual way (see, for example, [32], section
50) its universal covering T. We recall some relationships, established by
Leray and Cartan, (see [7], (10], and Exp. 11, 12 in (12]), between the
homology of X and T and the homology of the fundamental group II of the
space X.
Definition of the universal covering. We recall this definition briefly:
let e E X be a base point, and T be a set of homotopy classes of paths
with the origin at e. Let q E T and h be a path in this class q. Let U
be a neighborhood of the endpoint b of the path h. Denote by Vu the set
of classes of paths, which can be represented as compositions of h with
paths with origin at b and containing in U . By definition, the sets Vu
compose a fundamental system of neighborhoods of q in T. It is easy to
verify that the set T, endowed with this topology, is path connected, locally
path connected, locally simply connected, and simply connected. Let us
associate with each q E T the common endpoint b of paths in the class q.
Thus we obtain a continuous map p: T ~ X, called projection of the space
T onto X. This projection is a local homeomorphism and defines, as it
is known, an isomorphism of the homotopy group 7T0(T) to the homotopy
group 7Ti(X), i = 2, 3, ...
Action of the group II on T.
The group II is identified with the group of classes of loops with origin
at e. So, the group II acts on T canonically. Each non-neutral element of
18 J.-P. Serre
II defines a homeomorphism of the space T onto itself without fixed points.

It follows that II acts in the singular complex ofT, and consequently on
the singular homology and cohomology groups ofT. Here each singular
simplex of X is an image under the projection p of a singular simplex of
the space T, which is defined up to the action of II. fu other words (see
the notations in [10]): The singular complex ofT is II-free, and the complex
K(T)rr is isomorphic to the complex K(X) . (Recall that K(T)rr denotes
the quotient of K(T) by the equivalence relation defined by action of II.)
Spectml sequence.
The previous arguments allow us to apply the results of [10], Exp. 12,
and we obtain:
Proposition 4. Let X be path connected, locally path connected, and
locally simply connected space, II = 7rt (X), G be an abelian group, and T be
the universal covering of X . Then there exists a homology spectml sequence
(E,.), such that E~,q = Hp(II,Hq(T,G)), and the limit group is isomorphic
to the gmded group, associated with the group H(X, G), endowed with an
appropriate filtmtion.
A similar spectral sequence does exist for cohomology.
More precisely, here Hp(II, Hq(T, G)) denotes the p-th homology group
of the group II in the sense of Hopf-Eilenberg-MacLane-Eckmann with
coefficients in the q-th singular homology group Hq(T, G), where II acts
canonically, as we have seen above.
Corollary 1. If II is the additive group of integers, and if for all
i it acts trivially on the group Hi(T, k) (here k is a field), then the
group H.;.(X, k) is isomorphic to a direct sum of the groups H.;.(T, k) and
H.;.-t(T, k).
It is known that if the group II = Z acts trivially on an abelian group
G, then
Ho(II, G) = H1 (II, G) = G and Hi(II, G) = 0 for i ~ 2.
According to the Hurewicz theorem [23], these groups are the homology
groups of a circle. For the term E 2 of Proposition 4, the filtration degree p
can only take the values 0 and 1. Hence the differentials d2 , d 3 , ••• should
vanish here, since this degree will be reduced respectively, by 2, 3, . . .. Thus,
the term Eoo is isomorphic to E2, and in the total degree i it contains two
groups only:
Ho(II, H.;.(T, k)) = H,(T, k) and Ht(II,H,_t(T, k)) = Hi-t(T, k).

As the coefficients compose a field, the group H;.(X, k) is isomorphic (not

naturally) to its associated graded group, and the proof is complete.
Corollary 2. Let the group II of a finite order act trivially on the group
H;.(T, k) for all i (here k is a field of characteristic, which does not divide
the order of the group II). Then
H;.(X, k) = H;.(T, k).
We have H 0 (II,H,(T,k)) = Hi(T,k), and H 3(II,Hi(T,k)) = 0 for j > 0
(this is a well-known definition of the "Japanese homomorphism"). Then
the result follows from corollary to Proposition 3.
Remark. We have shown here just two very elementary results, which
will be used below. They are very particular cases of more general results.
The reader can find them in [10], Exp. XI, XII, XIII.
Chapter II. Singular homology and

cohomology of fiber spaces
1. Singular cubic homology
The classical singular homology theory (Eilenberg [15]) uses simplexes,
and in this chapter we need an equivalent definition, which uses the cubes.
Clearly, in studies of direct products, or, more generally, of fibrations, the
cubes are more convenient than simplexes.
We start with the review of various definitions and notation of the cubic
homology theory.
Singular cubes.
Let I be the segment [0, 1], and X be a topological space. Then, by def-
inition, the n-dimensional singular cube of X is a continuous map u: In --t
X, or, equivalently, a continuous function u(x1, ... ,xn), 0 ~ x;. ~ 1 with
values in X. In particular, the 0-dimensional cube is a point in the space
X, a 1-dimensional cube is a path in X.
Ann-dimensional cube u is called degenerated if its value does not de-
pend on x,., i.e., if u(xt, ... ,x,.) = u(xt , ... ,Xn-l,Yn) for any values of
x1, ... , Xn-1, x .. , Yn· For example, a 0-dimensional cube is never degener-
ated; a !-dimensional cube is degenerated if and only if it maps the entire
interval I to a single point.
We denote by Qn(X) the free abelian group whose base is the set of
n-dimensional singular cubes in X. Let D,.(X) C Q,.(X) be the subgroup,
20 J.-P. Serre
generated by the degenerated cubes, and Q(X) (respectively D(X)) be the

direct sum of the groups Q .. (X) (respectively, D .. (X)).
The boundary operator.
Let u be a singular n-dimensional cube. We shall determine some par-
ticular faces of u.
Let H C {1, ... ,n} be a subset containing p elements, K = {1, ... ,n} \
H be its complement, and q = n - p. Denote by cp K strictly monotonically
increasing mapping of K onto the set {1, ... , q}. For e = 0 or 1, we define
the q-dimensional singular cube >.ifu as follows:
where the values of Ys are given by:
if i E H, then Yi = e; if i E K, then Yi = x'PK(i)·
If the set H consists of a single element i, then we write ~u instead of

>.{s} u. Thus,
(>.?u) (x1, ... , Xn-1) = u(x1, ... , Xi-1, 0, Xi, ... , Xn-d,
(>.!u) (x1, ... , Xn-1) = u(x1, ... , Xi-1, 1, Xi, ... , Xn-d·
Now, by definition, the boundary of then-dimensional cube u is an element
of Q..-1 (X) such that
..
du = L( -l)i(>.?u- >.!u).
i=1
The obvious formula
shows that ddu = 0, and d maps D.. (X) to Dn-1(X), since if u is a degen-
erated cube, then the cube >.~u is degenerates fori~ n-1, and >.~u = >.~u.
Hence, D(X) is an admissible subgroup of the differential group Q(X).
Groups of cubic homology and cohomology.
Definition. A graded differential group
C(X) = Q(X)/D(X)
is called the group of singular cubic chains of the space X. Its homology
and cohomology groups with coefficients in an abelian group G are called
the cubic homology and cohomology groups of X with coefficients in G.
Let C.. (X) = Q.. (X)/D.. (X), then
C(X) = L c .. (x).
n
The abelian group C(X) has a basis, whose elements biuniquely correspond
to non-degenerated n-dimensional cubes of X. Hence, this group is free,
and the classical universal coefficients theorems can be applied here.

We denote by C.. (X, G) the group C.. (X) ® G, i.e., the group of n-
dimensional singular cubic chains with coefficients in G. The corresponding
homology group is denoted by H .. (X,G).
We denote by cn(X,G) the group Hom(C.,(X),G), i.e., the group of
n-dimensional singular cubic cochains with values in G. Such a cochain
can be identified with a function, defined on the n-dimensional cubes of
the space X, which vanishes at the degenerate cubes, and has values in G.
The coboundary operator is denoted by d, and the cohomology groups by
HP(X,G).
Multiplication of cochains.
Let G be a ring, f and g be two cochains of X with values in G, and let
their degrees be p and q, respectively. Let u be a (p + q)-dimensional cube
of X. We define a (p + q)-dimensional cochain f ·gas follows:
(f · g)(u) = L (!H,Kf(>..'ku) · g(>..},-u).

H
Here H runs through the set of all subsets of {1, ... ,p + q}, containing p
elements, K is the complement of H, and (!H,K = (-1)v, where vis the
number of the pairs (i, j) such that i E H, j E K, i > j. It is easy to verify
the usual formula for the coboundary
d(f · g) = df · g + (-1 )P f · dg.
If both functions f, g vanish on the degenerate cubes, then so does f ·g.

Indeed, if u is a degenerated cube, then at least one of the cubes >..'ku, >..},-u
is degenerated.
If the ring G has a unit element, then the ring of the cochains also
haa a unit. This follows from the fact that all zero-dimensional cubes are
22 J.-P. Serre
non-degenerated. If the ring G is associative, then the cochains ring is

associative as well.
So, we can define the cohomology ring
Local coefficients.
Let (Gx) be a local system on X in the sense of Steenrod [37]. Recall
that each path h in X with the origin and the endpoint at b corresponds to
an isomorphism Th : Ga -+ G&. This isomorphism Th depends on the homo-

topy class of the path h only, and satisfies the obvious transitivity condition.
If the space X is path connected, then all the groups Gx are isomorphic,
and the local system is completely determined by one of these groups, say
Ga, and by the automorphisrns defined in Ga by the fundamental group
of X at the point a.
Cubic chains on X with the values in a local system (Gx) are formal
linear combinations of cubes u of the space X, and the coefficient at the
cube u is contained in the group G,.,, where x is the "first vertex" of the
cube u, i.e., the point x = u(O, ... , 0).
The boundary of the chain g · u is defined by:
n
d(g · u) = 'L...,(
" ' -I)'(T.,.,,;,o(g)
. · >.i0 u- Tu,i,l (g) · >.i1 u).
i=l
Here Tu,i,e is an isomorphism corresponding to the path t -+

u(O, ... , ts, 0, ... , 0), where ts stands at the i-th place. Note that T... ,,;,o =g.
The coboundary and cocycles are defined by duality. The product of
the cochains is given by the formula:
(! · g)(u) = L l!H,Kf(>.~u) · Tu,Hg(>.ku),

H
where Tu,H is the isomorphism of the coefficient groups corresponding to

the path Xu,H in X such that:
Xu,H(t) = u(x1, ... , Xp+q), where X,;= 0, if i E K,

X,; = t, if i E H.
Comparison with the classical singular theory.

Let Ln be an affine n-dimensional simplex, i.e., the subset of the
cube 1'~+ 1 , composed by the points (Yo, ... , Yn), such that 0 ~ Yi ~ 1,
I::=o Yi = 1. The formulae
Yo= 1- Xt,
Yl = Xt(1- X2),
Yn-1 = XtX2 · · -Xn-t(I- Xn),

Yn = XtX2 · ·. Xn-tXn
define a map On of the cube In onto the simplex Ln, and the family of the
maps On defines a homomorphism (J of singular chains (in the usual sense)
to the group of singular cubic chains. Simple computations show that the
homomorphism (} commutes with the boundary, and its dual is multiplica-
tive with respect to the cup-product. Therefore, it defines a homomorphism
of the classical singular homology groups to the cubic homology, and a mul-
tiplicative homomorphism of the cubic cohomology groups to the classical
singular cohomology groups. One can show that, actually, these homomor-
phisms are isomorphisms. We do not verify this fact here. The reader can
find the details in the forthcoming paper of Eilenberg-MacLane5 .
These arguments imply that all known results on the singular homology
can be used in the cubic homology. In particular: If G is a commutative
ring, and f E HP(X, G), g E Hq(X, G), then f · g = ( -I)Pqg · f (anticom-
mutativity of the cup-product) .
In what follows, we write "singular homology" and "singular cohomol-
ogy" instead of "cubic homology" and "cubic cohomology".
2. Fiber spaces. Definitions and simple properties

In order to establish the properties of the homology spectral sequence
of fibrations (that is the aim of this chapter), we use the covering homotopy
theorem for polyhedra only. We take it as the definition:
Definition. A fibration is a triple (E,p, B), where E and Bare topolog-
ical spaces, and p is a continuous map of E onto B such that the following
condition is satisfied:
5 This paper of Eilenberg- MacLane is already published: Eilenberg S.,
MacLane 8. Acyclic models, Amer. J. Math. 1953. V. 75. pp.l89-199. - Edito-
rial note.
24 J.-P. Serre
(~)For any continuous maps f: P X I--+ B, g: P--+ E (where Pis a

finite polyhedron, and I is the segment [0, 1]), such that p o g(x) = f(x, 0)
for all x E P, these exists a continuous map h: P x I --+ E, such that
po h = f, and h(x,O) = g(x) for all x E P.
Examples.
1. Locally trivial :fibrations (fiber bundles) satisfy the condition (~).
See, for example, [9], Exp. VIII.
2. This condition is satisfied for the fibre-spaces of Hurewicz-Steenrod.
3. The principal fibrations (in the sense of [9], Exp. VII), whose struc-
tural groups belong to the class GLG (in the sense of Gleason) satisfy the
condition (~) 6 •
4. We shall see in Chapter IV that the path spaces satisfy the condition
(~), though they do not belong to any of the categories listed above.
Remark. Since B is not assumed to be separable, the sets p- 1 (b),
b E B, are not necessary closed. On the other hand, the topology of B, in
general, does not coincide with the topology defined on the quotient of E
by the equivalence relation determined by p.
Proposition 1. Let (E,p, B) be a fibration; A, X be finite contractible
polyhedra, A c X, and f: X --+ B, g: A --+ E be continuous maps such
thatpog(x) = f(x) for all x EA. Then there exists a continuous extension
h: X --+ E of the map g such that p o h = f.
First, we formulate two lemmas; the first one is well known, and the
second one is easily proved by induction on n (the case n = 1 is just a
different formulation of the condition (~)):
Lemma 1. A contractible polyhedron is a retract of each normal space,
which contains it.
Lemma 2. Let X = A x In, and A be contained in X by means of the
map a --+ (a, s), where s is some base point in In. Then Proposition 1 is
valid.
Now, we prove Proposition 1. Let Y be the space, which is obtained
from X by contraction the set A to a single point y. We can embed the
space Y into a cube In, where n is an appropriate integer (this is possible
since Y has a finite dimension) . Denote by s E In the corresponding image
of the pointy, and by j the map X--+ Y c In. According to Lemma 1,
there exists a retraction r : X --+ A.
6This follows from one theorem of A.Borel [2], and from one theorem of the author [34] .
The map x---+ (r(x),j(x)) embeds X into A X I'\ and this embedding
maps the point a E A to the point (a, s).
On the other hand, X is a retract of the product Ax I"' (Lemma 1).
Thus, the map f: X ---+ B can be extended to f': A x I"' ---+ B. Now, the
application of Lemma 2 allows one to extend g to a map h': A x I"' ---+ E
such that p o h' = f'. So, we can take the restriction of h' to X as the
required map h.
Remark. Conversely, it is easy to show that the property, formulated
in Proposition 1, implies property (~). This fact, however, is not used in
what follows.
Application. Let F be a fiber of E, i.e., a set ofthe formp- 1 (b), bE B.

It is well known that Proposition 1 implies that the projection p defines an
isomorphism of 1ri(E mod F) and 1ri(B) for all i. Thus, we obtain the
exact homotopy sequence:
••• ---+ 1ri(F)-+ 1r,;(E)---+ 1r;.(B)---+ 7r;.-t(F)-+ 1ri-t(E)-+ ...
3. Local family composed by homology of fiber
Let x E E and b = p(x) E B. We denote by Fa fiber containing x, or,

in other words, F = p- 1 (b).
In the remaining part of this chapter we assume that the spaces B and
F are path connected. Then the condition (~) implies that the space E is
path connected, as well as the other fibers.
Our assumptious allow us to restrict our considerations to the case of
singular cubes whose vertices are located at the point x (or b) without
changing the homology groups ofF, E, (E mod F), B. For example, this
follows from the isomorphism of the theory of the cubic and of the ordinary
(simplicial) singular homology theory. So, we assume in what follows, that
the vertices of each cube of the space E (respectively, B) are located at the
point x (respectively, b).
Now we show how the group 7rt(B) acts on the homology groups of the
fiber F. For this purpose, we introduce the following notation.
Definition. Let (E,p, B) be a fibration, v be a loop in the space B with
the endpoints at b. A map C, which associates with each n-dimensional
singular cube u of the fiber F an (n + I)-dimensional singular cube C(u)
of the space E, is called construction subordinated to v, if the following
conditions are satisfied:
26 J.-P. Serre
1. >.~C(u) = u.
2. (poC(u))(t,tt, . .. ,t.. ) =v(t).
3. C(>.;u) = >.~+ 1 C(u), e = 0, 1.
4. If the cube u is degenerated, then the cube C(u) is degenerated as
well.
Let Sc be the endomorphism of the group of the cubic chains of the fiber
F, defined by the equality (Sau)(tt, ... , t,) = C(u)(l, t1, ... , t.,). This
definition is well-defined due to Condition 4.
It follows from condition 3 that Sc ( >.~u) = >.; (Sou) , and this implies (by
induction on the number of elements of H), that Sa(>.ifu) = >.k(Scu). In

particular, the homomorphism Be commutes with the boundary operator,

i.e., it is an admissible endomorphism.
Lemma 3. For each loop v there exists at least one subordinated con-
struction. Moreover, if Vt and v2 are two loops in the same homotopy class,
and if Ct and c2 are constructions subordinated to the loops Vt and V2,
respectively, then the homomorphisms Sc1 and Sc2 are homotopy equiva-
lent.
(The proof is given in section 13).
Let v be a loop in B, a E 11't(B) be its homotopy class, C be the
construction subordinated to v, and Be be the corresponding admissible
endomorphism. This endomorphism Be defines an endomorphism of the
homology groups of F, which depends on a only, in view of Lemma 3. We
denote it by To:.
Proposition 2. The map a - To: is a representation of the group
11't(B) in the group of automorphisms of H(F).
Recall that the group operation in 1r1 (B) is defined by the composition
of loops denoted by *. Its definition is given in Chapter IV, section 1.
It is sufficient to prove that Te = 1 and To: o TfJ = To:•fJ· The equality
Te = 1 follows from considerations of the construction
It is clear that it is subordinated to the trivial loop I - b, and that Sa(u) =

u, for all u, hence, Te = 1.
Now, we prove that To: o TfJ = To:*fJ· Let v E a, v' E /3, then v * v' E
a* /3. Let C and C' be constructions subordinated to the loops v and v',
respectively. We define the construction C" by the formula

. 1
(C'u)(2t, t1, ... , tn), tft:::::; 2'
(C"u)(t,tt. ... ,tn) =
{ (C(Sc,u))(2t- 1, t1, ... , tn), .f 1
1 t ~ 2.
The construction C" is subordinated to the loop v" = v * v'. Moreover,
Hence, Scu = Sc o Sc', and Tao T~ = Ta.*~' QED.

Thus, we have proved that the group 1r1 (B) acts canonically on the
group H(F). In a similar way, it acts on the cohomology ring H*(F) of the
fiber F. Consequently, H(F) and H*(F) compose local families on B.
Proposition 3. Let E be the total space of a locally trivial fibmtion,
and let its structure group G be path connected. Then 1r1 (B) acts trivially
on H(F) and on H'"(F).
Let v be a loop in the space B. We will define a construction C subor-
dinated to v, and such that Scu = u for all u. The proof of the proposition
follow from this construction.
Let T be the space, obtained from the interval I by identifying the
points 0 and 1. The loop v defines a map v 1 : T - B. Let E' be a locally
trivial fibration with the fiber F and the base T the induced from E by the
map v' (see [9], Exp. VII, VIII). So, we obtain a commutative diagram:
E'~ E
Since the group G is path connected, E' is trivial, i.e., it is equivalent to

the product T x F. Now, if u is a cube in F, then we can define a cube I xu
in E' = T x F, as the direct product ofthe maps I - T and u: In - F.
Consider the construction C(u) = h o (I xu). Clearly, Scu = u.
Remark. A method similar to the previous one allows us to prove
(without the connectivity assmnption) that the homology groups and co-
homology groups of the fiber F in the fibration (E,p, B) compose a local
family on B.
28 J.-P. Serre
4. Filtration of singular complex of the space E
Recall that the spaces F and B are path connected, and that all vertices
of each singular cube in E, or in B, are located at the point x or b.
Now, we shall define a filtration of the singular cubic complex A = C(E)
of the space E (according to the assumptions, this complex is composed by
the cubes with vertices at the point x). Thus, we shall obtain a spectral
sequence (Er), its second term will be calculated in terms of the homology
groups of the spaces B and F (see Theorem 2). And we shall see that its
term Eoo is a graded group associated with the ffitered group H(E).
Definition of filtration.
In order to filter the group A = C(E) it is sufficient to construct a
filtration··· TP c TP+l c · · · of Q(E) by its subgroups, and to define AP
as the image of the subgroup TP in A.
We define the group TP•q C Qp+q(E) as follows: Tp,q is generated by
the (p + q)-dimensional cubes u of the space E such that their projections
p o u do not depend on the last q coordinates. Therefore, each such cube u
is characterized by the fact that p( u(t 1, ... , tp+q)) does not depend on the
coordinates tp+1• ... , tp+q·
Let
The filtration defined by the subgroups TP clearly satisfies the condition
0 ~ w(x) ~ degx,
if the element x =I 0 is homogeneous.

Furthermore, if u E TP, then >.~u E TP for any i, and for i ~ p we have a
stronger inclusion >..~u E TP- 1 . Thus, the subgroups TP are invariant with
respect to the boundary operator, and therefore, the groups AP satisfy all
the conditions imposed on the filtration in sections 1 and 2 of Chapter I.
Studies of the term Eo .
Recall that Eg = AP j AP-l, Eo = EP Eg, and each group Eg is endowed
with the differential do, which is obtained by factorization of the differential
in AP. Thus, each of these groups Eg is isomorphic to the group, composed
by linear combinations of cubes u, such that w(u) :::; p considered modulo
linear combinations of degenerated cubes and cubes of filtration :::; p- 1.
IT u is such a cube, and w(u)::::;: p, then
since >..~u E TP- 1 for i ::::;: p.

Now, we define two operations B and F on the cubes u E Tp,q. Here
Bu is a p-dimensional cube in the base B, and Fu is q-dimensional cube in
the fiber F, defined as follows:
Bu(tt. ... , tp) = p o u(tt. . .. , tp, Yt, ... , Yq) (Yi are arbitrary) ,
Fu(tt, ... , tq) = u(O, ... , 0, t1, ... , tq)·

Given a cube u, there are as many cubes Fu, Bu, as there are integers
p, such that w(u) ::::;: p ::::;: degu.Strictly speaking, the symbols B and
F should be endowed with indices p. Usually we do not do so, since no
misunderstanding would happen as a result of this simplification of the
notations.
The main properties of the cubes Bu and Fu are:
1) If w(u) ::::;: p- 1, then the cube Bu is degenerated.
2) If u is degenerated, and q > 0, then Fu is also degenerated. If u is
degenerated, and q = 0, then Bu is degenerated.
3) If i > p, and e = 0, 1, then B>..~u = Bu, F>..~u = >..~_PFu.
We introduce now the complex Jp = Cp(B)®C(F) with differential dF,
which is defined by
dF(b ® /) = (-l)Pb ® df.
Let the homomorphism r.p: Eb --t Jp be defined by
r.p(u) = Bu ® Fu. (1)
This definition is compatible with the factorization, which according
to properties 1 and 2 of the operations B and F, defines the group Eb.
Moreover, property 3 implies that dF o cp = cp o do , so cp is an admissible
homomorphism.
5. Calculation of the term E 1
This calculation is based on the following proposition:

Proposition 4. An admissible homomorphism r.p: Eb --t Jp, defined by
(1), is a chain homotopy equivalence.
30 J.-P. Serre
We construct an admissible homomorphism 1/J: Jp --+ E8 such that cp o

1/J = 1, and the endomorphism 1/J o cp = h of E8 is homotopy equivalent to
the identity. Then the proposition becomes obvious.
Construction of the homomorphism '1/J.
Lemma 4. Each pair (u, v) of cubes, where u is a p-dimensional cube
of B, and v is a q-dimensional cube ofF, can be associated to a (p + q)-
dimensional cube w = K (u, v) in E of filtration ~ p such that:
1. B·K(u,v)=u, F·K(u,v)=v.
2. K(u, >.~v) = >.~+pK(u, v), for any i ~ q. Here e = 0, 1.
3. If the cube v is degenerated, then the cube K(u, v) is degenerated as

well.
The proof is given in section 11.
Let ,P(u ® v) = K(u, v), where the cube K(u, v) is considered as an
element of E8. This definition is compatible with the factorization, and,
thus, defines the group Jp. In fact, if the cube u is degenerated, then
according to the condition 1, K (u, v) has filtration ~ p- 1, and if the cube
vis degenerated, then, according to the condition 3, so is K(u,v).
Property 2 shows that the homomorphism 1/J commutes with the bound-
ary operator, and property 1 implies that cp o 1/J = 1. Thus, it remains to
verify that the endomorphism h = 1/J o cp is homotopy equivalent to the
identity.
Lemma 5. Let n = p + q. Each n-dimensional cube u of E of filtration
~ p can be associated with an (n+ !)-dimensional cube Su of E of filtration
~ p such that:
1. B· Su =Bu.
2. Su(O, ... , O,t,x1, ... ,xq) = u(O, ... , O,x1, ... , xq)-
3. >.~+ 1 Su = u and >.~+lSu = K(Bu,Fu).
4. S>.~u = >.~+ 1 Su, for each i > p. Here e = 0, 1.
5. If the cube u is degenerated, and q > 0, then Su is degenerated.
The proof is given in section 12.
Given u E E8, let k(u) = (-l)PSu. This definition is compatible with
the factorization, which determines EJ8, since:
if w(u) ~ p- 1, then w(Su) ~ p- 1 (property 1),
if u is degenerated, and q > 0, then Su is degenerated (property 5),
if u is degenerated, and q = 0, then w(Su) ~ p- 1 (property 1).
Now, we calculate the chain doku + kdou:
n+l
d0 ku = L (-I)'+P(>.?Su- >.iSu),
n+l n+l
kd0 u = L (-I)'+P(S>.?u- S>.iu) = L (-I)'+P+ (>.?Su- >.iSu),
1
i=p+l i=p+2
according to property 4. Thus, we get:

i.e., the endomorphism his homotopy equivalent to the identity, and the
proof of Proposition 4 is complete.
Now let G be an abelian group. Consider filtration of the group A®G of
chains of E with coefficients in G, by the subgroups AP ®G. The term Eg
of this new filtration is the tensor product of G and the term EJ8, associated
with the filtration of A (this follows from the fact that the groups AP are
direct summands in A). Proposition 4 shows that the term Eg constructed
above is homotopy equivalent to the tensor product Cp(B) ® C(F) ® G =
Cp(B) ® C(F, G).
Since Cp(B) is a free abelian group, the homology groups of the complex
Cp(B) ®C(F, G) are naturally isomorphic to the groups Cp(B) ®Hq(F, G),
and we obtain the following:
Theorem 1. The homomorphism <p defined by {1) induces an isomor-
phism of the term Ef'q of the spectral sequence associated with the filtration
of the complex C(E, G), onto the group Cp(B) ®Hq(F, G), this is the group
of p-dimensional singular chains of B with coefficients in the q-th singular
homology group of the fiber F with coefficients in G.
Or, more simply:
E1 = C(B,H(F)). (2)
Remark. This theorem shows the meaning of different degrees, which

appear in the spectral sequence: the filtration degree is the degree on the
base, the complementary degree is the degree on the fiber, and the total
degree corresponds to the degree (i.e., to the dimension) in E.
32 J.-P. Serre
6. Calculation of the term E 2

We have just seen that the term E 1 is isomorphic to the tensor product
C(B) ®H(F, G). Let us show how the differential d 1 is transformed by this
isomorphism. This will allow us to calculate the E2 = H (EI).
Let x = b ®hE Cp(B) ® Hq(F, G). We can restrict our considerations
to the case when b is a p-dimensional cube of B .
Let y E Cp(B) ® Cq(F, G) be a cycle in the homology class x . In order
to calculate d1 x, consider an element 1/J(y) E ~·q, and choose an element
z E AP, which is mapped to '1/J (y) by the factorization AP - AP / AP- 1 .
Thus, dz E AP-1 is a cycle. Consider its image under the homomorphism
<p. So we obtain the cycle t E CP_ 1 (B)® Cq(F, G), and its homology class
will be equal to d1x E Cp-1(B) ® Hq(F, G).
Before consideration of the details of the calculations, we note that here
we need to use the homomorphisms <p, '1/J, B, F, K defined for two different
values of p. So, in order to avoid the confusion, we introduce the notations
with the superscript: BPu, KP(u,v) etc.
First, we represent the cycle m of the homology class h in the form
m = ~"' gu.ua, where Yu. E G, and Uu. is a cube of F. Then we can take
y = b® m = Eag"'b ®ua, and hence,
Z = LYaKP(b,u01 ).
Now, we have:
n
dz = L (-l)iga(>.?KP(b,ua)- >.!KP(b,ua)].
a,i=l
This sum can be decomposed in the following way: E,~P + Ei>p" But if
i > p, then .>.; KP(b, u 01 ) = KP(b, ).~-pua), £ = 0, 1. Since m is a cycle, the
expression
a,i=l
is a linear combination of degenerated cubes ofF. The same representation
has the partial sum Et>p· Thus, this sum vanishes in the group C(E), and
we obtain:
p
dz = L (-l)'ga(>.?KP(b,ua)- >.:KP(b,ua)].
a,i=l
It is quite clear that each summand of the previous sum has filtration
~ p- 1, so, for calculation of tpl'- 1 (dz), we can apply the operator tpf'- 1
to each summand of this sum separately. Since tpl'- 1(u) = BP-1u®FP- 1u
for each cube u of filtration p - 1, we have to consider the following cubes:
BP- 1 ).fKP(b,ua) and pP- 1 AfKP(b,ua), i ~p.
The first of these cubes obviously equals ).~b, the second one is given by:
(FP- 1 ).fKP(b, Ua))(xt, ... , Xq) = KP(b, Ua)(O, ... , 0, e, 0, ... , 0, Xt, ... , Xq),
where c: is at the i-th place. To interpret this formula, for each b, each
i ~ p, and each e = 0, 1, we introduce the construction u-+ C(u), defined
by:
C(u)(t, x1, ... , Xq) = KP(b, u)(O, ... , 0, e, 0, ... , 0, x1, ... , Xq)·
Clearly, this is a construction subordinated to the loop v(t)

b(O, .. . , 0, tE, 0, ... , 0), where tE appears at the i-th place. Let Sc,b,&,E be
the endomorphism of C(F), associated with this construction, then
and thus,
p
t = """
L..J (-1)'ga[(~b)
. 0 ® Sc,b,i,O'Ua- ().;b)®
1 Sc,b,i,1'1La].
o:,i=l
Denote by Tb,i,E the automorphism of Hq(F, G), defined by Sc,b,i,E· Lemma

3 implies that this automorphism depends on the homotopy class of the loop
v(t) = b(O, ... , 0, te, 0, ... , 0) only. Finally, we get:
(3)
H the local family on B composed by Hq(F, G) is trivial, then this

formula is reduced to the following:
dtX =(db)® h. (3')

In general it can be interpreted by the proposition:
34 J.-P. Serre
Proposition 5. The natural isomorphism Ef'q ---+ Cp(B) ® Hq(F, G)

induced by t.p transforms the differential d1 to the usual boundary operator
in the group Cp(B) with local coefficients, composed by the group Hq(F, G).
Thus, we immediately obtain the group E~·q, since it coincides with the
homology group of E1, with the differential d1 (calculated at Ef'q):
Theorem 2. Let (E,p, B) be a fibration, such that its fiber F and
the base B are path connected, G be an abelian group, and (Er) be the
spectral sequence, associated with the filtered complex C(E, G). Then the
term E~,q of this spectral sequence is naturally isomorphic to the group
Hp(B, Hq(F, G)), i.e., to the p-th singular homology group of B with coef-
ficients in the local family composed by Hq(F, G).

Or, more simply:
E2 = H(B, H(F)). (4)
Remark. The previous theorem is a transcription to the singular theory
of one result of the Cech theory with compact supports, announced by Leray
in [29], section 6b. A similar result can be found in a form suitable for any
homology theory in [10], Exp IX. The assumptions on the fibrations under
consideration in these three cases are not exactly the same.
Note, however, that Theorem 2 can be established without the assump-
tions on connectedness of the spaces B and F. We will not do it here,
we just consider the most convenient case: all vertices of all cubes are lo-
cated at a single point. As we will see below, this gives us a possibility to
get information on the homology groups of F, E mod F, as well as on the
homotopy groups of spaces E, F, B.
7. Properties of the homology spectral sequences
We start with consideration of the differential groups RandS, defined

in the general case in section 2 of Chapter I. By definition, the differential
group R is composed by the elements of filtration zero. So, the cube u
satisfies the condition w(u) = 0 if and only if it projects onto one point.
Since all the vertices of the cubes are located at the point x, the latter
condition means that the considered cube is contained in the fiber F, which
passes through the point x. Thus, the group Rq is isomorphic to Cq(F, G).
The differential group S = E 8 11 is the direct sum of groups Ef'0 • Ac-
cording to Theorem 1, the group Ef•0 is isomorphic to Cp(B)®Ho(F,G) =
Cp(B, G). Therefore the group S is isomorphic to the group of chains of the
base. Now, according to Proposition 5 the action of the differential dt in

the group 8 corresponds to the usual differential of C(B, G). Finally, the
operator 1r: A --+ 8 coincides with the homomorphism, which is induced by
the projection p: E--+ B.
So we can apply the results of sections 2 and 3 of Chapter I. Thus, we
get the homomorphisms:
H,(F, G) --+ E~i --+ H;.(E, G),

H,(E, G) --+ E~ --+ H,(B, G),
such that the left homomorphisms in both rows are surjective, and the right
ones are injective. Their compositions are induced by the continuous maps
F--+ E--+ B.
The group E~i = Ef~2 is the quotient of the group H,(F, G) by the
subgroup of elements, which are boundaries of the differentials d,., r ~ 1.
The group E~ = Et~1 is a subgroup of Hi(B, G), composed by ele-
ments, which are cycles of the differentials d,., r ~ 2.
The transgression.
According to Proposition 2, Chapter I, the transgression has two equiv-
alent definitions:
(a) it coincides with the differential dn: E;:• 0 --+ E~,n-t. If n ~ 2,
then this differential maps some subgroup of Hn(B, G) to some quotient of
Hn-t(F,G);
(b) the homomorphisms
Hn-1 (F, G) j!_ Hn(E mod F, G) ~ Hn(B, G)
define the transgression by quotients, as it was explained in section 3, Chap-

ter I.
In particular, the second definition shows that the term E;:• 0 is the
image of the projection p. : Hn(E mod F, G)--+ Hn(B, G). In other words,
a cycle x of the base B is a transgressive (i.e., belongs to the domain of
definition of the transgression) if and only if there exists a chain y of the
space E, such that it projects to x, and its boundary dy is a chain of the
fiber F .
One can also reproduce here the diagram (I) of Chapter I, by replacing
A byE, R by F, and 8 by B. We restrict our exposition to the following
36 J.-P. Serre
r . r_,
diagram:
l P• 8
(I) Hn(B,G) +----=--- Hn(E mod F, G) --+ Hn-1 (F, G)
r r r
1rn(B) ® G t- 1rn(E modF) ® G ___.. 1rn-1(F) ® G
(Note that Hn-1 ( F, G) ----T E~,n- 1 is surjective, and E:;• 0 ----T Hn ( B, G) is

injective.)
This diagram is commutative since on the one hand, the sub-diagram
composed by the two top rows is a part of diagram (I) Chapter I, and
therefore is commutative. On the other hand, it is known that the sub-
diagram composed by the two bottom rows is also commutative.
Since the map 7rn(E mod F) ----T 7rn(B) is isomorphic, the image of
1fn(B) ®Gin Hn(B, G) is contained in E:;• 0 • In other words:
Each spherical homology class of the space B is transgressive.
In the case when the maps E:;•0 ----T Hn(B, G) and E~·"- 1 +--- Hn-t(F, G)
are isomorphisms, diagram (I) has especially simple form
Hn-t(F,G)
(I')
8
r
1rn(B) ® S--+ 1rn-1(F) ® G
Suspension.
In general case, the definition of the suspension is similar to that of
the transgression (see section 3, Chapter I). In the particular case, when
Hn-1(E,G) = Hn(E,G) = 0, the map 8: Hn(EmodF,G)- Hn-1(F,G)
is an isomorphism, and the suspension :E is defined by
Thus, diagram (I) transforms to the following one:
(II)
In this diagram dn is an isomorphism, the map E;:• 0 ~ Hn(B, G) is injec-

tive, its image coincides with that of :E, Hn_ 1 (F, G) ~ E~,n- 1 is surjective,
and its kernel coincides with that of :E.
8. Cohomology spectral sequence

Let A* be the group of cubic cochains of E with values in the the abelian
group G. We define a decreasing filtration on A* in the same way, as it
was indicated in section 5 of Chapter I. For example, let A *P ~ A be the
subgroup composed by cochains which vanish on cubes of filtration:::;: p-1.
As we have already seen, the groups AP are the direct summands in A.
Hence, the term E*g•q associated with the filtration of A* is isomorphic
to Hom( E~·q, G), where E~·q is the corresponding term of the homology
spectral sequence. Thus, the elements of E*g•q can be identified with the
functions defined on the (p + q) -dimensional cubes in E of filtration :::;: p,
with values in G, and vanishing on degenerated cubes of filtration :::;: p - 1.
Let J; = CP(B,C*(F,G)) = Hom(Jp,G), and J* = 'L,PJ;. The ho-
momorphisms t.p and'¢, which were introduced in sections 4, 5, define the
conjugate homomorphisms <p* : J* ~ E 0, '¢* : E 0 ~ J*. Since t.p o '1/J = 1,
and 1/Jot.p =his homotopy equivalent to the identity, we get 1/J*ocp* = 1, and
t.p" o'lj;* = h * is a homotopy operator. Thus, E 0 and J* are homotopy equiv-
alent. In particular, cp* and 1/J* define the mutually inverse isomorphisms
of their cohomology groups. Consequently, E*f•q is naturally isomorphic
to CP(B,Hq(F,G)).
The same arguments, as in section 6, show that the isomorphism 1/J*
transforms the differential d1 to the coboundary operator, which acts on
the cochains of B with values in the local family composed by the group
Hq(F, G). Thus, we obtain
Proposition 6. The term E"~·q of the cohomology spectral sequence
of the fibration (E,p, B) is naturally isomorphic to HP(B, Hq(F, G)), i.e.,
38 J.-P. Serre
to the p-th cohomology group of B with values in the local family on B

composed by Hq (F, G).
This result in itself is of a little interest, being just the "dual" to the
result obtained already for homology. More interesting question concerns
the multiplicative properties of the sequence (E;), and we are going to
study them.
So, let G be a commutative and associative ring with a unit element
(the case of two systems of coefficients which have the product in the third
one is studied in the same way). Then the group A* of cochains of E can
be considered as an associative ring with the unit (see section 1). Clearly,
the condition A*P · A*q c A*P+q is satisfied, so we can apply the results of
section 5, Chapter I. Thus, the terms (E;), r = 0, 1, ... , oo, can be endowed
with a ring structure, such that the differentials d,.. are antiderivations.
Since H*(F, G) defines a local family of rings on B, the group H(J*) =
C*(B,H*(F,G)) can be endowed with a product, which we denote by V.
This is the cup-product in B with the values in the local family H*(F, G),
and it defines another product · by the formula
f.g = (-1)P'qvg, where/ E C1'(B,Hq(F,G)), g E CP'(B,Hq'(F,G)).

(5)
This definition can be illustrated as follows: let cocycles f, g E J* belong
to the classes f and g. As all elements of J*, the cocycle f can be identified
with a function f(v, w) on pairs of cubes v E Cp(B), wE Cq(F), such that
f vanishes, if one of these cubes is degenerated. The cocycle g can be
interpreted similarly.
The cocycles f and g define an element k E J* by the formula
k(v,w) = (-1)p'q L t!L,Ml!N,Pf(>.~v,>.~w) · g(>.iv,J.'v,L>.k,w), (6)

L,N
where L runs through all p-elements subsets of {1, ... ,p + p'}, N runs
through all q-elements subsets of {1, ... ,q+q'}, and P = CN, M = CL
are complements of the sets N and L, respectively. The symbols {!L,M,
>.~,etc. have the same meaning as in section 1, and J.'v,L is an admissible
endomorphism of the chains group ofF, which determines in cohomology
an automorphism of H*(F), corresponding to the loop Xv,L in the space B
(in the notation of section 1).
The definition of the product of cochains in F and in B immediately
implies that k is a cocycle of the complex J*, and is contained in the
cohomology class
f · g E (JP+P' (B,Hq+q' (F, G)).
Now, we can prove the following lemma:
Lemma 6. The homomorphisms cp* and 1/J* define multiplicative iso-
morphisms of the rings Ei and C*(B,H*(F,G)) (the product in the last
ring is defined above).
As we have already seen, cp* and 1/J* define in cohomology mutually
inverse (additive) isomorphisms, hence, it is sufficient to show that for any
elements f, g E J*, the element k = 1/J* (cp* (f) · ¢>*(g)) has the form (6). In
fact,
k(v, w) = (cp*(f) · cp*(g))(K(v, w))
= L l!H,Kcp*(f)(>.~K(v,w)) · cp*(g)(>.kK(v,w)),
H
where H rnns over all (p+q)-elements subsets of {1, ... ,p+p' +q+q'}, and
K = CHis its complement in {1, ... , p+p'+q+q'}. But if Hn{l, ... ,p+p'}
contains more than p elements, then the filtration of the cube >.kK (v, w)
is less than p', and cp*(g)(>.kK(v,w)) = 0. Similarly, if H n {1, ... ,p+ p'}
contains less than p elements, then the filtration of the cube >.~K(v, w)
is less than p, and cp*(J)(>.~K(v,w)) = 0. Therefore, we can restrict
our considerations to the subsets H, which have exactly p elements in the
intersection Hn{l, ... ,p+p'}. Each such subset H corresponds bijectively
to a pair (L, N) where the sets L c {1, ... ,p + p'}, N c {1, ... , q + q'}
contain p and q elements, respectively. We denote the complement of L
and N, respectively, by M and P. If u is a (p + p' + q + q')-dimensional
cube of the space E, of filtration ~ p + p', then
B>.~u = >.~Bu, B>.ku = >.iBu,
,1 ,o,1 , 1
F>.~u = >.lj,Fu, F /\HU = /\M,L/\NU,
where >.~1 L denotes the operation, which replaces the variables with the
indices in 'the sets MandL, respectively, by 0, and by 1. Thus, k(v, w) =
L l!H,Kf(B>.~K(v,w),F>.~K(v,w)) · g(B>.kK(v,w),F>.kK(v,w))
H
= L l!H,Kf(>.~v, >.lj,w) · g(>.iv, >.~~LK(v, >.},w)).

L,N
40 J.-P. Serre
A comparison of these formulae with (6) shows that it remains to verify the
following two facts: 1
a) eH,K = (-l)p qeL,MeN,P 1 this follows immediately from the defini-
tion of e, and the calculations of the number of inversions;
b) The endomorphism s - >.~1 LK (v, s) of chains of the fiber F corre-
sponds to the construction C sub~rdinated to the loop Xv,L in B. As in
section 6, this can be verified by the following definition of the construc-
tion 0:
where Yi = 0, if i EM, and Yi = t, if i E L.

Hence, Lemma 6 is proved.
Theorem 3. Let (E,p, B) be a fibration whose fiber F and base B are
path connected. Let G be a commutative and associative ring with a unit
element, and (E;) be the spectral sequence associated with the filtration
of C"'(E, G). Then each term E;, (r ~ 2) is an associative ring with a
unit element, anti-commutative with respect to the total degree, and the
differentials d.,. in this ring are antiderivations.
I I
The product of two elements f E E*~·q, g E E*~ ,q differs by a factor
( -1 )P' q from their products as cohomology classes of the base B with values
in the local family defined by the ring H"'(F, G) with the V-product.
According to Lemma 6, it remains to prove the anti-commutativity only
(actually, it is sufficient to consider the case E2)· Since H*(F, G) is an anti-
commutative ring, the V-product in the ring E2 satisfies the condition:
f Vg = (-l)w'+qq' (gV !), iff E E"'~·q, q E E*~',q'.
Since f · g = (-l)p'q(J V g) and g · f = (-l)pq' (g V !), we get

f. g = (-l)PP'+qq'+pq'+qpl (g. f)= ( -l)nn' g. f, n = p + q, n' = p' + q',
and the theorem is proved.
Remark. This theorem reproduces in the case of the singular theory
one result announced by Leray ([29], section 6, i).
9. Properties of the cohomology spectral sequence
These properties are dual to the corresponding properties of homology,

and we just list them briefly.
a. Cohomology of the fiber.

We have: E; .q = C 0 (B,Hq(F,G)) = Hq(F,G).
Since the elements of E;o,q, r ;::: 1 have the minimal filtration degree,
none of them, except the zero, is a coboundary for dr. Thus, we obtain a
sequence of monomorphisms:
Hq(F, G)= E•O,q
1
t - E*O,q t - .. . t - E•O,q = E•O,q = ... = E*O,q
2 q+2 q+3 00 •
The ring E:;,q can be identified with the quotient of Hq(E, G)= n•O,q by
the ideal n•l,q- 1 ' and the composition homomorphisms
Hq(F,G) E~,q t - Hfl(E,G)
t-
coincides with the homomorphism induced by the embedding F---+ E.

Note also that E;o,q = H 0 (B, Hfl(F, G)) is identified with the sub-ring
of Hq(F, G), composed by elements, invariant with respect to the transfor-
mations Ta, a E 1r1 (B).
b. Cohomology of the base.
We have E;~'• 0 = HP(B, H 0 (F, G))= HP(B, G).
Since the elements of E;r,o have minimal fiber degree, they are all co-
cycles of the differentials dr, r ;::: 2, thus, we obtain a sequence of epimor-
phisms
H p(B , G) = E*p,O
2 ---+ E"p,O
3 ---+ .. . ---+ E"p,O
p+l = E"p,O
p+2 = ... = E"'~'•
00
0
•
The ring E;J•0 is identified with the sub-ring D*~'• 0 of HP(E, G). Further-
more, the composition of homomorphisms
W(B, G) ---+ E~· 0 ---+ W(E, G)
coincides with the homomorphism induced by the projection p: E---+ B.
c. The transgression.
It maps some subgroup of Hn- 1 (F, G) to a quotient of Hn(B, G),
(n ;::: 2). It can be defined either as the differential dn: E:,_o,n- 1 ---+ E:,_n,o,
or by factorization of two natural homomorphisms
In addition to the properties, which are dual to the homology ones, that
were described above, note the following: the transgression (as well as the
suspension) commutes with the Steenrod operations Sq1•
42 J.-P. Serre
This follows from the formal arguments based on the commutative dia-
gram:
Hn- 1 (F, G) --+ Hn(E, modF, G) +--
Sq' l Sq' l
Hi+n-t (F, G) --+ Hi+n(E mod F, G) +-- Hi+n(B, G)
where G is the additive group of residues modulo 2. In particular, the

square of a transgressive element of H•(F) is a transgressive element (for
cohomology modulo 2) . It is clear that similar results hold for the ''reduced
Steenrod powers".
10. Transformation of second terms of

homology and cohomology spectral sequences
In this section we assume that the local systems of the homology and
cohomology groups of the fiber F on B are trivial. As it will be clarified
below, this assumption is satisfied in most cases important for applications.
Under these assumption, we will show in some cases, how the expressions
for E~·q and E;p,q, described above, could be replaced by more convenient
expressions.
a. The case of homology.
Let G be a ring of principal ideals (for example, the ring Z of integers
or a field). fu this case the abelian group C(E, G) can be endowed with a
structure of a unitary G-module, as well as the groups E~·q, DP,q etc. In
particular, the formula ~,q = Hp(B, Hq(F, G)) expresses an isomorphism
of G-modules. Thus, the formula of universal coefficients implies
E~·q = Hp(B, G)® Hq(F, G)+ Tor(Hp-t(B, G), Hq(F, G)),
where the tensor product is taken over the ring G, and Tor denotes the
torsion product of Cartan-Eilenberg [11].
Since Tor(£, M) = 0, if L or M is torsion-free, we get
Proposition 7. If Hp-t(B, G) or Hq(F, G) is torsion-free, then E~,q =
HP(B, G)® Hq(F, G), where the tensor product is taken over the ring G.
Note that this condition is always satisfied if G is a field.
b. The case of cohomology.

Let G be a principal ideal ring, as above, and M be a unitary G-module.
Then we have a natural homomorphism
t: HP(B, G)® M--+ HP(B, M),
defined as follows:
Let h ® m E HP(B,G) ® M, and x(u) be a cocycle in the class h.
The map u--+ x(u) · m is a cocycle in B with values in M. By definition,
cohomology class of this cocycle is t(h ® m).
If N = E Mq is a graded algebra, then a similar homomorphism
L: H"'(B,G) ®N--+ ~HP(B,Mq)

p,q
can be defined. The first term is the tensor product of algebras H*(B, G)
and N, so it has the structure of algebra. The second term has the structure
of algebra determined by the cup-product in B with values in the algebra
N. This is V-product, see section 8. Thus, the homomorphism Lis multi-
plicative, and it remains to be multiplicative, if we change the signs in both
terms using formula (5). This corresponds to introduction on the first term
the structure of the left tensor product of the algebras H"'(B, G) and N.
The following two conditions imply that t is an isomorphism.
a:. M is a free module of finite type.
Since both terms depend on M additively, it is sufficient to verify the
condition forM= G, and this is obvious.
(3. Hp-1 (B, G) and Hp(B, G) are free modules, and Hp(B, G) has finite
type.
Since the module Hp-t(B, G) is free, we can identify HP(B, G) with
the module Hom(Hp(B, G), G), and the module HP(B, M) can be iden-
tified with Hom(Hp(B, G), M), using the formula of universal coefficients
for cohomology. Then the homomorphism L transforms to a natural homo-
morphism
t': Hom(Hp(B, G), G)® M --+ Hom(Hp(B, G), M).

Since Hp(B, G) is free module of finite type, we can assume (by the addi-
tivity of the operations 181 and Hom), that this module is isomorphic toG,
and in this case the result is obvious.
In case Mq = Hq(F,G) we obtain:
44 J.-P. Serre
Proposition 8. Let G be a principal ideal domain. Then the second

term E2 of the cohomology spectral sequence of fibration (E,p, B) is iso-
morphic to the left tensor the product H" (B, G) ® H" ( F, G) (over G), if
one of the following two conditions is satisfied:
a. Hq(F, G) is a free G-module of finite type for all q ~ 0;
(3. HP(B, G) is a free G-module of finite type for all p ~ 0.
Recall that this result can be applied only in the case when the local
family composed by Hq(F, G) in B is trivial for all q ~ 0.
If G is a field, then the conditions a and /3 can be formulated as follows:
a. The space Hq(F, G) has a finite dimension over G for all q ~ 0;
(3. The space HP(B, G) has a finite dimension over G for all p ~ 0.
Remark. There is an important difference between our considerations
and the theory of Leray, based on cohomology with compact supports. In
this theory, if the coefficients are taken in a field, and the local family of
cohomology of the fiber is trivial on the base, then the term E2 is always
isomorphic to the tensor product H"(B) ® H"(F).
11. Proof of Lemma 4
The remainder of the chapter is devoted to the proofs of Lemmas 3, 4,

and 5. We start with Lemma 4.
The proof is by induction on the integer q.
The first step: q = 0.
Here, the cube v is reduced to the point x, so, given a map u: IP ---t B,
which carries all vertices of the cube IP to the point b, we have to find a
map w: JP ---t E, which carries all vertices of the cube IP to the point x,
and satisfies the condition p o w = u.
Let X = JP, and A = {w} (below, w denotes the point (0, ... ,0)).
Applying Proposition 1 to the pair (X, A), we obtain a map w': IP ---t E
such that pow' = u, and w 1 ( w) = x. Let sa be different vertices of the cube
IP, and fa = w'(sa)· Then fa E F. Since the fiber F is path connected,
there exist maps 9a: I---t F such that 9a(O) =fa and 9a(l) = x. We use
these paths to deform the cube w' to the cube w such that all its vertices
are at the point x, and p(w') = p(w).
For this purpose, consider X = IP xI and A= JP x {0} U {sa} xI. It is
obvious that A is a contractible polyhedron. In the notation of Proposition
1, we define f: IP xI ---t B by f(xt, ... , Xp, t) = u(xt, ... , xp), and g: A ---t
E by the following relations:
g(xt, ... ,xp,O) =w'(xt, ... ,xp) on JP x {0},

g(sa, t) = 9a(t) on {sa} X I.
Now, applying Proposition 1, we obtain a map h: IP xI --+ E, which

extends the map g, and satisfies the condition p o h = f. Then the cube
w: IP--+ E, defined by w(x) = h(x; 1) is the required one.
The second step: from q -1 to q.
Let q ~I, and let the function K(u,v), satisfying conditions I, 2, 3, be

already constructed for all q' < q. Now, we have to construct K in case
when the cube v is q-dimensional.
The first case: the cube v is degenerated.
Thus, the cube v does not depend on its last variable. Let v' be the
q- !-dimensional cube, defined by v'(xt, ... , Xq-t) = v(xt, ... , Xq)· Note
that v' = >.gv = >.!v. Now, let the cube K(u,v) be defined by the formula:
K(u,v)(xt, ... , Xn) = K(u, v')(xt, ... ,Xn-1)·
By the very definition, the cube K(u,v) is degenerated, so, it remains to

prove that it satisfies conditions 1 and 2:
BK(u,v)(xt, ... ,xp) = p o K(u, v)(xt, ... , Xp, Yt, ... ,yq)
=poK(u,v')(xt, ... ,xp, Yt,···,Yq-1)
= u(x1, ... , xp);
FK(u, v)(xt, ... ,xq) = K(u,v)(O, ... , O,xt, ... , Xq)

= K(u,v')(O, ... , 0, x1, ... , Xq-1)
= v'(x1, ... , Xq-1) = v'(x1, ... , Xq)·
Thus, condition 1 is satisfied.

Calculating >.f+PK(u, v), we distinguish two cases: let i = q, then
>.f+pK(u,v)(x1, ... ,Xn-1) = K(u,v)(xt, ... ,Xn-1, e)

= K(u, v')(x1, ... , Xn-1)
= K(u, >.~v)(xt, ... , Xn-1) (since v' = >.:v).
46 J.-P. Serre
Let i < q, then

>..~+PK(u, v)(xt, ... , Xn-t) = K(u, v)(x1, ... , Xi+p-1 1 c:, Xi+p 1 ••• , Xn-d
= K(u, v')(x1, ... 1 Xi+p-1 1 E, X;+p; ... , Xn-2)
= >..~+PK(u,v')(xt, ... ,xn-2)
= K( u, >..~v')(xt, . .. , Xn-2)·
On the other hand, since i < q, the cube >..~vis degenerated, so we get
K(u, >..~v)(x1, ... ,Xn-t) = K(u, >..;v)(x1, ... , Xn-2 1 c)
= >..~_ 1 K(u, >..~v)(xt, ... ,Xn-2)

= K(u, >.~-p-l~v)(x1, ... , Xn-2)·
Now, ~-p-l>..~v = >.~_ 1 >..~v = >.p~v = >..~v', and this completes the verifi-
cation of property 2.
The second case: the cube v is not degenerated.
We reduce the problem of construction of the cube w = K( u, v) to
that of the covering of the map, which will be solved with the help of
Proposition 1.
Let X= JPxJq, A= {w}xlqUJPxD(Iq), where D(Iq) is the boundary
of Iq. The set A is contractible, since it is retracted to {w} X Iq U { w} X
D(Iq) = {w} x Iq in an obvious way.
Now, let f: X ---+ B be defined by
f(xt, ... , Xp, Yt, ... , Yq) = u(xt, ... , xp);

and the map g: A ---+ E be defined as follows:
g(O, ... ,O,yt, ... ,yq)=v(yt, ... ,yq) on {w}xlq,
g(xt, ... ,xp,yl, ... , Yt.-t,c, ... , Yq-1)
,ev )(Xt, .. . ,xp,Yt,···;Yq-1 ) on JP x D(lq).
= K(u, .....
Suppose for a moment that the map g, defined above, is continuous. Then
Proposition 1 implies that there exists a map w: X ---+ E, which extends
g, and such that pow = f. It is clear that w is a cube which satisfies
conditions 1 and 2. In addition, since q ~ I, all the vertices of the cube
JP x Iq are contained in JP x D(Iq), and thus, they are mapped to the point
x {this follows from the fact that K(u,>..~v) is a cube itself, and, according
to the inductive assumption, all its vertices are located at the point x).
Now, it remains to prove that the map g is continuous, i.e., different

definitions of g for some of the faces of the cube JP x Iq are compatible on
the intersections of these faces.
({w} x Iq) n (JP x D(Iq)).
Compatibility on
Consider a point (0, ... , 0, Yt. ... , Ys-1, e, y,, ... ,Yq-d· Two definitions
of the map g at this point have the following forms:
and
But, by the inductive hypothesis we have ).: v = F K ( u, ).:v).

Compatibility on JP x D(Iq).
Consider the point (xt. ... , Xp, YI, ... , E, ••• , E 1 , ••• , Yq-2), where E
stands on the i-th place, and e' stands on the i'-th place, (i < i'). Two
definitions of the map g at this point have the following forms:
= ).~K(u, ).~:-pv)(xt. ... , Yq-2)·

But, according to the inductive hypothesis, we have
The coincidence of these two definitions of the map g follows from the
equality
This completes the proof of Lemma 4.

48 J.-P. Serre

This proof is completely analogous to that of Lemma 4, and here we
just outline only its essential points.
We proceed by induction on the integer q.
The first part: q = 0.
Let X= IP xI and A= (IP x {0}) U (JP x {1}) U ({w} xI). Clearly,
the set A is contractible.
Let now f: X-+ B be defined by f(x;t) = p o u(x), x E IP, and the
map g: A -+ E be defined as follows:
g(x, 0) = u(x) on IP x {0};

g(x, 1) = K(Bu, Fu)(x) on IP x {1};
g(w, t) = x on {w} xI.
These maps are compatible and, hence, define a continuous map g. Now,
using Proposition 1, we obtain a map h: IP xI-+ E, which extends g and
satisfies the condition p o h = f. Let Su = h.
The second part of proof: from q- 1 to q.
The first case: the cube u is degenemted.
If u1 = >.~u = >.~u, then, according to the inductive assumptions, the
cube Su(x1, ... ,Xn+t) = Su'(x1, ... ,xn) satisfies all the required condi-
tions.
The second step: the cube u is not degenemted.
Let X = IP x I x Iq, and
Clearly, A is contractible. Let now f: X -+ B be defined by f(x; t; y) =

Bu(x), and g: A-+ E be defined as follows:
g(x;O;y) = u(x;y) on IP x {0} x Iq;
g(x;1;y) = K(Bu,Fu)(x;y) on IP x {1} x Iq;
g(x; t; Yt. ... , Yi-1, e, . .. , Yq- t) = S>.~+iu(x; t; Y1, ... , Yq- 1) on
IP X I X D(Iq);
g(w;t;y) = u(w;y) = Fu(y) on {w} xI x Iq.
It follows from the inductive hypothesis that these different definitions
are compatible, hence, using Proposition 1, we obtain a map h: X-+ E,
which extends g and satisfies the condition p o h = f. It is obvious now,
that the cube Su = h has all the required properties.
Let v be a loop in the space B, and let C(u) = K(v, u), where the
existence of the map K was established in Lemma 4.
Property 1 of the operation K means that C has Properties 1 and 2 of
the construction subordinated to v. Properties 2 and 3 of K mean that C
has Properties 3 and 4 of the construction, respectively. Thus, the existence
of at least one construction is established.
The following lemma is used in the proof of the second part of Lemma 3.
Lemma 7. Let h: I 2 - B be a two-dimensional cube in base B such

that h(O, t') = h(l, t') = b for all t' E I. Let v1(t) = h(t, 0), v2(t) = h(t, 1).
Hence, the loops Vt and V2 are homotopic in B. Let Ct and c2 be the
constructions subordinated to the loops v1 and v2 , respectively. Then for
each n-dimensional cube in F there exists a (n + 2)-dimensional cube Hu
in E of filtmtion ::; 2, and such that :
1. BHu=h.
2. ),~Hu(t,yt,···•Yn)=u(yt,···,Yn)·
3. ),gHu = C1u; ),~Hu = C2u.
4. H),~u = ),~+ 2 Hu, c = 0, 1; 1 ::; i::; n.
5. If the cube u is degenemted, then so is Hu.
Let us assume for a moment that this lemma is proved, and consider the
endomorphisms Sc1 = 81, Sc2 = 82, defined by the constructions Ct and
C2, as it was indicated in section 3. Let k( u) be the endomorphism of degree
+1 of chains in F, defined by k(u)(t,xt, ... ,xn) = Hu(I,t,xt, ... ,xn)·
Direct calculations show that dku + kdu = S2u- Stu, hence, St and 82 are
homotopy equivalent. Thus, it remains to give the proof of Lemma 7.
Proof of Lemma 7.
This proof is completely analogous to that of Lemma 4, and here we
just outline its essential points.
We proceed by induction on the integer n.
The first part: n = 0.
In this caae, the cube u is reduced to the point x. The cube Hu is a
two-dimensional cube in E.
Let X = I 2 and A = (I x {0}) U (I x {1}) U ({0} xI). Then A is
contractible.
50 J.-P. Serre
Let f: X ---+ B be defined by f = h, and g: A ---+ E be defined HB follows:

g(t, 0) = Ctu(t) on I x {0};
g(t, 1) = C2u(t) on Ix{l};
g(O, t') = x on {0} xI.
Applying Proposition 1, we obtain a map w: X ---+ E, which extends g
and satisfies the condition pow= f. So, let Hu = w.
The second part: from n - 1 to n.
The first case: the cube u is degenerated.
Let
Hu(t, t 1 ,Xt, . . . , Xn) = Hu'(t, t', Xt, . .. ,Xn-t),
where u' = >.~u = >.~u. The inductive aBsumptions imply immediately that
the cube H u defined here h8B all the required properties.
The second case: the cube u is not degenerated.
Let X= I 2 X In, and
A= (I X {0} X f") U (I X {1} X In) U ({0} X I X f") U (I X I X D(J")).
Clearly, A is contractible.
Let f: X---+ B be defined by f(t,t',xt, . . . ,xn) = h(t,t1 ), and g: A---+
E be defined HB follows:
g(t,O,xt, ... ,xn)=Ctu(t,xt, . . . ,xn) on Ix{O}xin;
g(t,I,xt, ... ,xn)=C2u(t,xt, ... ,x... ) on Ix{l}xin;
g(O, t, Xt, ... , Xn) = u(xt, ... , Xn) on {0} xI xI";
g(t, t', Xt, . .. , Xi-l, e, . .. , Xn-t) = H>.iu(t, t', Xt, ... , Xn-t) on
I X I X D(I").
It follows from the inductive assumptions that these different definitions
are compatible. Thus, using Proposition I, we can obtain a map w: X ---+ E,
which extends g and satisfies the condition pow = f. Then the cube
H u = w h8B all the required properties.
This completes the proof of Lemma 3.
An Important Remark.
In the caBe of locally trivial fibrations, the proofs of Lemmas 3, 4, 5,
7 are much shorter. Namely, let u: IP ---+ B be a singular cube in B.
Consider the fibration E' , induced from E by the map u (see [9], Exp. VII
and VIII). Now it is sufficient to reproduce in E' all the constructions listed
in these lemmas. This is very eHBy, since according to the Feldbau theorem,
E' = IP X F.
Chapter III. Applications of spectral

sequences of fiber spaces
This chapter contains some simple applications of spectral sequence of fi-
brations. Most of the results presented here are known under some different
assumptions, which cannot be applied to the loop spaces. Thus, we repro-
duce here the corresponding proofs.
Notations.
Below we denote by (E,p, B) a fibration (in the sense of section 2,
Chapter II). The base B and the fiber F are assumed to be path connected.
The terms of cohomology spectral sequence are denoted by E~·q (not by

E;p,q, as above), since there is no danger to mix them with the homology.
This agreement remains valid in the following chapters as well.
1. First application
Proposition 1. Let A be a ring of principal ideals, and let the local
family composed by the modules H.;,(F, A) on B be trivial for all i. Then, if
for two of three spaces E, F, B their homology groups with values in A are
A-modules of finite type in all dimensions, then the homology groups of the
third space also have this property.
Recall that a A-module is called a finite type module, if it is generated
by a finite number of elements.
(a) Consider the first case when two spaces, which have this property,
are B and F. Then each module ~,q = Hp(B, Hq(F, A)) has finite type,
according to the un.iversal coefficient formula (section 10, Chapter II). Since
E 3 is isomorphic to the homology module of Eh endowed with a differential
d2, the term Ef'q has also finite type, as well as Ef'q etc. Thus, the graded
module EP+'I=n Egcq associated with Hn(E, A) is of finite type and, hence,
so is H .. (E, A).
(b) Assume now that these two spaces are E and B. We prove (by
induction on i, starting with i = 0) that H,(F, A) is an A-module of finite
type. Let us suppose that H 1(F, A) = Eg•i is not of finite type, then E~,i is
not a module of finite type as well. In fact, the module E~·' is isomorphic
to the quotient of Eg,i d Ei·'-
by the image of the differential 2 :
1
Eg·',
--+
and this image is a module of finite type, since, according to the inductive
assumption, Ei·'- 1
= H2(B, Hi-t(F, A)) is of finite type itself. The same
0 i T.T(l •
arguments show that all the modules E 4 •, ••• ,.c;;•t, ... do not have finite
52 J.-P. Serre
type. And this is impossible, since for sufficiently large r, the term E~·' is
isomorphic to a submodule of the graded module associated with H;,(E, A)
and, hence, must be of finite type according to assumptions imposed on E.
(c) Finally, suppose that these two spaces are E and F. We prove (by
induction on i, starting with i = 0) that Hi(B, A) is an A-module of fi-
nite type. Let us suppose by contradiction, that H;,(B,A) = E~· 0 is not
of finite type, then the same holds for E~· 0 , since this module is isomor-
phic to the kernel of the differential d2 : E~· 0 ~ E~- 2 • 1 , and the module
E~- 2 • 1 is isomorphic to H;,_ 2 (B,H1 (F,A)). Hence, it has finite type, by
the inductive assumption. Using the same arguments, we prove that the
E:·
modules E!•0 , ••• , 0 , • . • are not of finite type. But this is impossible,
since for sufficiently larger, the module E~· 0 is isomorphic to a submodule
of a graded module, associated with H;. (E, A) and, hence it must be of
finite type, according to the assumptions imposed on E.
Remark. Let A be a field, and let b;., /i, e;, be, respectively, the dimen-
sions of the vector spaces H;.(B, A), Hi (F, A), and H;. (E, A) over A. Part
(a) of the previous proof shows that
en :5 E bp · fq·
p+q=n
See [29], where the inequalities corresponding to parts (b) and (c) are shown
as well.
2. Euler-Poincare characteristic of fiber spaces
Let k be a field and e;,, b;., fi be the dimensions of the vector spaces
H;,(E, k), H;,(B, k), Hi(F, k), as above. H these dimensions are finite for
all i and equal zero for sufficiently large i, then we can define the Euler-
Poincare chamcteristics x(E), x(B), x(F) of the spaces E, B, F by the
usual formulae
x(E) = E< -l)ie;., x(B) = E<-I)'b;, x(F) = EC-I)'k

i i i
Then we have (see [29], corollary 9.1):

Proposition 2. Let k be a field, and let the following conditions be
satisfied:
(a) the local family, composed by H,(F, k) on B, is trivial for all i ~ 0,
(b) the numbers b,, f;. are finite for all i and equal zero for sufficiently
large values of i.
Then the Euler-Poincare characteristics of spaces E, B, F satisfy the
equlity x(E) = x(B) · x(F).
So, for different terms E2, ... , Eoc of the spectral sequence, we can define
the Euler-Poincare characteristics since they are graded (with respect to the
total degree) finite-dimensional vector spaces (because Eh = H (B, k) ®
H(F, k) is finite dimensional).
The condition (b) implies that the differentials dr vanish for sufficiently
large r, hence Er = Eoo for sufficiently large r, and we obtain x(E) =
x(Eoo) = x(Er), where r is sufficiently large.

On the other hand, x(E2) = x(H(B, k) ® H(F, k)) = x(B) · x(F).
Finally, since Er+l is a vector space of homology of the space Er, en-
dowed with a differential of degree -1 (with respect to the total degree),
the classical arguments show that x(Er+l) = x(Er)· Thus, we get
x(B) · x(F) = x(E2) = x(E3) = · · · = x(Er) = · · · = x(Eoo) = x(E).
QED.
Remark. If B is a finite polyhedron, then the condition (a) is not
necessary. In fact, x(E) = x(E2 ) in any case; but E 2 = H(B, H(F, k)) is
the homology group of E~ = C'(B, k) ® H(F, k), where C'(B, k) denotes
the vector space of simplicial chains of B with coefficients ink. According
to our assumptions, the space C'(B, k) is finite dimensional, thus we get
x(E2) = x(ED = x(C'(B,k)) · x(F) = x(B) · x(F), and this proves the
claim.
Conversely, the author does not know, if the condition (a) is redundant
or not in general case 7.
3. Fibrations of Euclidean spaces

Proposition 3. Let k be a field, and let the local family composed
by Hi (F, k) on B be trivial for all i ~ 0. Furthermore, we assume that
H,(B,k) = 0 fori> p, and that Hi(F,k) = 0 fori> q. Then Hi(E,k) = 0
fori> p + q, and Hp+q(E, k) is isomorphic to the tensor product (over k)
Hp(B, k) ® Hq(F, k).
7 In general, the condition (a) is not redundant. It may happen that x(E) # x(B) ·
x(F), as it was shown by Douady (see section 2): Douady A. Application de la suite
spectra.le des espaces fibres. Sem. H . Cartan, 1958/59. Exp. III. - Editorial note.
54 J.-P. Serre
See [29], section 9, and [5].

According to Proposition 7, Chapter II, E;,i is isomorphic to the tensor
product H;(B, k) ® Hj(F, k) (over k). It follows that E~·i = 0, if i > p,
or j > q for all r = 2, 3, ... , oo. In particular, all the teriDB of E 00 , whose
total degree is strictly greater than p + q, are trivial, so the first part of the
proposal is proved. It remains to show that Hp+q(E, k) is isomorphic to
Hp(B, k) ® Hq(F, k). For this, note that the elements of ~,q (r ~ 2) have
the following two properties:
(a) Each element of E~,q is a cycle with respect to dr, since this ele-
ment has a maximal fiber degree, and the differential dr increases this fiber
degree;
(b) none of the non-zero elements of E~,q is a boundary of dr, since
this element has maximal filtration, and the differential dr decreases the
filtration.
These two properties imply that E~,q = E:·q = · · · = ~q.
Since we have already seen that all the other terms of Eoo with the total
degree p + q are trivial, it follows that
QED.
Corollary. Let k be a field, and let the local family composed by H; (F, k)
on B be trivial for all i ~ 0, and H;.(E, k) = 0 for all i > 0. Then at least
one of the following three assertions is true:
(a) H;(B, k) = Hi(F, k) = 0 for all i > 0;

(13) H;(B, k) =/= 0 for infinite number of i;
('y) Hi(F, k) =/= 0 for infinite number of i.
This follows immediately from the previous proposition and from the
fact that the tensor product of vector spaces is zero only in the case, when
at least one of these spaces is zero.
Proposition 4. Let the Euclidean space E = Rn be a locally trivial fiber
space with the base B and connected fiber F. Then F and B are acyclic:
Hi(B, Z) = Hi(F, Z) = 0 for all i > 0. Here Z denotes the ring of the
integers.
The fiber F, and the base B are locally contractible, and their dimen-
sions do not exceed n, since the fibration is locally trivial. It follows that
H,(F,Z) and Hi(B,Z) are trivial fori> n (see, for example, [8], Exp. XVI,
N. 7). Since F is path connected, the exact homotopy sequence implies that
1r1 (B) = 0, therefore the local system of the groups Hi(F, k) is trivial on
B (for any field k). Consequently, we can apply the previous corollary,
because the cases (!3) and ('Y) are excluded, as it was shown before. So we
have H,(B, k) = H,(F, k) = 0 for any field k and all i > 0. To complete
the proof, it remains to establish the following lemma.
Lemma. Let Y be a topological space such that groups H, (Y, k) = 0 for
any field k, and all integers i, such that 0 < i ~ q. Then Hi(Y, Z) = 0 for
all integers i, such that 0 < i ~ q - 1.
According to the universal coefficient formula, we have
H,(Y,k) = H,(Y,Z) ®k+Tor(Hi-t(Y,Z),k),
where the sign + denotes the direct sum, and the operations ® and Tor
are taken over the principal ideal ring Z (see [11]). We denote by M one
of the groups H 1(Y, Z), 0 < i ~ q -1. It follows from the previous formula
that for an arbitrary field k, we have
M®k = Tor(M,k) = 0.
This equality implies that M = 0.

In fact, consider first the case when k = Q is the field of the rational
numbers. The equality M ® Q = 0 means that M is a torsion group. Now,
let p be a prime, and k = lFP be a field, containing p elements. Thus,
Tor(M, Fp) = 0 implies that if p · x = 0, x EM, then x = 0. Since this is
valid for any prime p, the periodic group M is trivial, and this completes
the proof.
Corollary. Let the conditions of Proposition 4 be satisfied, and B be
a locally finite polyhedron. Then the fibration (E,p, B) is trivial, i.e., E =
BxF.
Since B is locally finite, simply-connected and acyclic polyhedron, it is
contractible. Thus, the corollary follows from classical theorem of Feldbau.
Remarks.
1. One can prove that the statement of this corollary remains valid if
the assumption "B is a locally final polyhedron" will be replaced by the
following: "F is a locally finite polyhedron". Actually, these restrictive
conditions on B or F do not seem to be essential. There is no doubt, that
there are no other fibrations of the space Rn with connected fibers, except
56 J.-P. Serre
the direct products Rn = JRP X Rq, p + q = n, but it seems to be difficult

to prove8 .
2. Using the theory of Cech and methods, analogous to those of
G.Hirsch, A.Shapiro proved Proposition 4, and showed how does it imply
the following result, which was conjectured by Montgomery and Samelson:
the space Rn cannot be a total space of a fibration with compact contractible
fibers, which are not reduced to a point [36]. A.Borel and the author [5]
obtained the same result independently, using the Leray theory (for coho-
mology with compact supports). Their method shows also that there are
no fibrations of Rn with connected fibers and a compact base, which is not
reduced to a point [3].
4. Exact sequence
Proposition 5. Let A be a principal ideal domain and assume also

that the local family composed by H;.(F, A) on B is trivial for all i ~ 0,
H,(B, A)= 0 for 0 < i < p, and H,(F, A)= 0 for 0 < i < q. Then we have
an exact sequence:
Hp+q-t(F,A)-+ Hp+q-t(E, A)-+ Hp+q-t(B, A)-+ Hp+q-2(F,A)-+ ...

. .. -+ H2(B,A)-+ Ht(F,A)-+ Ht(E,A)-+ Ht(B,A)-+ 0.
According to the universal coefficient formula, we get:
~·3 = Hi(B,A) ®H3(F,A) +Tor(Hi-t(B,A),Hj(F,A)),
where the operations ® and Tor are taken with respect to the ring of prin-
cipal ideals A. It follows that E;•3 = 0, if i =1- 0, j =1- 0 and i + j ~ p + q- 1.
Given a total degree n, the term E 2 contains at most two non-zero terms:
E;•0 = Hn(B,A) and Eg,n = Hn(F,A) (if 0 ~ n ~ p + q- 1). Since the
conditions formulated in section 4, Chapter I are obviously satisfied, we can
apply Proposition 3 of that section, and this gives us the required result.
Note that the homomorphism Hn(B, A) -+ Hn-t(F, A), 0 ~ n ~ p +
q - 1, coincides with the transgression d,...
Remarks.
1. The dual exact sequence exists for cohomology (see Proposition 3',
Chapter I).
BFor more details see [41].
2. The homomorphisms
1r,(F) ---+ H,(F, Z), 7rt.(E) ---+ H,(E, Z), 7rs(B) ---+ H,(B, Z)
define a compatible homomorphism of the exact homotopy sequence to the

exact sequence of proposition 5 (if A= Z is the ring of the integers). This
follows from the commutativity of the diagram (I') in section 7, Chapter IL
Corollary 1. If the assumptions of the previous proposition are valid,
then the natural map p.: Hi(E mod F, A) ---+ H,(B, A) is an epimorphism
for 2 :::;: i :::;: p + q, and is an isomorphism for 2 :::;: i :::;: p + q - 1.
The image of H,(E mod F, A) ---+ Hi(B, A) is E;• 0 (Chapter II, section
7), so the differential dr vanishes on E;•o, if 2 :;;;; r < i :::;: p + q, since it maps
this module to the trivial module E;-r,r- 1 • It follows that
0 0
H,(B, A)= ~· = E~· = · · · = Et·
0
, 2:::;: i:::;: p + q,
and this proves the first part of the corollary.
The proof of its second part follows from consideration of the diagram
(for 2 :::;: i:::;: p + q- 1):
H,(F, A) ---+ H,(E, A) ---+ H,(E mod F, A) ---+ H;,-1 (F, A) ---+ Ht.-1 (E, A)
1 1 1 1 1
where the vertical arrows denote the identity maps, except the third one,
which denotes homomorphism p •. This diagram is commutative (according
to section 7, Chapter II), and both its rows are exact sequences. It follows
now from the Five-Lemma that P• is an isomorphism, and this completes
the proof of Corollary 1.
Corollary 2. Let H,(E, A) = 0 for all i > 0, and H,(B, A) = 0
for 0 < i < p. Then the suspension :E maps H,(F, A) onto Hi+ 1 (B, A)
surjectively for 0 < i :::;: 2p - 2. For 0 < i < 2p - 2 it is an isomorphism.
In particular, H,(F, A) = 0 for 0 < i < p- 1.
First, using Proposition 5 in the case q = 1, we see that H,(F, A) = 0 for
0 < i < p-1. And then, applying the previous corollary (for q = p-1), we
obtain the required result, taking into account the fact that :E = p. 0 a- 1 ,
where
8: H,+l(E mod F,A)---+ H,(F, A)
58 J.-P. Serre
is the boundary homomorphism.

Corollary 3. If Ht.(B, A) = 0 for all i > 0, then the natural map
H,(F, A) - Hi(E, A) is an isomorphism for all i :;::: 0.
The proof follows from the application of Proposition 5 to the case
p = oo, q = 1.
Corollary 4. If Hi(F, A) = 0 for all i > 0, then the projection p: E-
B defines an isomorphism H,(E,A)- H,(B, A) for all i ~ 0.
The proof follows from the application of Proposition 5 to the case p = 1,
q= oo.
Remark. This latter result can be considered as an analogue (in the
singular theory) of a well-known theorem of Vietoris, which is valid for the

Cech homology and cohomology. However, this Vietoris theorem can be
proved using the Leray theory in the same way, as above (see [1], theorem
5-a).
5. Gysin exact sequence
Proposition 6. Let (E,p, B) be a fibration with path connected base B,

and let cohomology of the fiber F with coefficients in a commutative ring
A with a unit element coincides with that of the k-dimensional sphere Sk,
k ~ 1. If the local system composed by Hk(F, A) on B is trivial, then the
following sequence
. . . k h '+1
... - H'(B,A)- H'(E,A)- H'- (B,A)- H' (B,A)- . ..
is exact. Here h(x) = X. n = n. X for all X E Hi-k(B, A), and n is a

well-defined element of Hk+l(B,A) such that 20 = 0 for even values of k.
This result was obtained by W. Gysin [21]. Its statement cited above
belongs toR. Thorn [38] and to S.S. Chern-E. Spanier [13]. The following
proof belongs to Leray [29], N. 11.
Consider the term ~ of the cohomology spectral sequence of the fibra-
tion (E,p, B):
E 2 = H*(B, H*(F,A)) = H*(B,H 0 (F, A))+ H*(B,Hk(F, A)).
Consequently, the homomorphism of the algebras H* (B, A) ® H* (F, A) -

H* (B, H* (F, A)) is an isomorphism (the tensor product is taken over A).
It follows that for a given total degree i the term E2 contains at most
two non-zero terms:
Then, using Proposition 3' of Chapter I, we get the exact sequence
. . . k k dk+l '+1
--+ Ir(B, A) --+ H'(E, A) --+ H'- (B, A)®H (F, A) -----* H' (B, A) --+ •••
In order to obtain the required exact sequence, it remains only to choose

an isomorphism g: Hi-k(B,A)--+ Hi-k(B, A) ®Hk(F,A) and to take h =

dk+l o g. Let s be a generator of the module Hk(F,A). We define the
required isomorphism g by:
g(x) = (-l)degxx ® s for all x E H*(B, A).
Now let 0 = dk+t(l ® s) E Hk+l(B,A), then
h(x) = dk+t((-l)degxx ® s) = (-l)degxdk+t(x) · s + (-1) 2 degxx · dk+t(s).

Since dk+l (x) = 0, we get h(x) = x · 0. Now, in order to prove the relation
h(x) = 0 . x, it is sufficient to show that 20 = 0, for even values of k
(because of anticommutativity of the product in H*(B, A)). So we have:
2
dk+l(s ) = 2s · dk+l(s) = 20 ® s.
2
But s = 0, hence 20 = 0, and the theorem is proved.
Remarks.
1. The dual exact sequence exists for homology, the proof is the same.
2. The paper [38] of R. Thorn contains a more complete result, which
is valid in the case when the local system, composed by Hk(F, A), is not
trivial (the fibration is "non-orientable") even fork= 0. Our method could
also be extended to the non-orientable case, but the case k = 0, apparently,
cannot be studied in this way.
6. Wang exact sequence
Proposition 7. Let (E,p, B) be a fibration with path connected fiber F,

and a simply connected base B, whose cohomology with coefficients in a ring
60 J.-P. Serre
of principal ideals A coincide with that of the sphere Sk, k ~ 2. Then the
following sequence
••• ---+ Hi(E, A) ---+ Hi(F, A) ~ Hi-k+l (F, A) ---+ Hi+l (E, A) ---+ • • • ,
is exact. Here the homomorphism () is a derivation for odd k and an an-

tiderivation for even k.
This result was obtained by Wang [39]. The fact that ()is a derivation
(respectively, antiderivations, according to parity of k) was noted by J.
Leray [29]. The following proof belongs to Leray.
Consider the cohomology spectral sequence of the fibration (E,p, B).
Using Proposition 8 of Chapter II, we see that its term E 2 is isomorphic to

H*(B, A)® H*(F, A)= H*(Sk, A)® H*(F, A) .
It follows that for a given total degree, the term E2 has at most two non-
zero elements. Now, applying Proposition 3' of Chapter I, we obtain the
exact sequence
• •• ---+ Hi(E, A) ---+ Hi(F, A) ~ Hk(B, A)® Hi-k+l (F, A)
---+ Hi+ 1 (E, A) ---+ •• •
In order to obtain the required exact sequence, it remains only to choose
an isomorphism
g: Hi-.k+l(F,A)---+ Hk(B , A) ® Hi-k+l(F,A)
and to take
() = g- 1 0 dk.
Lets be a generator of the module Hk(B,A) . We set g(x) = s ® x. Then,
by definition, we have dk(x) = s ® O(x) for x E H*(F, A).
Now, we calculate dk(xy):
On the one hand, we have d~c (xy) = s ® (xy), on the other hand:
dk(xy) = dk(x) · y + (-l)degxx · dk(Y) = (s ® O(x)) · y+
(-l)degxx · (s ® O(y)) = s ® (O(x) · y) + (-t)Ck+l)degxs ® (x · O(y)).
So, we obtain from comparison:
O(xy) = O(x) . y + (-l)(k+l) degxx. O(y),
thus 0 is a derivation for odd k, and antiderivations for even k.
Remark. A dual exact sequence can be obtained in homology:
· · · - H,(E,A)- H,(F,A)- Hi-k+t(F, A)- Hi+t(E, A)- . ..
7. Leray-Hirsch theorem
Let E be a space, F be its subspace, and k be a field. The conditions:
"Hi.(F, k) ---+ Hi.(E, k) is injective", and "Hi(E, k) ---+ Hi(F, k) is surjective"
are equivalent, as it follows immediately from the duality between homology
and cohomology. If these conditions are satisfied for all i ~ 0, we say that
the subspace F is "totally nonhomologous to zero" in E (with respect to
the field k). Using this definition, one can show the following:
Proposition 8. Let (E,p, B) be a fibmtion whose fiber F and base B
are path connected, and k be the field. Suppose that the following conditions
are satisfied:
(a) The fiber F is totally nonhomologous to zero in E with respect to k;

(b) The space Hi(F, k) or Hi(B, k) has finite dimension over k for all
i ~ 0.
Under these conditions the gmded algebm associated with H* ( E, k) is
isomorphic to H*(B, k) ® H*(F, k) (see [29], Theorem 7.3).
First of all it follows from (a) that the local family composed by the
groups Hi(F, k) on B is trivial for all i ~ 0. In fact, we know (Chapter II,
section 9(a)) that the inclusion F---+ E induces homomorphism H*(E, k)---+
H*(F, k), whose image is composed by elements invariant with respect to
the transformations T,_, a E 1r1 (B). So the assumption (a) implies that all
the elements of Hi(F, k) are invariant with respect to the action of 1r1 (B),
and this means exactly that the local family is trivial.
It follows from condition (b) and from Proposition 8 of Chapter II that
the term E2 of the cohomology spectral sequence of (E,p, B) is isomorphic
(as an algebra) to left the tensor product (over k) H*(B, k) ® H*(F, k).
Since all elements of the image of the algebra H*(E, k) in H*(F, k)
are cycles of all differentials dr, the assumption (a) implies that dr = 0
on H*(F, k) for all r. But since the differential dr is an antiderivation,
and vanishes on the elements of H" (B, k), it vanishes on all the algebra
H*(B, k) ® H*(F, k), and we get E 2 = E 3 = ... = E 00 • QED.
In general, the algebra H* ( B, k) is not isomorphic to H" (E, k) ®
H* ( F, k). Namely, here we have:
Proposition 9. Let the assumptions of Proposition 8 be satisfied. Then
an isomorphism of algebms H"(B, k) ® H*(F, k)---+ H*(E, k) inducing, by
passage to associated graded algebms, the isomorphism of E2 to E 00 exists if
and only if there is a homomorphism of algebms q* : H* ( F, k) ---+ H* (E, k)
such that its composition with the natuml homomorphism i*: H*(E, k) ---+
H*(F, k) is the identity automorphism of H*(F, k).
62 J.-P. Serre
The "only if" part is evident.

The opposite implication follows from considerations of the homomor-
phism
p*: H*(B, k)---+ H*(E, k),
induced by the projection p: E---+ B. Let us define the homomorphism of
algebras:
p* ® q": H"(B, k) ® H*(F, k)---+ H*(E, k).
Consider now the filtration of H*(E, k) by DP,q, and the base degree ffi-
tration on the algebra H*(B, k) ® H*(F, k). The homomorphism p* ® q*
is clearly compatible with these filtrations. Thus, we can determine the

corresponding homomorphism p* ® q* of graded associated algebras, which
takes H"(B, k) ® H*(F, k) to H*(B, k) ® H*(F, k). By the properties of
the homomorphism p* (respectively, q*), this homomorphism is identical
on H* (B, k) (respectively, on H* ( F, k)). Since it is a homomorphism of
algebras, it should be identical everywhere. Thus, we have shown that
p* ® q* is an isomorphism. Using classical arguments we find (see, for ex-
ample, [28], Proposition 6.2) that p* ® q* is also an isomorphism, and this
completes the proof.
Corollary 1. If the conditions of Proposition 8 are satisfied, and the
algebra H*(F, k) is generated by homogeneous elements fa of degrees na,
such that
fa /rJ = (-l)""anfJ /{3/a•
Then the algebra H* ( E, k) is isomorphic to H* ( B, k) ® H* ( F, k).
It is sufficient to construct a map q" satisfying conditions of Proposi-
tion 9. So, let Ca E H*(E, k) be the elements such that i*(ca) =fa· There
is a unique way to extend the map fa ---+ Ca to a homomorphism of the
algebras q*: H*(F, k)---+ H*(E, k), which obviously satisfies the prescribed
conditions.
Remark. Using this approach, one can reprove a classical theorem of
Samelson on non-homologous to zero subgroups of Lie groups. However,
since we have not assumed that the numbers na were odd, our result can
also be applied to the case when F is a loop space (cf. Chapter N).
Corollary 2. Let B and F be two path connected spaces. Suppose that
for all i ;::: 0 at least one of Hi(B, k) and Hi(F, k) is a finite dimensional
space. Let p and q be the natural projections of E = B x F onto B and F,
respectively, and p*, q* be the corresponding homomorphisms of algebras
H*(B, k) and H*(F, k) to H*(E, k). Then the homomorphism p* 181 q* is

an isomorphism of H*(B, k) ® H*(F, k) onto H*(E, k).
The corollary follows from application of Proposition 9 to the space
E = B x F, considered as the total space of the trivial fibration.
Remark. If we omit the assumption on finiteness of dimensions in the
precedent statement, then we can prove just the following equality:
H*(E, k) = Hom(H(B, k), H*(F, k)).
Actually, this formula is a special case of a general theorem of Eilenberg-
Zilber (unpublished). Other results of this section admit similar general-

izations.
Chapter IV. Loop spaces

1. Loop spaces
Let X be a topological space (not necessarily separable). We denote

by I the segment [0, 1]. A continuous map f: I - X is called a loop at
the point x E X, if f(O) = f(1) = x. The set Ox of loops at the point x
is endowed with the compact open topology. This topology is studied, for
example, by Bourbaki ([6], Chapter X, § 2) in case when the space of the
values of the functions (here this is X) is separable. In fact, almost all
of the results proved by Bourbaki, do not depend on this assumption. In
particular, we have the following result.
Let g be a map of a topological space Y to Ox; it defines a map G: I x
Y - X by the formula G(t, y) = g(y)(t). Then the map g is continuous
if and only if the map G is continuous (here the loop space Ox is endowed
with the compact open topology).
Law of composition in the loop space.
This law assigns to two loops j, g E Ox a third loop denoted by f * g
and defined by the formula:
1
g(2t), if t <-
- 2'
(! * g)(t) = 1
{ f(2t -1), t >
if - -2"
We denote by ex (or bye, if there is no risk of misunderstandings) a loop,
which is reduced to the point x, i.e., e.,(t) = x for all t E I. It is known that
64 J.-P. Serre
the composition law is not associative, and has no neutral element, but it
has these properties "up to homotopy". To make exposition more precise,
we introduce the following notion:
Definition. Let G be a topological space with the composition law,
denoted by V. The pair (G, V) is called H -space, if the following conditions
are satisfied:
(I) A map (x, y) ~ x V y is a continuous map of G x G to G.
(II) There is an element e E G, such that e V e = e, and the maps
x ~ x V e, x ~ e V x are homotopic to the identical map of G (here the
point e remains fixed during the homotopy).
For example, each topological group is an H-space.

Proposition 1. Let X be a topological space and x E X. The loop
space nx at the point X endowed with the the compact open topology, and
with the composition law is an H -space.
To verify condition (I), it is sufficient to prove that the mapping of the
space nx X nx X I defined by
g(2t), if
(f,g, t) =
{ f(2t -1), if
is continuous. But this follows immediately from the continuity of the maps
(g, t) ~ g(2t), where t:::; ~, and (!, t) ~ f(2t- 1), where t ~ ~·
To verify condition (II), we take as e the loop which is reduced to a
point x. It is clear that e * e = e.
On the other hand, let f E nx, and let the family of loops Je, 0 :::; (} ~ 1
be defined by
0
fo(t) = x, if t <-
- 2'
{ fo(t) = f ( 2t- (}
_ ) , if t >-
0
2 8 - 2.
We have fo(l) = fo(O) = x for all 0. Therefore, fo is also a loop. Further-
more fo(t) = f(t), ft = f * e, and iff = e, then fo = e for all 0. So, in
order to prove that the map f ~ f *e is homotopic to the identical one, and
that this homotopy keeps the loop e fixed, we have to show that the map
(!, 8) ~ fo of nx X I to nx is continuous. In other words, it is sufficient
to show that the map <p: nx xI xI~ X, defined by cp(f,O,t) = fo(t), is
continuous.
Let Q: I X I---+ I be a map defined by:
0,
Q(O, t) = 2t- ()
{
2- ()'
It is obvious, that Q is continuous. We denote by (1, Q) the map ofnxxixi
to nx X I, which is the direct product of the map Q and the identical map
of nx onto itself. We denote by F the natural map nx X I ---+ X' defined by
F(f, t) = f(t) . The map F is continuous by the definition of the compact
open topology.
Since r.p = F o (1, Q), the map r.p is continuous, and this completes the
proof of the fact that the map f ---+ f * e is homotopic to the identical. For
the case off---+ e * f the proof is quite analogous.
2. Hopf theorem
In this section and in the following we will give some properties of the
H-spaces, which are well-known in case of topological groups, but we will
apply them to the loop spaces.
Consider first the Hop£ theorem.
Let A be a graded algebra satisfying the usual anticommutativity law:
xy = (-1)pqyx, if x andy are homogeneous elements of degrees p and q,
respectively. Suppose also that the elements of A, of degree 0 are scalar
multiples of the unit element denoted by 1. Such an algebra (over the field
of an arbitrary characteristic) will be called canonical.
If A and B are two canonical algebras, then the algebra A® B endowed
with the structure of the left tensor product is also canonical. We denote
by NA (respectively, by NB) an ideal generated by the elements a® 1
(respectively, 1 ®b), where a E A is an element of strictly positive degree
(respectively, bE B is an element of strictly positive degree). It is obvious
that the quotient (A® B)/NA is isomorphic to the algebra B; similarly,
(A® B)/NB is isomorphic to A. In particular, if A= B, then we obtain
two epimorphic mappings of the algebra A® A onto A, which we denote
by p and q, respectively. Therefore, we get
x=q(x)®l+· · ·+l®p(x), xEA®A,
where the omitted summands are tensor products of two elements of A, of
strictly positive degrees.
66 J.-P. Serre
A homomorphism of algebras r: A---+ A®A is called H-homomorphism,

if the compositions p or and q or are automorphisms of algebra A . The ex-
istence of H -homomorphism allows us to apply the classic Hopf arguments
to the algebra A. We do not repeat them here, referring the reader to the
exposition of Leray ([26], N. 24). We recall here just one result obtained in
this way.
Hopf Theorem. Let B be a minimal system of homogeneous gener-
ators of the algebra A, and S(B) is the algebra generated by the elements
of B, which satisfy the skew commutativity identity only. The elements of
S(B) can be called a skew-commutative polynomials of elements of B. We
can consider the derivatives of such a polynomial with respect to an element

bE B. The algebra A is isomorphic to the quotient of S(B) by homogeneous
ideal N, which satisfies the following condition:
Let P E N, and let b be an element of B with the maximal degree among
all elements of P, then PtE N.
If the field has characteristic zero, then N = 0, and hence A= S(B).
In this case we can arrange the elements of B into two separate groups: the
elements of even degrees, and elements which have odd degrees. So we see
that the algebra A is isomorphic to the tensor product of the exterior algebra
generated by the elements of odd degrees and the algebra of polynomials
generated by elements of even degrees.
The following proposition allows us to apply these results to H -spaces
(in particular, to the loops spaces).
Proposition 2. Let G be path connected H -space and k be a field.
Suppose that spaces Hi(G, k) over k are finite dimensional for all i ~ 0.
Then the cohomology algebra H* (G, k) of G with coefficients in k possesses
an H -homomorphism.
Let A= H*(G, k). Since G is path connected, A is a canonical algebra.
Furthermore, according to Corollary 2 to Proposition 9, Chapter III, we
have H*(G x G, k) =A® A. If y E G is an arbitrary point of G, then the
map P: G ~ G x G defined by P(x) = (y, x) induces a homomorphism
of the algebra H*(G x G, k) = A® A to the algebra H*(G, k) = A,
which coincides with p. Similarly, the map Q(x) = (x, y) induces the
homomorphism q.
Now we use the multiplication law in G and define a continuous map
R: G x G ~ G, as R(x, y) = x V y. This map induces a homomorphism
r: A ~ A ® A. We claim that r is an H -homomorphism, and this will
complete the proof of the proposition.
Indeed, consider the homomorphism qor. It is defined by the continuoUB

map R o Q: G---+ G. But the map Q can be defined by an arbitrary point
y E G. So let y = e, then
RoQ(x)=xVe.
Since the map x ---+ x V e is homotopic to the identical one, it follows that
q or = 1. Similarly, we can see that p or = 1, and this completes the proof.
Corollary. In addition to the assumptions of Proposition 2, let us sup-
pose that k has charocteristic zero. Then the algebro H* (G, k) is isomorphic
to S(xk) ® A(yl), where S(xk) denotes the polynomial algebro, genemted

by elements Xk of even degrees nk, and A(yl) denotes an exterior algebro
genemted by the elements Yl of odd degrees ml· In addition, there are only
finite number of elements of Xk and Yl, whose degrees do not exceed a given
integer.
It remains to prove the last assertion only, and this follows from the fact
that Hi(G, k) has a finite dimension for all i ~ 0.
Remark. If G is a Lie group, then its cohomology algebra is trivial
for sufficiently large dimensions, and therefore it can not contain a poly-
nomial algebra. Consequently, it is an exterior algebra (if the field k has
characteristic zero), according to the classical Hopf theorem.
Conversely, if G is a loop space, then the situation is quite different
(see Proposition 11). For example, we will see in section 9 that if G is a
loop space on the sphere Sn, then for odd n we have H*(G) = S(x), where
x has degree n- 1. If n is even, then H*(G) = S(x) ® A(y), where x has
degree 2n - 2, and y has degree n - 1.
3. Simplicity of H-spaces
Let G be connected Lie group, and T be its universal covering. It is

known, that T can be endowed with a structure of Lie group such that the
projection p: T ---+ G is a homomorphism. The kernel of p is a discrete
subgroup contained in the center of the group T and is isomorphic to the
group 7rt(G). Automorphisms of the space T, defined by the elements of
1r1 (G), are jUBt translations by elements of this discrete subgroup. Since
each translation is homotopic to the identical map (for connected G), it
is clear that automorphisms defined in T by the elements of 7rt (G) are
homotopic to the identity.
68 J.-P. Serre
Now we show that this proof may be extended with little complication
to the case of arbitrary H-spaces. This result will be used in the next
Chapter essentially (in the particular case when G is the loop space).
Thus, let G be an H-space with the multiplication denoted by V. We
assume also that G is path connected, locally path connected, and locally
simply connected. Let us define its universal covering T, as it was indicated
in section 6 of Chapter 1 (we choose as the base point the idempotent e
introduced by the condition (II) of the H-spaces). On the other hand,
let E be the path space in G with the origin at e E G. The space E is
endowed with the compact open topology. Consider the map u: E-+ T,
which assigns to each path q E E its homotopy class. This map allows us to
identify T with a quotient space of E (since G is locally simply connected).
The space E can be endowed with a composition law, denoted also by
symbol V, and defined by (! V g)(t) = f(t) V g(t), t E I, J,g E E. This
operation is well defined, since e V e = e.
It is obvious that the map (!,g) -+ f Vg of Ex E to E is continuous, and
if f' is homotopic to f, and g' is homotopic to g, then f' Vg' is homotopic to
fVg. This allows us to define the composition law V in T (by factorization).
Now let u be a loop in G, and let us define a deformation of E, which
connects the identical map f -+ f with the map f -+ u * f {here u * f
denotes the composition of two paths u and f, this composition is defined
by the formulae given in section 1). In addition, this deformation should
be admissible in order to determine deformation of the space T (using the
factorization).
First, we introduce the notations for the deformations of G, which con-
nect the map x-+ x with the maps x-+ x V e and x-+ e V x. Let Fe(x) be
a continuous function of the variables (} E I and x E G such that
Fo(x) = x, Ft(x) = x V e for all x E G, and F9(e) = e, (} E I.

Let Ge(x) be a continuous function of the variables() E I and x E G such
that
G 0 (x) = x, G 1 (x) = e Vx for all x E G, and Go(e) = e, () E I.

Consider now the following four deformations which assign a family fe of
elements of E(O E I) to an element fEE:
1st deformation: fo(t) = Go(f(t)), it describes passage from f toe V f.
2nd deformation: fB(t) = u(Ot) V f(t), it describes passage from e V f

touVf.
3rd deformation:
u(2t) Ve, ·r t :.,-; ; o

2'
l
1
fB(t) = u(fJ) V f(2t- 0), if ~ :.,-; ; t :.,-;;; fJ,
u(t) V f(t), ift ~ fJ,

it describes passage from u V f to V(f).

4th deformation:
F1-B(u(2t)), 'f 1
1 t :.,-; ; 2'
fB(t) =
{ G1-B(f(2t- 1)), 1
if t ~ 2'
it describes passage from V(f) to u *f. Here V(f) denotes the path
u(2t) Ve,
V(f)(t) =
{ e V f(2t -1),
Now it remains just to make some verifications.

a) The paths fB(t) start at e.
Case 1: fB(O) = G9(f(O)) = G9(e) =e.
Case 2: fB(O) = u(O) V f(O) = eVe = e.
Case 3: f9(0) = u(O) V e =eVe = e.
Case 4: fB(O) = F1-9(u(O)) = F1-9(e) =e.
b) Continuity of the maps (J,fJ)----* fB of Ex I to E.
It is sufficient to verify the continuity of the map of Ex I xI toG, and
this is not difficult.
c) The endpoint of the path f9 depends on the endpoint of the path f
and on the chosen loop u only.
Case 1: fB(1) = GB(f(1)).
Case 2: f9(1) = u(fJ) V f(1).
Case 3: fB(l) = u(l) V f(l) = e V f(l).
70 J.-P. Serre
Case 4: f9(1) = Gt-9(!(1)).

These three verifications can determine the deformations f9 in the
space T by factorization, thus, we get the deformation ofT, which con-
nects the automorphism f---+ u * f with the identity. In other words, the
following proposition is true:
Proposition 3. Let G be path connected, locally path connected, and
locally simply connected H -space. Then the elements of 1r1 (G) define au-
tomorphisms of the universal covering T of G, which are homotopic to the
identity.
Corollary. The group 1r1 (G) acts trivially on the homology groups, on
the cohomology groups, and on the homotopy groups of the space T.

In particular, it is clear that the space G is homotopically simple in all
dimensions. Actually, this can be verified directly.
4. The loop spaces fibrations
Let X be a path connected space, A and B be its two subspaces. We

denote by EA,B the space of paths in X, whose origin belongs to the subspace
A, and the endpoints belong to the subspace B. In other words, EA,B is
the set of continuous maps f: I ---+ X, satisfying the following conditions:
f(O) E A, f(l) E B. We endow the set EA,B with the compact open
topology. Note that the spaces EA,B and EB,A are homeomorphic.
If the subspace A is reduced to a point x, then we write just Ex,B instead
of E{x},B· Similarly, we define EA,z and Ez,y for x, y EX. Note that Ez,x
is exactly the space n:l: of loops at x, introduced in section 1.
Let us define a map PA,B: EA,B---+ Ax Bas follows:
PA,B(/) = (!(0), f(l)), if f E EA,B·

This map is continuous, and it maps EA,B onto A x B, since X is path
connected.
Proposition 4. The triple (EA,B,PA,B, A x B) is a fibration in the
sense of Chapter II (i.e., it satisfies the covering homotopy theorem for
polyhedra).
Actually, we will prove that it satisfies the covering homotopy theorem
for all spaces.
Let P be a topological space, (!, f') be a continuous map of I X P to

Ax B, and let g: P----+ EA,B be a continuous map such that PA,B o g(y) =
(!(0, y), f'(O, y)) for ally E P. A choice of the map 9 is equivalent to that
of the map G: IxP----+ X such that G(O,y) = f(O,y) and G(1,y) = f'(O, y)
for yEP.
We have to find a continuous map h: I x P----+ EA,B such that h(O, y) =
g(y) and PA,B o h = (!, f'). This problem reduces to determination of a
continuous map H: I xI x P----+ X, satisfying the conditions H(O, t, y) =
G(t,y), H(t,O,y) = f(t,y), H(t,1,y) = f'(t,y). Let us denote by R the
following subset of the product I xI x P:
R = ({0} xI x P) U (I x {0} x P) U (I x {1} x P).

It is clear that this is an extension to the product I X I X P of a continuous
map defined on R. Obviously, this is possible, since ({0} xI) U (I x {0}) U
(I x {1}) is a retract of I x I. This completes the proof.
Proposition 5. If the subspace A is contmctible in X to a point x E X,
then the space EA,B has the same homotopy type as A X Ez,B.
(See [33], § 22, n. 8.)
This assumption implies that there exists a continuous map D: Ax I ----+
X such that D(a, 0) = a, and D(a, 1) = x for all a E A. We denote by fa
and by f;; 1 , respectively, the maps t----+ D(a, t), and t----+ D(a, 1- t).
Let <p be the map of A x Ez,B to E A,B, which assigns to a pair (a, f)
the path g = f *fa (a E A, f E Ez,B).
Let 'lj; be the map of EA,B to Ax Ez,B, which assigns to a path g the
pair (a, g * J;; 1 ), where a= g(O) E A.
Then we have
= g * J;;l * !~,
(<p 0 'lj;)(g) if g E EA,B,
1
('lj; o ,P)(a, f)= (a, f *fa* /;; ), if a E A, f E Ez ,B.
For each point y E X, we denote by e11 the path reduced to this point
y. In order to prove that the maps <p o 'lj; and 'lj; o <p are homotopic to the
identity, we deform the paths /;; 1 *fa and Ia * !;;1 , respectively, to ea and
ez. It follows that the maps <p o 'lj; and 'lj; o cp are homotopic, respectively,
to 9----+ g * ea (where a= 9(0)), and (a, f) ----+ (a, f * ez). These maps are
obviously homotopic to the identity, and the proposition is proved.
Corollary 1. If the subspaces A and B are contmctible to the points
x andy, then the space EA,B has the same homotopy type as the product
A X B X Ez,y•
72 J.-P. Serre
Corollary 2. If x, y, z, t are arbitrary points in X, then the spaces

Ex,y and Ez,t have the same homotopy type.
Indeed, since the space X is path connected, we can deform the points
z and t to the points x andy, and then the result follows from Corollary 1.
Corollary 2 implies that the homology and the homotopy groups of
various spaces Ez,y are isomorphic. In particular, they are isomorphic to
the corresponding groups of the loop space on X with some fixed origin
in X. We denote this loop space by n. Note that the space n is path
connected if and only if X is simply connected.
Application of the results of Chapter II to the fibration in Proposition 4
implies:
Proposition 6. Let X be path connected simply connected space, n
be the loop space on X, and A, B be two subspaces of X. Let EA,B the
space of paths in X with the origins in A, and the endpoints in B. Then
there exists a spectral sequence such that E~,q = Hp(A x B, Hq(O)), and the
limit term Eoo is isomorphic to the graded group associated with the group
H(EA,B), endowed with corresponding filtration.
Surely, a dual spectral sequence exists in cohomology.
5. Fibration of a path space with fixed origin

In this section we examine in more details the fibration of the path
space Ez,X with a fixed origin at x E X and arbitrary endpoints y E X.
According to Proposition 4, the base of this fibration is the space X, and
its fiber is n (the loop space with the origin at the point x).
Proposition 7. The space Ex,x is contractible.
Given a pair (0, f) E IxEz,x, let f9(t) = f(Ot). It is clear that f9 is the
path in the space X with the origin at x for any 0. The map (0, f) --+ f9
is obviously continuous. Since fo(t) = x and ft(t) = f(t) for all t E I, the
proposition is proved.
The same argument gives the following more general result.
Proposition 7'. Each subspace A of the space X is a deformation
retract of the space EA,x.
The role of the space Ez,X.
We can consider the space n as the fiber of homologically trivial fiber
space with the base X. The spectral sequence of this fibration allows us to
calculate (to some extent) the homology groups of the space n in terms of
the homology groups of the space X.
A similar situation occurs also in the theory of the universal principal

fiber spaces of a Lie group. Recall that a principal fiber space of a Lie group
is called the universal (for some dimension), if all its homology groups are
trivial (up to this dimension). Such spaces do exist for each Lie group and
for all dimensions, and their study is a necessary introduction to the study
of other principal fiber spaces (see [9], and a forthcoming memoir of A.
Borel, see [4]).
Note, however, that the "known" space here is the base of the universal
fibration, and this is the fiber, what we examine. Usually, in the theory
of universal principal fiber spaces of a Lie group, the situation is quite the
reverse.
The suspension in the Ex,x.
Since the space Ex,X is contractible, Hi(E:r;,x) = 0 for all i > 0, and
for any coefficient group. Therefore the suspension E: Hi(n) ---+ Hi+ 1 (X)
is defined for all i > 0. Recall that
E = p,. o a- 1 ,
where p,. denotes the natural projection Hi+t(Ex,x mod fl) ---+ HHt(X),
and 8 is the boundary operator Hi+t(E:r;,X mod fl)---+ Hi(fl).
Now we give a more precise definition of the suspension.
Let C(E) and C(X) be singular cubical complexes of spaces Ex,x and
X, respectively. Since the space Ex,x is contractible, there exists an oper-
ator k, defined on G(E), which increases the degree by one, and satisfies
the condition:
kdx + dkx = x for each element x of positive dimension.
Denote by s the operator p o k, which maps the singular complex C(O) of

S1 to the complex C(X). The operator s increases the degree by one and
we have:
ds x + sdx = dp kx + pk dx = p(dk x + k dx) = px = 0,

if the degree of an element xis strictly positive (px = 0, since the degener-
ated cubes are identified with zero) .
Thus, it is clear that the operator s anticommutes with the boundary
and defines a homomorphism of Hi(!!) to HHt(X), i > 0, which coincides
with the suspension (by the very definition of the suspension).
74 J.-P. Serre
We give now a description of the operator k. Let y(t1, ... , tn) be a

singular n-dimensional cube in Ex,x, and let the cube ky be defined by
(ky(tl. . .. , tnH))(t) = (y(t2, .. . , tnH)) (ttl)·
The relation dk + kd = 1 is easily verified. So, in order to obtain the
homomorphisms, it is sufficient to take t = 1 in the previous formula:
(1)
Note that the operators k and s transform degenerated cubes to degenerated
ones, and hence, their action can be defined on singular complexes C(E)
and 0(!1).
Finally, we get:
Proposition 8. The map s, defined by the formula (1) is a homo-
morphism of degree +1 of 0(!1) to C(X) such that s dx + ds x = 0 for
degx > 0. This map generates a homomorphism H,(O)- Hi+1(X), i > 0,
which coincides with the suspension, defined in section 7 of Chapter II.
Remark. The definition of the suspension given above is sinlplified
by cancellation of the cubes of the space X, which have strictly positive
dimensions, and are reduced to a single point (this follows from the general
agreements on the degenerated cubes). In the classical simplicial singular
theory, there is no "normalization" of this kind: given an n-dimensional
sinlplex y in the space n, we should define sy as the difference between
(n +I)-dimensional simplex of space X, which is obviously determined by
the simplex y, and (n +i)-dimensional (degenerated) simplex, reduced to
one point. This explains the formula which was used by Eilenberg-MacLane
[19] in the definition of the suspension (see Chapter IV).
6. Some general results on homology of loop spaces

We use here notations and assumptions of the two previous sections.
In addition, we assume that the space X studied here is simply connected.
Hence, the local family composed by the groups H(!1) on X is obviously
trivial. If A and Bare two connected subspaces of X, then the local family
composed by H(!1) on Ax B is the restriction of the local family on X x X,
and hence, is trivial as well.
Proposition 9. Let G be a principal ideal domain. Let Hi(X, G) be
G-modules of finite type for all i ~ 0. Then Hi(n, G) are G-modules of
finite type for all i ~ 0.
We have Ho(Ex,X) = G, H;.(Ex,X) = 0, if i > 0 (since the space Ex,X

is contractible). Hence, the homology modules of the space Ex,x have
finite type, and our assertion follows immediately from Proposition 1 of
Chapter III.
Corollary. Under the same assumptions as above, let A and B be two
subspaces of X such that H;. (A, G) and Hi (B, G) have finite type for all
i ~ 0. Then H;.(EA,B, G) have finite type for all i ~ 0.
Since Ho(A) and Ho(B) have finite type, the subspaces A and B have
a finite number of path connected components, which we denote by Ak,
Bj. Since H;.(EA,B) = ~j,k H;.(EA~c,Bj), it is clear that we can restrict our
considerations to the case when the subspaces A and Bare path connected.
In this latter case, we apply Proposition 1, Chapter III, to the fiber
space EA,B with the fiber nand the base A X B.
Remarks 1.
1. Proposition 9 can be applied, in particular, to any finite simply
connected polyhedron.
2. Proposition 1 of Chapter III shows that the converse statement is
also true: if H;.(O) have finite type for all i ~ 0, then the same is true
for H;.(X).
Proposition 10. Let G be a principal ideal domain. If H;.(X, G) = 0
for 0 < i < p, then the suspension
E: H•(O, G) --+ Hi+t (X, G)
is surjective for 0 < i ::; 2p - 2 and isomorphic for 0 < i < 2p - 2. In

particular, H;.(O, G)= 0 for 0 < i < p- 1.
This is just another form of Corollary 2 to Proposition 5, Chapter III.
Proposition 11. Let k be a field, and let H;.(X, k) = 0 fori> n (here
n ~ 2 is a fixed integer), and let Hn(X, k) =/:- 0. Then for each integer i ~ 0
there exists an integer j, 0 < j < n such that Hi+i (0, k) =/:- 0.
We argue by contradiction: let i be an integer for which the proposition
is not true. Replacing, if necessary, the number i by a smaller number, we
can always assume that H;.(O, k) =/:- 0. Thus, we have:
E;·• = Hn(X, H;.(O, k)) = Hn(X, k) ® H;.(O, k) =/:- 0.
The elements of the E;·• are cycles of differential dr for any r ~ 2. In fact,
since dr maps module E;·• to E;-r,i+r-l, it is clear that we can restrict
76 J.-P. Serre
our considerations to the differentials d.- for 2 ~ r ~ n. But for these values
of r, the term
is trivial by the choice of i. Consequently, the same is true for the term
E;-r,i+r-l, and this proves our assertion.
On the other hand, the elements of E;•' cannot be boundaries of the
differential d.-, since this differential decreases the filtration degree and its
maximum value is n. Thus, we have
En,i
oo
= E':;•i
2 r_J_ 0 ,
and this is impossible, since Ex,x is contractible. Thus, all its homology
groups in strictly positive dimensions are trivial.
Corollary. If the previous conditions are satisfied, then there exists an
infinite set of values of i such that H,(n, k) i= 0.
Note that this conclusion also follows directly from Corollary 3 to Propo-
sition 3, Chapter III.
7. Applications to variations calculus (Morse theory)
Let X be a connected infinitely differentiable lliemannian space9 • If

a and b are two points of X, then we denote by d( a, b) the infimum of
the lengths (in the sense of given lliemannian metric) of differentiable arcs
connecting the points a and b. The function d(a, b) is a distance on X,
compatible with topology of X. Hopf and llinow showed [22] that if the
space X possesses this structure of the metric space, then the following two
conditions are equivalent: 10
I) The space X is complete.
II) Each bounded subset of the space X is relatively compact in X.
A lliemannian space satisfying these conditions is called complete (or
"normal" in the terminology of E. Cartan).
Let X be a complete connected lliemannian space, a and b be its two
different points (actually, this restriction is not essential). Marston Morse
9 At the present time, the term "Rimannian manifold" is more widely distributed. -
Editorial note.
10Hopf and Rinow have proved this fact in the case when X has dimension 2, and is
endowed with the real analytical structure, but their proof remains valid in the cases,
which we are interested in.
showed [30], [31] that there exist close relations between homology proper-
ties of Ea,b and the properties of geodesics connecting points a and b (such
as the number of these geodesics, number offocal points on non-degenerated
geodesics). In particular, the following result is valid:
Proposition 12 (Marston Morse). Let X be a complete connected Rie-
mannian space, a and b be its two different points, Ea,b be the space of paths
connecting the points a and b in X, and k be a field. If H, ( Ea,b, k) =f 0 for
infinitely many values of integer i, then there are infinitely many geodesics
in X connecting the points a and b.
The proof of this proposition is contained in the book of Seifert and
Threlfall [33], § 19, Satz III, cited above, in the case when the coefficient
field k is that of the integers modulo 2. This proof can be reproduced in
general case without any changes.
The results of the previous section, and Proposition 12 allow us to prove
the following proposition:
Proposition 13. Let X be a complete connected Riemannian space
such that Hi (X, Z) =f 0 at least for one integer i =f 0. If a and b are
two different points of X, then there exist infinitely many geodesics in X
connecting the points a and b.
Here Z denotes, as usual, the additive group of integers.
Let T be the universal covering space of X, then T admits a Riemannian
metric such that the natural projection T ~ X is a local isomorphism.
This implies that the space T endowed with this metric will be connected
and complete. H a' is a point ofT, which projects to a, and (bD is the
set of all points ofT, which project to b, then there exists a one-to-one
correspondence (defined by the projection T ~X) between the geodesics
of X, connecting a' with one of the points b~, and the geodesics of X,
connecting a and b. We distinguish two cases here:
a) The group 1r1 (X) has infinitely many elements. (Example: X is a
torus.)
In this case the set (bD is infinite. Since in each complete connected
Riemannian space there is at least one geodesic line connecting any two
points [22], we see that for any i, there exists at least one geodesic in
T connecting a' and b~. Thus, there are infinitely many geodesics in X
connecting the points a and b.
{3) The group 1r1 (X) is finite.
In this case, we have to show that there exist infinitely many geodesics
on T connecting two given distinct points. First of all, we claim that
78 J.-P. Serre
H,(T, Z) =I= 0 for at least one i > 0, otherwise the space T should be acyclic
and admit a finite group of operators without fixed points. As it is known,
this is impossible (see, for example [10], Exp. XII).
According to the lemma given in section 3 of Chapter III, there is a
field k and an integer i > 0, such that Hi(T, k) =I= 0. Since T is simply
connected, we have i ~ 2. So, applying the corollary to Proposition 11, we
see that there are infinitely many integers i such that Hi(n, k) =I= 0, where
n is a loop space of T.
Now let x and y be two different points in T. According to Corollary
2 to Proposition 5, the spaces E"w and n have the same homotopy type.
Hence, they have the same homology group. Then Proposition 12 shows
that there exist infinitely many geodesics on T connecting points x andy,
and this completes the proof.
Note, that this result is valid for any connected compact Riemannian
space.
Remark. It would be very desirable to apply methods similar to those
of this chapter to the space of closed paths on X, this space is closely
connected with closed geodesics on X (see [30], Chapter VIII). It is known
that this space was defined by M.Morse (ibid) as the limit of successive
"cyclic" products of the space X by itself, not as a functional space. Surely,
this complicates its study.
It would also be interesting to apply the results of this section to the
theory of categories in the sense of Lusternik-Schnirelmann. Here, it is quite
naturally to use the notion of length in the sense of Froloff and Elsholtz,
and we recall here the definition:
Let n be a connected space, and H*(O, k) be the singular cohomology
ring of n with coefficients in a field k. Then by definition, the k-length
of the space n is the upper bound of the integers n, such that there are
elements Xt, ... , Xn-1 E H*(rl, k) of positive dimensions, and their product
is nonzero.
We mention here the following result only:
Proposition 14. Let X be a linearly connected simply connected space,
and n be its loop space. If k is an arbitrary field, then for infiniteness of
the k-length of the space n, it is necessary and sufficient that Ht.(O, k) =I= 0
for an infinite set of integers i.
The necessity is evident. To establish the sufficiency, we apply results
of section 2 (Hopf theorem). Let B be a minimal homogeneous system of
generators of H*(O, k). We consider two different cases:
a) B has infinitely many elements.

In this case, according to the Hopf theorem, the product of an arbitrary
number of these elements differs from zero, so the k-length of n is infinite.
{3) B has a finite number of elements.
Suppose that in this case q is the upper bound of degrees of elements
of the system B. If k-length of space has a finite value n, then we would
have Hi(O, k) = 0 fori> q(n -1), consequently, Hi(O, k) = 0 for the same
values of i, and this contradicts the assumptions.
Corollary. Let X be a compact connected simply connected Riemannian
space, which is not reduced to a single point, and n be the loop space of X.
Then k-length of the space 0 is infinite for any field k.
8. Applications to variations calculus:

geodesics transversal to two sub-manifolds
Let X be a compact Riemannian space, A and B be its two subman-
ifolds. Marston Morse showed that if H,(EA,B, k) f 0 for infinite set of i
(here k is a field), then there are infinitely many geodesics with the origins
in A, the endpoints in B, and which are transversal to these submanifolds
A and B at these points. In this section we give sufficient conditions for
this.
The space Ex,X.
We start with the case when the submanifold A is reduced to a point x.
Consider the space Ex,B· It is known (Proposition 7') that B is a defor-
mation retract of this space. Therefore, Ex,B has the same homology and
cohomology groups as B. On the other hand, iff E Ex,B, let us denote
by p(f) the point f(O) EX. The map pis continuous. It is easy to verify
(see section 4) that the triple (Ex,B,P, X) is a fibration. It is clear that
fibers of this fibration are the spaces Ex,B, x E X. Thus, the total space
of this fibration is homologically equivalent to B, its fiber is Ex,B, and its
base is X. This space is a generalization of the space, studied in section 5
(corresponding to the case, when B is reduced to one a point). Thus, we
obtain:
Proposition 15. Let X be a path connected simply connected space, B
be its subspace, and x E X. Suppose that
(a) Hn(X, k) f 0 and Hi(X, k) = 0, if i > n ~ 2.
(b) H,(B, k) = 0, if i ~ n, and k is a field.
80 J.-P. Serre
Then there are infinitely many values of i such that Hi(Ex,B, k) =f 0.

We argue by contradiction. Let m be the maximal integer such that
Hm(Ex,B, k) =f 0. According to Proposition 3 of Chapter III, we get
Hm+n(Ex,B, k) = Hn(X, k) 181 Hm(Ex,B, k) =f 0,

and this is impossible since Hm+n(Ex,B, k) = Hm+n(B, k) = 0.
Application to geodesics.
Proposition 16. Let X be a compact connected and simply connected
Riemannian space, and A, B be its two closed disjoint submanifolds. Let the
submanifold A be contmctible to a point x E X. Then there are infinitely

many geodesics in X which are transversal to the submanifolds A and B.
Let k be a field, and n be the dimension of X. Since X is compact
and simply connected, n ~ 2. It follows that pair (X, B) satisfies all the
conditions of Proposition 15. Thus, there are infinitely many values of i
such that
Hi(Ex,B, k) =f 0.
But according to Proposition 5 of section 4, EA,B has the same homotopy
type as A X Ex,B· Hence, H,(EA,B, k) =f 0 for infinitely many values of i,
and this completes the proof.
Remark. The proofs of the statements used in this section are con-
tained in the book of Seifert and Trelfall [33], § 22, N. 7.
9. The homology and cohomology of loop space on a

sphere
Let X be a sphere Sn (n ~ 2). We study here the space n of loops at

a point x E Sn. Let E be the space of paths in Sn with origin at x. We
know that E is a contractible total space of the fibration with fiber n and
base Sn. Hence, we can apply the exact sequence of Wang (see Chapter III,
section 6):
Since the space E is contractible, H.;.(E) = 0 fori> 0, and we obtain
H;.(n) = Ht.-n+l (n) for i > 0.

Since H 0 (n) = Z, and H,(n) = 0 for i < 0, we obtain:

Proposition 17. The homology groups of the loop space n of Sn have
the following form:
Hi(n) = z, if i =0 mod (n- 1),

H.(n) = o, if i :;i: 0 mod (n- 1).
It was M. Morse [30], who contributed greatly to this result.

Now we examine the multiplicative structure of the cohomology ring of
space n with integer coefficients. This structure will play an important role
in Chapter V.
For this purpose consider the cohomology exact sequence of Wang. We
obtain the same result as above, but with the following complement: iso-
morphism 8: H 1(0) --+ Hi-n+l(O) defined by the exact sequence of Wang
is a derivation for odd n, and an antiderivation for even n (see Chapter
III, Proposition 7) .
We define the family {ep} of elements of H*(rt) as follows: eo = 1,
8ep = ep-1 (p ~ 1).
It is clear that these relationships determine uniquely the elements ep
by induction on p, and that ep compose a basis of HP(n-l)(rt). Thus, for
determination of the multiplicative structure of the algebra H"'(O) it is
sufficient to calculate ep · eq E H(p+q)(n-l)(ft). This calculation is carried
out in the following proposition.
Proposition 18. Under the assumptions and notation, introduced in
Proposition 17 let {ep}, p = 0, 1, . . . , be a basis of H*(rt), defined as above.
Then the elements ep have dimensions p(n -1) and satisfy the multiplication
law
where the coefficients Cp,q are given by:
(p+q)
p! q! , if n is odd,
Cp,q = 0, if n is even, and p and q are odd,

[(p + q)/2]!
otherwise.
[p/2]! [q/2]!,
The symbol [x] denotes here the integer part of x.

82 J.-P. Serre
Let us calculate the element y = 9(ep · eq)· Since () is a derivation (for

odd n), or antiderivation (for even n), we have in all cases
y = 9ep · eq + (-l)p(n- 1)ep · 8eq = ep-1 · eq + (-1)p(n- 1)ep · eq-1

= (Cz,-1,q + (-1)p(n-l)Cp,q-1) · ep+q-1·
On the other hand, ep·eq = Cp,qep+q• and hence y = Cp,q·ep+q-1· Comparing
these values we get:
_ Cp-1,q + (- l)p(n-1) Cp,q-1·
Cp,q-
Clearly, this relationship determines the coefficients Cp,q by induction on

p + q, starting with co,o = 1. Hence, it is sufficient to verify that the
expressions given in Proposition 18 satisfy the previous equation, and this
follows immediately from the known properties of the binomial coefficients.
Corollary 1. lfn is odd, then (e1)P = p!ew lfn is even, then (et) 2 = 0,
(e2)P = p!e2p, e1 · e2p = e2p · e1 = e2p+1·
Note that these formulae are sufficient for complete determination of
the multiplication table of the elements { ep}.
Corollary 2. Let us denote by S"ln the loop space of the sphere Sn .
For even n the algebra H*(S"ln) is isomorphic to the tensor product of the
algebras H"(Sn-1) and H*(fl2n-1)·
This follows directly from Proposition 18.
Corollary 3. Let K be a field of characteristic zero. If n is odd, then
H* ( S"l.,, K) is isomorphic to the polynomial algebra with one generator of
degree n - 1. If n is even, then H* (n.,, K) is isomorphic to tensor product
of the exterior algebra generated by one element of degree n - 1, and the
polynomial algebra generated by an element of degree 2(n- 1) .
This follows immediately from Corollary 1.
Now we consider the coefficients in a field K of characteristic p. Let fi
be the elements e(P')• i = 0, 1, . .. . It follows immediately from Proposition
18 that (f;,)P = 0, and that the elements jf1 ••• f:q (0 :::;; a;, < p) compose
a basis of H*(S"l, K) (cf. J. Dieudonne [14]). Hence we get:
Corollary 4. Let K be a field of characteristic p. If n is odd, then the
algebra H*(S"ln, K) is isomorphic to a polynomial algebra with infinitely
many generators /i, i = 0, 1, ... , factorized by the ideal generated by the
elements (f;,)P. Here the element f;, has the degree pi(n -1).
Thus, if p = 2, then H* (0, K) is an exterior algebra generated by ele-

ments of degrees 2i (n - 1), here n can be either even or odd.
Remark. Corollaries 3 and 4 remain valid without any changes for
the loop space of a simply connected space X whose cohomology with
coefficients in K coincide with those of s...
Chapter V. Homotopy groups

1. General method
Let X be a path connected space, whose homology are assumed to be

known. We are going to determine, at least partially, the homotopy groups
of X.
For this purpose we define a sequence of spaces (Xn, Tn):
Xo=X;
T1 is the universal covering of Xo;
X 1 is the loop space on T 1 ;
T2 is the universal covering of X 1 ;
X2 is the loop space on T1; etc.
Lemma 1. The homotopy groups of space Xn are given by the formulae:
For n = 0 these formulae are valid, and we argue by induction: Let us

assume that the lemma is true for n- 1. Since Tn is the universal covering
of x.. -1' we have
On the other hand, if A is a connected, simply connected space, and B is

its loop space, then 7ri(B) = 'lri+l(A), as it follows from the Hurewicz's defi-
nition ([23]) of the homotopy groups, or from the exact homotopy sequence
of the path space fibration over A (with a fixed origin of paths).
Application of these results to the case A = T.. , B = X .. imply the
proof of the lemma.
Corollary If n;::: 1, then Ht(X.,, Z) = 7r.,+l(X).
84 J.-P. Serre
Hence, if one could calculate the integer homology groups of the spaces
Xn and Tn, then the homotopy groups of the space X would be determined
simultaneously. Actually, the methods, which are at our disposal, are too
weak for realization of such a program. However, using the results of Chap-
ter IV, we will obtain direct relations between H(Tn+l) and H(Xn)- The
study of corresponding spectral sequence is considerably simplified by triv-
iality of the action of the fundamental group 11"1 (Xn) = 1l"n+l (X) on the
homology and cohomology groups of the space Tn+l for n ~ 1. In this case,
Xn is an H-space (Chapter IV, Proposition 1), and each H-space possesses
this property (corollary to Proposition 3, Chapter IV).
Conditions of applicability.
The previous method cannot be applied to all connected spaces. In fact,
considerations of the universal covering of the space Xn require fulfilment
of conditions formulated in section 6, Chapter I, i.e., the space Xn should
be locally path connected and locally simply connected11 •
The following property implies fulfilment of the previous conditions:
Definition. The space X is called (ULC) 12 , if there exist a neighbor-
hood .U of the diagonal of X x X, and a continuous map F: .U x I ---+ X
such that
(a) F(x,x,t) = x for x EX, t E I;
(b) F(x, y, 0) = x, F(x, y, 1) = y for (x, y) E .U.
Example. Each absolute neighborhood retract (in particular, each
polyhedron) is (ULC).
It is easy to see that if X is (ULC), then so are the loop space of X,
and its universal covering. Hence, the corresponding spaces Xn and T,..
constructed above are (ULC) as well. So, they are locally path connected
and locally simply connected13 .
In the remaining part of this chapter we restrict our studies to the case
of the spaces (ULC).
11 Actually, this condition can be omitted, if we restrict our considerations to the "sin-
gular complexes" of the spaces X,... and T,... instead of considerations of these spaces.
Using such an approach, we should transpose Chapters II and IV to make them concor-
dant with this viewpoint, and this is not too difficult. Propositions 1 and 2 in section 2
can a.lso be proved in their full generality, as it was announced in [35].
12 Uniformly Locally Contractible. - Editorial note.
13Note that in this case X,... is homeomorphic to the space of non-essential maps of the
sphere Sn to X, which map the base point of the sphere to the base point of X.
2. First results
Proposition 1. Let X be a (ULC) space such that1r0 (X) = 1r1 (X) = 0,
and let the groups Hi(X,Z) have finite type for all i ~ 0, then the groups
1r,(X) have finite type for all i ~ 0.
Clearly, it is sufficient to show that the homology groups of the spaces
Xn and Tn have finite type in all dimensions.
For X 0 =X this is true by the assumptions. Since T1 = X 0 , and X 1 is
the loop space of T1, this is true for X1 by virtue of Proposition 9, Chapter
IV applied to the case G = Z.
Now, we argue by induction on n. Let the proposition be true for n -1,

where n ~ 2.
First, we will show that H;.(Tn, Z) has finite type for all i ~ 0. Let
II be the fundamental group of Xn-1· So II = 1rn(X) = Ht(Xn-t,Z)
is an abelian group, and it acts on the homology groups of Tn trivially,
according to the results of section 1. Consider the spectral sequence of the
covering Tn - Xn-1 · According to Proposition 4 of Chapter I, its term
E~,q is isomorphic to Hp(II, Hq(Tn, Z)), and its term Eoo is a graded group,
associated with H(Xn-1, Z). Since II acts on Hq(Tn, Z) trivially, we have
So, we can reproduce here the arguments of Proposition 1 of Chapter III,

part (b): since II and Hi(Xn_1,Z) have finite type, we see that the groups
H,(Tn, Z) have finite type for all i.
Now, Proposition 9 of Chapter IV, mentioned above, implies that
H,(Xn, Z) has finite type for all i, and this completes the proof.
Variants. One can restrict these considerations to the case when
Hi(X, Z) have finite type for i < n, n ~ 2. Here the proofs are a little
bit more difficult, but one can show that in this case the groups 1ri(X)
have finite type for i < n, and that the kernel of the homomorphism
7rn(X) - Hn(X, Z), and the corresponding quotient of Hn(X, Z) have fi-
nite type as well. One can replace the assumption "X is simply connected"
by the following one: "X is homotopically simple in all dimensions". Since
we do not use these results in the sequel, we leave their verification to the
reader.
Recall now one well-known result: If X is a finite polyhedron, then
1f'i. (X) is at most countable. This follows immediately from the theorem on
simplicial approximation, see [23].
86 J.-P. Serre
Proposition 2. Let k be a field, and X be a (ULC) space such that

1r0(X) = 7rt(X) = 0, and the groups Hi(X, Z) have finite type for all i.
If Hi(X, k) = 0 for 0 < i < n, then 11"i(X) ® k = 0 for 0 < i < n, and
7rn(X) ® k = Hn(X, k).
First we prove the following result:
Lemma 2. Under the previous assumptions (if j :::; n - 1),
if i + j < n, and i > 0,

if i+ j = n.
It is obvioUB that the lemma is true for j = 0, so we argue by induction

on j. Let the lemma be true for j - 1, where 1:::; j:::; n- 1.
Consider first the universal covering Tj of the space Xj-1· Let II be the
fundamental group of Xj-1· We have:
According to Proposition I, II has finite type, and hence, it is a finite group,

whose order is coprime to the characteristic of the field k. Then Corollary 2
to Proposition 4, Chapter I, implies that H,(Tj,k) = Hi(Xj-t,k) for all
i ~ 0.
So, the required result follows from application of Proposition 10 of
Chapter IV to Tj and to its loop space Xi.
It follows from the the previoUB lemma that
and hence,
11"i(X) ® k = 0, if i < n,
1ri(X) ® k = Hn(X, k), if i = n,
QED.
Remarks.
1. It follows from the previous proof and from the diagram (I') of
section 7, Chapter II, that the isomorphism of 11"n(X) ® k and Hn(X, k) is
defined by the natural homomorphism 11"n(X)---+ Hn(X).
2. Replacement of the field k in the statement of Proposition 2 by
the ring Z of integers gives us the classical Hurewicz theorem [23], and
the previous proof still remains valid, actually it becomes simpler, since
corresponding groups II are trivial in this case.
3. A slightly more complicated argument shows that if k is a field of

characteristic p, then the p-primary components of the groups 7rn(X) and
Hn(X) are isomorphic. Recall that the p-primary component of an abelian
group A consists of elements, whose orders are powers of p.
3. Finiteness of homotopy groups of odd-dimensional

spheres
Lemma 3. Let X be a space such that 1r0 (X) = 1r1 (X) = 0, and let the
cohomology algebra H*(X, K) with coefficients in a field K be isomorphic
to a polynomial algebra K[u] generated by one element u of an even degree

n ~ 2. Then the cohomology algebra H*(O,K) of the loop space n of X
is isomorphic to an exterior algebra generated by one element v of degree
n-1.
In other words, H 0 (0,K) = Hn- 1 (0,K) = K, and Hi(O,K) = 0, if
i =I 0, or i =I n - 1.
According to Proposition 10, Chapter IV, H'(n, K) is isomorphic to
H'+l(X, K) fori< 2n- 2. Hence, H'(n, K) = 0 for 0 < i < n- 1.
On the other hand, let us consider the cohomology spectral sequence
of section 5, Chapter II. The conditions of the lemma imply that we can
apply Proposition 8 of Chapter II, and hence, the term E2 is isomorphic
to the left tensor product H* (X, K) ® H* (0, K) of the algebras. Let us
identify H*(X, K) and H*(O, K) with the subalgebras H*(X, K) ® 1 and
1 ® H'" (0, K) of this tensor product. Finally, note that all differentials dr,
except possibly, dn, d2n, d3n, ... etc, should be trivial.
According to Proposition 10 of Chapter IV, cited above, all elements of
H"'- 1 (0, K) are proportional to an element v such that
d.,v = u.
Let U c En be the set of elements, whose fiber degree does not exceed
n -1. The elements uk and uk ® v compose a homogeneous basis of U, and
we have
d.,(uk)=O, d.,(uk®v)=uk+l, k=0,1, ...
Thus, all cycles in U, except the unit element 1, are coboundaries, and the
image Ur of U in the terms Er, r > n, is trivial in positive dimensions.
Now, we show that all elements of H*(O, K) of degree ~ n equal zero,
and this will complete the proof. We will argue by contradiction: let w E
H*(O, K) be a nonzero element of degree~ n, and let its degree be minimal
88 J.-P. Serre
under these assumptions. Consider the actions of the successive differentials

on this element w. According to the last assumption, drw E Un and hence,
drw = 0 for r > n. So, we have to examine the differential dn only. We
have dnw = u ® w', where w' E H*(O.,K), and degw' = degw- n + 1.
Hence, w' = kv, k E K, and dnw = ku ® v. Since dn(u ® v) = u 2 f. 0,
we get k = 0, i.e., dnw = 0. Therefore, w is a cycle of all differentials, and
defines a nonzero element in E 00 • And this is impossible, since E 00 is zero
in all strictly positive dimensions.
So, the lemma is proved.
Remark. This lemma can be considered as a (partially) converse to
one theorem of A. Borel [3], which asserts that if the cohomology algebra
of 0. is an exterior algebra, then that of X is a polynomial algebra. Note
that both these results are valid for any field of coefficients. However, "in
the inverse sense", if the cohomology algebra of X is an exterior algebra
n
with one generator, then that of is a polynomial algebra in the case of
zero characteristic of the field K only (cf. Corollary 3 to Proposition 18,
Chapter IV).
Let Sn be an odd-dimensional sphere, n ~ 3, and let Xm, Tm be defined
as in section 1. We will determine H*(Xm,K) and H"(Tm,K) in the case
when the field K has characteristic zero.
It follows from T1 = X that X 1 is the loop space of Sn. According
to Corollary 3 to Proposition 18, Chapter IV, H"(X1 ,K) is isomorphic to
a polynomial algebra with one generator of degree n - 1. The equality
T2 = X1 and Lemma 3 imply that H*(X2, K) is isomorphic to an exterior
algebra generated by one element of degree n- 2. Thus H*(X2 , K) =
H"(Sn-2, K). Now, the same Corollary 3 to Proposition 18, Chapter IV
implies that H" (X3, K) is isomorphic to a polynomial algebra generated
by one element of degree n - 3. We can use this corollary, since its proof is
based on the Wang's exact sequence only, and this sequence is exact under
purely homological assumptions. Step by step, our calculations will give us
either a polynomial algebra, or, alternatively, an exterior one. In particular,
H*(Xn-l,K) is an exterior algebra generated by one element of degree 1.
Let Tn be a universal covering of Xn-1· Since 7r1(Xn-l) = 7rn(Sn) = Z,
Corollary 1 to Proposition 4, Chapter I, implies that Hi(Tn, K) = 0 for
i > 0. Recall that the universal covering of the one-dimensional torus
is R. Thus Hi(Tn, K) = 0 for i > 0, and according to Proposition 2,
1ri (Tn) ® K = 0 for all i. Since 1ri(Tn) = 1l'Hn-l (Sn), i ~ 2, we see that
7r,;(Sn) ®K = 0 for i > n.

Thus, 7r0(Sn) is a torsion group fori> n. According to Proposition 1, this

group has finite type, hence, it is finite, and we have proved the following:
Proposition 3. Fori > n, and odd n, the groups 1ri(Sn) are finite.
Remark. An analogous approach can be used in the studies of homo-
topy groups of even-dimensional spheres. In this case the calculations are
much more complicated, so we prefer to use here an indirect method, see
section 6.
4. Auxiliary calculations
In this section, X denotes a path connected simply connected space, n
is the loop space on X, and Er is the cohomology spectral sequence of the

path space fibration over X (with a fixed origin of the paths, cf. section 5,
Chapter IV). We consider the cohomology algebras with the coefficients in
a field K of characteristic p, so we write just H*(X) and H"'(n) instead of
H*(X, K) and H*(n, K), respectively.
The following lemma is an easy version of Corollary 4 to Proposition 18,
Chapter IV.
Lemma 4. Let q ;:::: 3 be odd, and H'(X) = Hi(Sq) fori ~ p(q -1) + 1,
then the subspace of H*(n) composed by elements of degree~ p(q- 1) has
a homogeneous basis composed by elements
{1,y,y2 , ••• ,yP-l,z}, where degy=q-1, degz=p(q-1), 11'=0.
In dimensions less than or equal to p(q- 1) + 1, we have E2 = H* (X) ®

H*(n). Thus, each homogeneous element of~' which has the total degree
~ p(q - 1) + 1, is contained either in H*(n), or in x ® H*(n), where
x E Hq(X) is a nonzero element. Since the differentials dr increase the
total degree by one, and the base degree by r, we see that for the elements
of the total degree :::::; p(q-1), all differentials, except possibly dq, are trivial.
Now, the term E 00 should be zero in all strictly positive dimensions, thus,
for 0 < i ~ p(q -1) the differential dq defines an isomorphism(): H•(n) ---t
Hi-q+I(n) .
Since q is odd, this isomorphism is a differentiation. The first property
of() implies that if i ~ p(q -1), then Hi(n) = 0 fori¢. 0 mod (q -1), and
H•(n) = K fori = 0 mod (q- 1). Let y E Hq- 1 (n), z E HP(q-l)(n) be
nonzero elements. The second property of the isomorphism() implies that
O(y3) = j · -yJ- 1 · ()y, and hence, yi =/=- 0 for j < p, and yP = 0. The lemma
is proved.
90 J.-P. Serre
Lemma 5. Let m > 2 be even. If the subspace of H* (X) composed by

elements of degree ~ mp has a basis composed by homogeneous elements
{1,y,y2, .. . ,yP-1,z},
where deg y = m, deg z = pm, and yP = 0, then the subspace of H* (n) com-
posed by elements of degree ~ mp- 2 has a basis composed by homogeneous
elements {1, v, t}, where degv = m -1, and degt = mp- 2.
In dimensions ~ mp, we have E2 = H* (X)® H* {n). On the other hand,
according to Proposition 10, Chapter IV, Hi(O) = 0 for 0 < i < m-1, and
Hm- 1 (0) is generated by one element v such that dmv = y.
Hence, the elements of Em, which have the fiber degree ~ m- 1, and
the total degree ~ mp- 1, compose a subspace U C E..,. with the following
homogeneous basis:
{1,y,y2 , ••. ,yP-t,v,y ® v,y2 ®v, . .. ,yP- 1 181 v},
and such that dm : U ---+ U. The action of this differential is described by
the formulae: dmyk = 0 for all k, dmyk ® v = yk+l .
It follows that all cocycles of U are coboundaries, except the linear
combinations of 1 and yP- 1 181 v, since yP = 0. Moreover, these elements are
cocycles of all differentials dr, r > m, because their fiber degrees equal 0,
or m -1.
Now, we can show, as in Lemma 3, that Hi(f!) = 0 for m - 1 < i <
mp - 2. And conversely, in the dimension mp - 2 there exists an element t
such that
dm(p-1)t = yP- 1 ® V,
otherwise, the product yP- 1 ®v should define a nonzero element in E 00 , and
this is impossible. Finally, each element of Hpm- 2 (0) should be represented
in the form kt, where k E K, since any other element will define a nonzero
element of Eoo. So, the lemma is proved.
5. The first nontrivial modulo p homotopy group of an
odd-dimensional sphere
In this section X denotes an odd-dimensional sphere S2n+1, n ~ 1, and

Xi. is the space constructed from X as it was done in section 1. We denote
also by H*(Xi) the cohomology algebra of the space Xi with coefficients
in some field of chamcteristic p. The following lemma describes the first
cohomology groups of the spaces X,.
Singular homology of fiber spaces 9I
Lemma 6. Cohomology algebras H*(X2i-t) and H*(X2;.) in dimen-

sions I~ i ~ n have the following homogeneous bases:
H*(X2t.-t) : basis {I, x, x 2, ... , xP-I, y} in dimensions~ p(2n- 2i + 2),
where degx = 2n- 2i + 2, degy = p(2n- 2i + 2), xP = 0.
H*(X2;.) : basis {I, v, t} (in dimensions ~ p(2n- 2i + 2)- 2),
where degv = 2n- 2i +I, degt = p(2n- 2i + 2)- 2.
Fori= I, the lemma follows immediately from Lemmas 4 and 5, so we

argue by induction on i for 2 ~ i ~ n.

First, we have to determine the algebra H*(X2i-t) in dimensions ~
p(2n- 2i + 2). Here, we can apply Lemma 4 in the case
x = X2i-2, n= X2i-1, q = 2n- 2i +3.
In fact, in dimensions ~ p(2n- 2i + 4) - 3, according to the inductive

hypothesis, we have H*(X2i - 2 ) = H*(Sq), so we should verify that
p(2n- 2i + 4)- 3 ~ p(q- I)+ I,

or, equivalently, p(2n- 2i + 4)- 3 ~ p(2n- 2i + 2) + 1. Since 2p ~ 4, the
claim is verified.
Now, Lemma 5 implies in an obvious way the corresponding result on
the algebra H*(X2 ,), and we will derive from this lemma the following:
Proposition 4. Let p ~ 3 be a prime, and the finite field Fp contain
p elements. If m ~ 3 is odd, then
7ri(Sm) ® Fp : 0 for ~-< i < m + 2p- 3,

{ 11"i(Sm) ® Fp - Fp for t - m + 2p- 3.
Let m = 2n + 1, according to the conventions of this section. As it

was shown in Lemma 6, the cohomology groups of the space X2n, with
coefficients in Fp have the form:
H 0 (X2n) = H 1 (X2n) = H 2P- 2(X2n) = Fp,

Hi(X2n) = 0 for 1 < i < 2p- 2.
The fundamental group of X2n is 7r2n+l (S2n+t) = Z, and its universal
covering is T2.-.+1· At the same time, the group Z acts trivially on the
92 J.-P. Serre
homology and cohomology groups of T2n+1 (cf. section 1). Corollary 1 to

Proposition 4 of Chapter I implies that
H 0 (T2n+l) = H 2 n- 2 (T2n+l) = Fp, and Hi(T2n+l) = 0 for
0 < i < 2p- 2,
and we get from application of Proposition 2 to the space T2n+1 that
Since 11"i(T2n+l) = 1ri(X2n) = 11"i+2n(S2n+l) for i ~ 2, the proposition is

proved.
Example. If 3 < i < 2p, then 1ri(S3 ) ® Fp = 0, and this means that
the group 7ri(S3) is finite, and its order is not divisible by p. Moreover,
1r2p(S3) ® Fp = Fp, the group 1r2p(S3) is a direct sum of a finite group of
order, which is not divisible by p, and a cyclic group of order ;}<, k ~ 1.
It is worthy to note that the method which we use here does not give any
information on this integer k. In order to find k, one should make calcu-
lations in the integer cohomology algebra, and this is much more difficult
than in the case of coefficients in a field (we have done these calculations
for low dimensions only).
Note that 1r5(S3) ® F3 = F3. Earlier, it was shown by N.E. Steenrod
that 1r5(S3) ® F3 =I 0 (unpublished).
Possible extensions of the previous results. For odd m ~ 3 we have
calculated the first homotopy groups of Sm after 7rm(Sm) in terms of a
given prime number. Using our methods, it is possible to study the higher-
dimensional homotopy groups. However, the complexity of the correspond-
ing calculations grows with dimension so quickly, that it is not reasonable
to describe them here.
6. Stiefel manifolds and even-dimensional spheres
Let W2m-l be the manifold of unit vectors tangent to the sphere S""
(where m ~ 2 is even). This manifold was studied by Stiefel, who calculated
its homology groups:
all other homology groups are trivial.

It is obvious that this manifold is the total space of the fibration with
the fiber S,.,.-1 and the base Sm . It is easy to calculate the homology
groups of W2m-l using the spectral sequence of this fibration. Consider

the homotopy exact sequence of this fibration:
• • • ---+ 7roj(W2m-1) ---+ 7ri(Sm) ---+ 'lri-1 (Sm_t) ---+ 'lri-1 (W2m-1) ---+ • • • •
This sequence is often used in studies of homotopy groups of W 2m-1, and

now we use this sequence in our study of the groups 7ri(Sm)·
Note that W2m-1 and S2m-1 have the same homology groups, except
Hm-t(W2m-d = Z/(2). Thus, we can prove:
Lemma 7. If m ~ 2 is even, then the homotopy groups 7ri(W2m-t)
are finite for all i, except 7r2m-1 (W2m-1), which is isomorphic to the direct
sum of Z and a finite group, whose order is a power of 2. Moreover, for

any odd prime p
7ri(W2m-d ® Fp = 0 for 0::::; i <2m -1 and 2m -1 < i <2m+ 2p- 4,

7r;(W2m-d ® Fp = Fp for i =2m+ 2p- 4.
Form = 2 the universal covering of W 3 is the sphere S 3 , and in this

case the lemma is a particular case of Propositions 3 and 4. So, we can
assume that m ~ 4, thus W 2m-1 is simply connected.
First, we see that Proposition 2 implies
7ri(W2m-1) ® K = 0, i <2m- 1, and 7r2m-t(W2m-d ® K = K

for any field K of characteristic f. 2. According to Proposition 1, the
homotopy groups of the space W 2m-1 have finite type, hence, if i < 2m-1,
then 7ri(W2 m-l) are finite, and their orders are powers of 2. At the same
time, 7r2m-t(W2m-t) is a direct sum of Z and a finite group whose order
is a power of 2.
Now, it is sufficient to note that the arguments of the proofs of Proposi-
tion 3 (respectively, proposition 4) have used the homology of S 2m-l with
coefficients in a field K of characteristic zero (respectively, characteristic p)
only. Hence, for p f. 2 these arguments can be applied to W2m-1 without
any changes.
Corollary 1. Fori < 2m -1, i = 2m and i = 2m+ 1, the order of the
group 7ri(W2m-1) is a power of2.
Corollary 2. Fori> m, and for even m, the groups 7ri(Sm) are finite,
except 7r2m-t(Sm), which is isomorphic to a direct sum of Z and a finite
group.
94 J.-P. Serre
These corollaries follow immediately from Lemma 7, Proposition 3, and

the exact homotopy sequence of the fiber space W 2m-1·
Corollary 3. If m is even, p is a prime, and 2m -1 < i < 2m+ 2p- 4,
then the p-primary components of the finite groups 1ri(Sm) and 'lri-l(Sm)
are isomorphic.
In the case p = 2, there is nothing to prove, so let p # 2. Consider the
exact homotopy sequence of W 2m-l:
If i satisfies the above inequalities, then all these groups are finite, except
the case i =2m, when it is the direct sum of Z and a 2-primary group (i.e.,
a group, whose order is a power of 2) . Thus, the p-primary components
of these four groups compose an exact sequence as well. According to
Lemma 7, two extreme terms in this sequence are trivial, and the corollary
is proved.
Remark. This result can be considered as a complement (modulo p)

to the Freudenthal's theorem, which asserts an isomorphism of the groups
'lri-t(Sm-t) and 7ri(Sm) fori< 2m-2. However, it should be noted that
(a) the Freudenthal's theorem does not assume that m is even; (b) we do
not know, if this isomorphism is defined by the suspension (though it seems
to be true) .
Corollary 4. If m ~ 4 is even, then the p-primary component of the
group 1ri(Sm) is trivial fori< m+ 2p- 3, and the p-primary component of
7rm+2p-a(S,.,.) is a cyclic group of an order pk, where k ~ 1.
If i::::; 2m-1, then this result follows from the Freudenthal's suspension
theorem, and from Proposition 4. If i > 2m - 1, then this follows from
Corollary 3 above, and from Proposition 4.
For reader's convenience, we give here the summing up of the results on
the groups 1ri(Sn) obtained in this chapter.
Proposition 5. If i > n, then groups 1ri(Sn) are finite, except
7r2n-l(Sn) for an even n, it is a direct sum of Z and a finite group. If
n ~ 3, and pis a prime, then the p-primary component of 1ri(Sn) is trivial
fori < n + 2p- 3, and the p-primary component of 7rn+2p-a(Sn) is a cyclic
group of order pk, k ~ 1.
Chapter VI. Groups of Eilenberg-MacLane

1. Introduction
Let X be a topological space such that 1r,;(X) = 0 fori =f q, where q ~ 1

is an integer, and let II= ?rq(X).
S.Eilenberg and S.MacLane proved ([17]) that the homology and coho-
mology of such a space depend on the integer q and the group II only. More
precisely, for each pair (II, q), where II is an abelian group, and q ~ 2 is an
integer, they have constructed a semi-simplicial complex K(II, q), which is
homotopy equivalent to the singular complex of X [18]. In particular, they

showed that
H,(X,G) = Hi(K(II,q),G), H 1(X,G) = H'(K(II,q),G), i ~ 0,
for any abelian group G. Just for simplicity we write H,(II; q, G) instead
of H,(K(II, q), G), and a similar meaning has the notation H'i(II; q, G).
Using purely algebraic approach, Eilenberg and MacLane studied in
[19], [20] the complex K (II, q) and its homology groups H 1(II; q, G), called
now the "Eilenberg-MacLane groups". We describe here the topological
method based on the loop spaces, which allows to obtain some results on
these groups more easily. In order to construct a procedure for calculation of
all Eilenberg-MacLane groups for n ~ 2, H.Cartan used a purely algebraic
method, which is actually close to ours. This work is not yet published14.
So, we do not give here the systematical description of these groups by our
method, we just show some parts of these results which follow from our
calculations exposed in the previous chapters.
2. General results
Let II be an abelian group, q ~ 1 be an integer, andY be a topological
space such that
1r,;(Y) = 0, i =f q+ 1, 7rq+l(Y) =II.
Such a space does exist, according to a general theorem of

J. H. C. Whitehead [40], which asserts the existence of a topological space
with given collection of the homotopy groups.
14 Cartan H. CEuvres. V. III. pp. 130Q-1394. - Editorial note.
96 J.-P. Serre
Let X be the loop space of Y. Then
1ri(X) = 0, i ;f. q, and 7rq(X) =II.

So, we get
Hi(X, G)= H,(II, q, G), and Hi(Y, G)= Hi(II, q + 1, G), i ~ 0,
for any abelian group G.

Application of the spectral sequence of the loop space (Chapter IV,
section 5) gives us:
Proposition 1. There exists a homology spectral sequence such that its

second term FJ;' is isomorphic to Hr(II;q + l,H8 (II;q,G)), and its term
8
E 00 is trivial in all positive dimensions.

A dual spectral sequence exists for the cohomology groups.
This result gives a possibility to study the groups of Eilenberg-MacLane
by induction on q, starting with the groups H,(II; I, G), which can be cal-
culated by other methods, at least in the case of an abelian group II.
The most simple example of application of our method is, surely, calcu-
lation of the cohomology algebra H* (Z; 2, Z): since the cohomology groups
H'(Z; 1, Z) are trivial for i ~ 2, and are isomorphic to Z for i = 0, 1, then
it is easy to see that H"' (Z; 2, Z) is a polynomial algebra with one generator
of degree 2. Actually, in this case our method does not differ essentially
from the classical method based on considerations of the complex projective
space.
Corollary 1. If the group II has finite type, then for all i and q the
groups Hi (II; q, Z) have finite type.
For q = 1 this is a classical result. It is sufficient to verify it for II= Z
and II = Z/(m), and then the corollary is proved by induction, using
Proposition 1, Chapter III.
Corollary 2. If II is finite, and k is a field such that II® k = 0, then
H,(II; q, k)= 0 for all q and all i > 0. In particular, the groups H,(II; q, Z)
are finite for positive i and finite II.
For q = 1 this is a classical result, which can be considered as a natural
generalization of Maschke theorem. And then the corollary is proved by
induction on q with the help of Proposition 10, Chapter IV.
It is possible to define the suspension :E: Hi(II; q, G) --t Hi+l (II; q +
1, G), exactly as for each fiber space with trivial homology. Actually, this
suspension coincides with that of Eilenberg-MacLane [19], and this can

be shown using a formula similar to that of Chapter IV, section 5 (which
holds for simplexes, not for cubes). Since H;{II; q, G) = 0 for 0 < i < q,
Proposition 10, Chapter IV implies:
Proposition 2. Eilenberg-MacLane suspension theorem. The
suspension E : H; (II; q, Z) ---+ Hi+ 1 (II; q + 1, Z) is surjective for 0 < i ~ 2q,
and is isomorphic for 0 < i ~ 2q - 1.
3. The Hopf theorem

We use here the notations of the previous section. We have already seen
that the homology and cohomology groups of the complex K(II, q) coincide
with the corresponding groups of the loop space X of some spaceY. Since
each loop space is a H-space (Proposition 1, Chapter IV), its cohomology
algebra admits a H-homomorphism, if it has finite type in all dimensions
(ibid, Proposition 2). Hence, this algebra satisfies the conditions of the
Hop£ theorem, so, we get:
Proposition 3. Let II be an abelian group of finite type, q ~ 1 be an
integer, and k be a field. Then the cohomology algebra H" (II; q, k) satisfies
the Hopf theorem (formulated in Chapter IV, section 2).
In particular, if the characteristic of k is zero, then this algebra is the
tensor product of an exterior algebra generated by elements of odd degree
and a polynomial alegebra generated by elements of even degrees.
Note that this result holds in particular case q = 1 as welL
The following proposition is an example of calculation of H"(Z; q, K),
when the field K has characteristic zero.
Proposition 4. If K is a field of zero characteristic, and q is even ( re-
spectively, q is odd), then H* (Z; q, K) is a polynomial algebra (respectively,
an exterior algebra) generated by an element of degree q.
In the case q = 1 this proposition describes the cohomology of the circle.
So we prove it by induction on n, using the following two lemmas:
Lemma 1. Let X be a space such that 1r0 (X) = 1r1(X) = 0, K be
a field, and Y be a loop space of X. If H" (Y, K) is an exterior algebra
generated by an element of an odd degree q, then H*(X,K) is isomorphic
to a polynomial algebra generated by an element of degree q + 1.
Lemma 2. Let X be a space such that 7ro(X) = 1r1(X) = 0, K be
a field of characteristic zero, and Y be a loop space of X. If H" (Y, K)
98 J.-P. Serre
is a polynomial algebra generated by an element of an even degree q, then

H*(X, K) is isomorphic to an exterior algebra generated by an element of
degree q+ L
Proof of Lemma 1.
Since the cohomology algebra of the fiber is isomorphic to that of the
sphere, the Gysin exact sequence (Proposition 6, Chapter III) gives us the
following exact sequence:
H 1 (E, K) -+ Hi-q(X, K) ~ Hi+ 1 (X, K) -+ Hi+ 1 (E, K),

where his multiplication by some element n E Hq+l(X, K). If i > 0, then

Hi(E, K) = 0, hence h is an isomorphism, and the lemma is proved.
Note that this is a particular case of Borel's theorem cited above.
Proof of Lemma 2.
Let Er be the spectral sequence of the path space fibration over X,
where the origins of the paths are fixed. We have E 2 = H*(X) ® H*(Y).
According to Proposition 10, Chapter IV, ifO < i < q+ 1, then Hi(X, K) =
0, and Hq+l (X, K) is generated by an element u such that dq+l v = u, where
v is an element in the basis of Hq (Y, K).
Let U C Eq+l = E 2 consist of elements of the filtration degree ~ q + 1.
This subspace has a homogeneous basis composed by vk and u ® vk, k =
0, 1, . .. , and the differential dq+l acts there as follows:
dq+l(vk) =ku®vk-l, dq+l(u®vk) =0.
Since the field K has zero characteristic, these formulae imply that each
cycle of positive dimension in U is a coboundary, hence, the natural image
of U in Er, r > q + 1 is trivial in all positive dimensions.
Now, in order to complete the proof, we have to show that H 1 (X, K) = 0
for i > q + 1, and we argue by contradiction. Let i 2:: q + 2, and w E
Hi(X, K) be a nonzero element of minimal possible degree. This element
should be a co cycle of all differentials dr, and it is not cohomologous to
zero. In fact, it is not a coboundary of dq+l, since u ® vk is a cocycle, and
all other elements cannot be mapped to w by dq+l· On the other hand, the
element w cannot be a coboundary of the differentials dr, r > q + 1, since
these differentials could map to w some elements of Ur only, and in positive
dimensions Ur are trivial for r > q + 1, as we have seen above. Hence, w
should define a nonzero element in E 00 , and this is impossible.
Appendix. On homology of some coverings
(August 25, 1951.)

In section 6, Chapter I we mentioned without proof a general result on
homology of coverings (Proposition 4). Since we used this fact in some
particular cases only (actually, just in two corollaries to that proposition),
it might be convenient for the reader to see the direct elementary proof of
this fact in these particular cases.
Let II be a group, which acts without fixed points on a space T, and
let X = TjiT. So, Tis a Galois covering of X. Let p : T--+ X be the
corresponding projection. We formulate now two assumptions, which were

verified in more particular cases in section 6, Chapter 1:
(1) For each singular simplex s of the space X there exists a simplex s'
of the space T such that s = p o s'.
(2) If s', s" are singular simplexes of the space T, and p o s' =pas",
then there exists a E II such that a(s') = s".
Recall some definitions and notations concerning abelian groups with
operators:
If A is an abelian group, and the group II acts on A, say, on the left,
then An ~A denotes a subgroup composed by elements a E A such that
a(a)= a for all u E II, and An denotes the quotient of A by the subgroup
generated by all differences a- u(a), where a E A, and u E II.
The group A is called II-free (with respect to action of II described
above), if there exists a family {~} (i E I) of elements of A such that a (ai)
( u E II, i E I) compose a basis of the abelian group A.
Consider now the singular complexes K(T) and K(X) of the spaces T
and X, respectively. The group II is a group of automorphisms of the com-
plex K(T), which is II-free since II acts on T without fixed points. The
projection p: T-+ X defines a homomorphism K(T)-+ K(X), and corre-
sponding homomorphism K(T)n-+ K(X) of the quotient. The condition
(1) implies that the last homomorphism is surjective, and it follows from
condition (2) that this is isomorphism. Thus, we can identify K(T)n and
K(X).
So, we have to study the following purely algebraic situation: let G be
a complex (for example K(T), as above), and let group II act on G, and
G be IT-free. We are looking for relations between the homology groups of
the complexes G and On. Here are some particular cases:
Proposition 1. Let II = Z be the additive group of integers, and G be
100 J.-P. Serre
an abelian group. Then the following sequence is exact:
0---+ H,(e,G)n---+ H,(en,G)---+ Hi-1(e,G)n---+ 0.
In the topological case, if II acts trivially on Hi(T, G) for all i, then

the sequence 0 ---+ H,(T, G) ---+ H;.(X, G) ---+ Hs-1 (T, G) ---+ 0 is exact, see
Corollary 1 to Proposition 4, Chapter I.
Proof. Let u be a generator of II. Consider the sequence
0 e -----+
1-u
e ----+ en ----+ 0,
----+
where e ---+ e is an endomorphism 1 - u, and e ---+ en is the natural map.

We claim that this sequence is exact, and so we should verify the following
assertions:
a) The map 1- u is injective. In fact, if c = a(c), c E e, thencE en.
e
Since is IT-free, and the group II is infinite, we get err = 0.
b) Each difference c- un(c), n E Z, can be represented in the form
d- u(d). This follows from the identities:
1- an= (1- u)(I + u + a 2 + · · · + un- 1 ) for n ~ 1;

1- u-n = (1- u)(1 + u- 1 + a- 2 + · · · + u-n- 1 ) for n ~ 0.
e
Since is IT-free, e
and en are free abelian groups, the tensor products
of the previous exact sequence by G
0 ----+ e ® G ~ e ® G ----+ en ® G ----+ 0

is again an exact sequence, so we get the exact sequence in homology
and the required exact sequence:
0---+ H,(e,G)n---+ H,(en,G)---+ Hi-1(e,G)n---+ 0.
Proposition 2. Let II be a finite group of order n, and G be an abelian

group such that for any y E G the equation n·x = y has a unique solution15 •
ThenH,_(en,G) =Hi(e,G)n.
1 5These groups are called n-divisible. - Editorial note.
In particular, in topological case the additional assumption: "the group

II acts on H;(T, G) trivially' implies H;(T, G) = H;(X, G), see Corollary 2
to Proposition 4, Chapter I.
Proof. Let 1/n be the automorphism of G which maps y to x such that
n · x = y. This automorphism is extended to C ® G, so we can define an
endomorphism P of C ® G by the formula:
It is easy to see that Pa = aP = P for any a E II, and that P 2 = P, i.e., P

is a projector which vanishes on the elements c- a(c), a E II. Conversely,

if P(c) = 0, then
c = ~)cfn- a(cfn)).
aEII
Thus, the kernel of P coincides with the subgroup of C ® G, generated by

the elements c- a(c). Therefore, the group (C ® G)rr (which is isomorphic
to Crr ® G), can be identified with the quotient of C ® G by the kernel of
projector P. Hence, the homology group H; (Crr, G) can be identified with
the quotient of H;(C, G) by the kernel of the projector determined by P,
i.e., with H;(C, G)rr.
Finally, we expose, just for brevity in the topological form, one result
used implicitly in the proof of Lemma 7, Chapter V:
Proposition 3. Let II = Z + N, where N is a finite group of order
n, and let G be an abelian group such that for each y E G the equation
n · x = y has a unique solution. If II acts trivially on H;(T, G) for all i,
then the following sequence is exact:
0 ---t H,(T, G) ---t H;(X, G) ---t Hi-1 (T, G) ---t 0.
In the application to the lemma mentioned above, N is an abelian group,

whose order is a power of 2, and G is a field of characteristic # 2.
Proof. Let Y = T fN. According to Proposition 2, the projection T - Y
defines an isomorphism H;(T, G) ---t H;(Y, G). On the other hand, II/N =
Z acts on Y without fixed points, so Y/Z = X. Since II acts trivially on
H;(T, G), the quotient II/N acts trivially on H;(Y, G), and Proposition 1
implies the exactness of the previous sequence.
102 J.-P. Serre
References
[1] BorelA. Remarques sur l'homologie filtree, J . Math. Pures Appl.
1950. v. 29. pp. 313-322.
[2] Borel A. Section locale de certains espaces fibres, C. R. Acad. Sci.
Paris. 1950. V. 230. pp. 1246-1248.
[3] Borel A. Impossibilite de fibrer une sphere par un produit de spheres,
C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris. 1950. V. 231. pp. 943-945.
[4] Borel A. Sur la cohomologie des espaces fibres principaux et des
espaces homog{mes de groupes de Lie compacts, Ann. Math. 1953. V. 57.
pp. 115-207. [See the translation Borel A. "On cohomology of principle

fiber bundles and of homogeneous spaces of compact Lie groups" in this
volume.]
[5] Borel A., Serre J .-P. Impossibilite de fibrer un espace euclidien par
des fibres compactes, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris. 1950. V. 230. pp. 2258-2260.
[6] Bourbaki N. Elements de mathematique. Les structures fondamen-
tales de l'analyse, Livre 3: Topologie generale. Paris, 1947-1949.
[7] Carlan H. Sur la cohomologie des espaces ou opere un groupe, C. R.
Acad. Sci. Paris. 1948. V. 226. pp. 148-150, 303-305.
[8] Sem. de topologie algebrique de E.N.S. I. Paris, 1948/49.
[9] Sem. de topologie algebrique de E.N.S. II. Paris, 1949/50.
Carlan H. Generalites sur les espaces fibres II. Exp. 7.
Carlan H. Generalites sur les espaces fibres III. Exp. 8.
[10] Sem. de topologie algebrique de E.N.S. III. Paris, 1950/ 51.
Eilenberg S. La suite spectrale I. Construction generale. Exp. VIII.
Eilenberg S. La suite spectrale II. Espaces fibres. Exp. 9.
Carlan H. Espaces avec groupes d 'operateurs I. Notions preliminaires.
Exp. XI.
Carlan H. Espaces avec groupes d'operateurs II. La suite spectrale. Appli-
cations. Exp. XII.
Serre J.-P. Espaces avec groupes d'operateurs. Complements. Exp. XIII.
[11] Carlan H., Eilenberg S. Homological algebra. Princeton: Princeton
Univ. Press, 1956.
[12] Carlan H., Leroy J. Relations entre anneaux de cohomologie et
groupe de Poincare, Colloque de Topologie algebrique. Paris, 1947. pp. 83-
85.
[13] Chern S. S., Spanier E . The homology structure of sphere bundles,
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1950. V. 36. pp. 248-255.
[14] Dieudonne J. Semi-derivations et formule de Taylor en car-

acteristique p, Arch. Math. 1950. V. 2. pp. 364-366.
[15] Eilenberg S. Singular homology theory, Ann. of Math. 1944. V. 45.
pp. 407--447.
[16] Eilenbery S. 'Thpological methods in abstract algebra, Bull. Amer.
Math. Soc. 1949. V. 55. pp. 3-27.
[17] Eilenbery S., MacLane S. Relations between homology and homo-
topy groups of spaces, Ann. of Math. 1945. V. 46. pp. 48o-509.
[18] Eilenbery S., MacLane S. Relations between homology and homo-
topy groups of spaces II, Ann. of Math. 1950. V. 51 pp. 514-533.
[19] Eilenbery S., MacLane S. Cohomology theory of abelian groups and

homotopy theory I, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1950. V. 36. pp. 443-
447.
[20] Eilenbery S., MacLane S. Cohomology theory of abelian groups and
homotopy theory II, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1950. V. 36. pp. 657-
663.
[21] Gysin W. Zur Homologie Theorie des Abbildungen und Faserungen
von Miinnigfaltigkeiten, Comment. Math. Helv. 1941. Bd. 14. S. 61-121.
[22] Hopf H., Rinow W. Uber den Begriff der vollstandigen differential-
geometrischen Flache, Comment. Math. Helv. 1931. Bd. 3. S. 209--225.
[23] Hurewicz W. Beitrage zur Topologie der Deformationen, Neder.
Akad. Wetensch., I. 1935. Bd. 38. S. 112-119; II, S. 521-528; III, 1936.
Bd. 39. S.117- 126; IV, S. 215- 224.
[24] Koszul J. L. Sur les operateurs de derivation dans un anneau,
C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris. 1947. V. 225. pp. 217-219.
[25] Koszul J. L. Homologie et cohomologie des algebres de Lie, Bull.
Soc. Math. France. 1950. V. 78. pp. 65-127.
[26] Leroy J. Sur la forme des espaces topologiques et sur les points fixes
des representations, J. Math. Pures Appl. 1945. V. 24. pp. 95-248.
[27] Leroy J. Structure de l'anneau d'homologie d'une representation,
C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris. 1946. V. 222. pp. 1419- 1422.
[28] Leroy J. L'anneau spectral et l'anneau fi1tre d'homologie d'un espace
localement compact et d'une application continue, J. Math. Pures Appl.
1950. v. 29. pp. 1-139.
[29] Leroy J. L'homologie d'un espace fibre dont la fibre est connexe,
J. Math. Pures Appl. 1950. V. 29. pp. 169--213.
[30] Morse M. The calculus of variations in the large. (AMS Colloquium
Publ. 18). New York: Amer. Math. Soc., 1934.
104 J.-P. Serre
[31] Morse M. Functional topology and abstract variational theory, Ann.

of Math. 1937. V. 38. pp. 386--449.
[32] Ponrtjagin L. S. Continuous groups. 2-d Edition Moscow, 1954.
[33] Seifert H, Threlfall W. Variationsrechnung im grossen (Theorie von
Marston Morse) . Leipzig: B. G. Teubner, 1938. 115 s.
[34] Serre J.-P. Trivialite des espaces fibres. Applications, C. R. Acad.
Sci. Paris. 1950. V. 230. pp. 916-918.
[35] Serre J.-P. Homologie singuliere des espaces fibres. I, C. R. Acad.
Sci. Paris. 1950. V. 231. pp. 1408-1410; II. 1951. V. 232. pp. 31-33; III.
pp. 142-144.
[36] Shapiro A. Cohomologie dans les espaces fibres, C. R. Acad. Sci.

Paris. 1950. V . 231. pp. 206-207.
[37] Steenrod N. E. Homology with local coefficients, Ann. of Math.
1945. v. 44. pp. 61G-627.
[38] Thorn R. Classes caracteristiques et i-carres, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris.
1950. v. 230. pp. 427-429.
[39] Wang H. C. The homology groups of the fibre-bundles over a sphere,
Duke Math. J. 1949. V.16. pp. 33-38.
[40] Whitehead J. H. C. On the realizability of homotopy groups, Ann.
of Math. 1949. V. 50. pp. 261-263.
[41] Young G. S. On the factors and fiberings of manifolds, Proc. Amer.
Math. Soc. 1950. V. 1. pp. 215-223.

Serres Thesis

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Serres Thesis

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Singular homology of fiber spaces1

case of spheres only).

In Chapter V we indicate a method which allows us, to some extent,

Chapter VI gives a short description of application of the previous

The main results of this work were summarized in three notes in

I could not finish this introduction without expressing my gratitude to

I would also like to thank A. Borel, N. Bourbaki, S. Ellenberg, and J.

Chapter I. The notion of spectral sequence. 5

6. Spectral sequence of universal covering. 17

Chapter II. Singular homology and cohomology of fiber spaces. 19

Chapter I. The notion of spectral sequence

It is convenient to complete the definition of the subgroups AP by the

Bf{ c Bf c · · · c n:_ 1 c Bf c · · · c B~ c C~ c ...

Definition ofthe groups E~. Let E~ = Crf(~~i +B:_ 1 ).

The kernel of~ is (C~+l + c:~i)J(~~i + 1) . n:_

(C:+l + c:~i)J(B: + ~~{) = c:+lJ(C:+l n (~~i +B:)J

Interpretation of the previous results: the spectml sequence.

The term Eo.

of the exact homology sequence of the "triple" (AP, AP- 1 , AP- 2 ).

In order to precise this last idea we denote by DP the image of H(AP)

Thus, DP/DP- 1 = C~j(c~-l + B~) = E~. In other words, if H(A) is

Remark. The previous definitions are just translation of the notions

2. The case of graded group

Consequences of the condition (.P).

In particular, we get npDP = o.

Er·q = E:~1 = E:~2 = · · · = E~q for r > Sup(p, q + 1).

Moreover, according to Proposition 1, we have r > q + 1 so, these

... -+ EK• 0 ~ E~· 0 = H11 (S).

H 11 (A) ~ E~0 ~ H 11 (S),

this condition is not satisfied, is the Morse theory.

3. Transgression and suspension

7r: AP,o = Cf•o--+ Cf'o /(08-1,1 + Bg•o) = Sp.

If p ~ 1, then 1r maps the group Rp = A 0 ·P to G&- 1' 1 , and, hence,

7r' : Ap,O IA O,p --+ Sp.

Moreover, if p ~ 2, then 1r' commutes with the boundary operator, and

1r~: Hq(A/ R) --+ Hp(S).

As a result of these considerations, we see that the sequence

~ EO,p-1 --+ E~- 1 -+ 0

This result follows immediately from diagram (I).

We assume that E~·q = 0 for each natural number n, such that i ~ n ~

~,q = 0, if p+ q = n -1, p ~a.,.- r, and i ~ n ~ j;

Proposition 3. Under these assumptions, we have an exact sequence

Proof. Consider first the increasing sequence of subgroups of Hn(A)

0 - nE'oo - H n (A) - nE"

In a similar way we get the following exact sequence:

Combination of the previous exact sequences implies the required result.

The corollary follows from the previous proposition in the case Cn =

5. The cohomology spectral sequence

0 = D"'n+l,-1 C D"n,o C ... C D*l,n-1 C D"'o,n = Hn(A).

The differential d.,., constructed by taking the quotients, as in section 1,

maps some subgroup of HP- 1 (R*) to a quotient of HP(S*). It can also be

A (p- I)-dimensional cycle x E R* is transgressive (i.e., its cohomology

IT A* is associative (respectively, has a unit element), then the same is

6. Spectral sequence of universal covering

Let X be a path connected, locally path connected, and locally simply

II defines a homeomorphism of the space T onto itself without fixed points.

Ho(II, G) = H1 (II, G) = G and Hi(II, G) = 0 for i ~ 2.

Ho(II, H.;.(T, k)) = H,(T, k) and Ht(II,H,_t(T, k)) = Hi-t(T, k).

As the coefficients compose a field, the group H;.(X, k) is isomorphic (not

Chapter II. Singular homology and

generated by the degenerated cubes, and Q(X) (respectively D(X)) be the

where the values of Ys are given by:

if i E H, then Yi = e; if i E K, then Yi = x'PK(i)·

If the set H consists of a single element i, then we write ~u instead of

(C:+l + c:~i)J(B: + {) = c:+lJ(C:+l n (i +B:)J

maps some subgroup of HP- 1 (R) to a quotient of HP(S). It can also be

k(v, w) = (cp(f) · cp(g))(K(v, w))