abstract: The space of commuting n-tuples in a topogical group G for all n are assembled into a single topogical space analogous to the classifying space of the group G. Features of these spaces, similar to arrangements, as well as elementary questions about their homology are developed. One problem is to find the first homology group in case G is finite and of odd order (a hard homework problem). This talk is based on joint work with A. Adem, E. Torres-Giese, and J. Gomez.
F. Cohen-Weekly seminar