An Elementary Classification of Symmetric 2-Cocycles

Abstract

We present a classification of the so-called "additive symmetric 2-cocycles" of arbitrary degree and dimension over Z/p, along with a partial result and some conjectures for m-cocycles over Z/p, m > 2. This expands greatly on a result originally due to Lazard and more recently investigated by Ando, Hopkins, and Strickland, which together with their work culminates in a complete classification of 2-cocycles over an arbitrary commutative ring. The ring classifying these polynomials finds application in algebraic topology, including generalizations of formal group laws and of cubical structures.