Projective product spaces

Abstract

Let nbar=(n_1,...,n_r). The quotient space P_nbar:=(S^{n_1} x...x S^{n_r})/(x ~ -x)is what we call a projective product space. We determine the integral cohomology ring and the action of the Steenrod algebra. We give a splitting of Sigma P_nbar in terms of stunted real projective spaces, and determine when S^{n_i} is a product factor. We relate the immersion dimension and span of P_nbar to the much-studied sectioning question for multiples of the Hopf bundle over real projective spaces. We show that the immersion dimension of P_nbar depends only on min(n_i), sum n_i, and r, and determine its precise value unless all n_i exceed 9. We also determine exactly when P_nbar is parallelizable.