Spherical classes in some finite loop spaces of spheres

Abstract

Working at the prime $2$, Curtis conjecture predicts that, in positive dimensions, spherical classes in $H_*QS^0$ only arise from Hopf invariant one and Kervaire invariant one elements. Eccles conjecture states that, in positive dimensional, for a path connected space $X$, a class in $H_nQX$ is spherical if its either stably spherical or it arises from a stable map $S^n\to X$ which is detected by a primary operation in its mapping cone. (i) We use Hopf invariant one result to verify Eccles conjecture on some finite loop spaces of spheres, namely, for $X=S^k$ , we completely determine spherical classes in $H_*(\Omega^dS^{k+d};\mathbb{Z}/2)$ for specific values of $d$, $k$ showing that a spherical classes in these cases only do arise from Hopf invariant one elements. (ii) We completely determine spherical classes in homology of single, double, and triple loop spaces of spheres, namely $\Omega S^{n+1}$, $\Omega^2 S^{n+2}$, and $\Omega^3S^{n+3}$ with $n>0$. These computations, verify Eccles conjecture on the finite loop spaces that we have considered. We also record some observations on the relation between two conjectures. The latter conjecture for $X=S^k$, with $k>0$, provides some evidence for the former to be true.