Poincar\'{e} Polynomials and Curvature Operators of Symmetric Spaces

Abstract

We compute explicit formulas for the curvature operators and Poincar\'e polynomials of all compact irreducible symmetric spaces. We can easily derive the Poincar\'e polynomials using quantum numbers, giving a formula that mirrors the known formula for the Euler characteristic. For the curvature operators, we show that their maximum eigenvalue is always bounded above by the Einstein constant, with equality attained precisely by the Hermitian symmetric spaces.