@ -97,7 +97,19 @@ In this section we will prove that the rational cohomology of an H-space is free
An \Def{H-space} is a pointed topological space $x_0\in X$ with a map $\mu: X \times X \to X$, such that $\mu(x_0, -), \mu(-, x_0) : X \to X$ are homotopic to $\id_X$.
}
Let $X$ be an H-space, then we have the induced map $\mu^\ast: H^\ast(X; \Q)\to H^\ast(X; \Q)\tensor H^\ast(X; \Q)$ on cohomology. Because homotopic maps are sent to equal maps in cohomology, we get $H^\ast(\mu(x_0, -))=\id_{H^\ast(X; \Q)}$. Now write $H^\ast(\mu(x_0, -))=(\counit\tensor\id)\circ H^\ast(\mu)$, where $\counit$ is the augmentation induced by $x_0$, to conclude that for any $h \in H^{+}(X; \Q)$ the image is of the form
Let $X$ be an $0$-connected H-space of finite type, then we have the induced comultiplication map $\mu^\ast: H^\ast(X; \Q)\to H^\ast(X; \Q)\tensor H^\ast(X; \Q)$.
Homotopic maps are sent to equal maps in cohomology, so we get $H^\ast(\mu(x_0, -))=\id_{H^\ast(X; \Q)}$. Now write $H^\ast(\mu(x_0, -))=(\counit\tensor\id)\circ H^\ast(\mu)$, where $\counit$ is the augmentation induced by $x_0$, to conclude that for any $h \in H^{+}(X; \Q)$ the image is of the form
$$ H^\ast(\mu)(h)= h \tensor1+1\tensor h +\psi, $$
for some element $\psi\in H^{+}(X; \Q)\tensor H^{+}(X; \Q)$.
\todo{continue here}
for some element $\psi\in H^{+}(X; \Q)\tensor H^{+}(X; \Q)$. This means that the comultiplication is counital.
Choose a subspace $V$ of $H^+(X; \Q)$ such that $H^+(X; \Q)= V \oplus H^+(X; \Q)\cdot H^+(X; \Q)$. In particular we get $V^1= H^1(X; \Q)$ and $H^2(X; \Q)= V^2\oplus H^1(X; \Q)\cdot H^1(X; \Q)$. Continuing with induction we see that the induced map $\phi : \Lambda V \to H^\ast(X; \Q)$ is surjective. One can prove (by induction on the degree and using the counitality) that the elements in $V$ are primitive, i.e. $\mu^\ast(v)=1\tensor v + v \tensor1$ for all $v \in V$. Since the free algebra is also a coalgebra (with the generators being the primitive elements), it follows that $\phi$ is a map of coalgebras:
\[\xymatrix{
\Lambda V \ar[r]^\phi\ar[d]^\Delta& H^\ast(X; \Q) \ar[d]^{\mu^\ast}\\
\Lambda V \tensor\Lambda V \ar[r]^{\phi\tensor\phi}& H^\ast(X; \Q) \tensor H^\ast(X; \Q) \\
}\]
We will now prove that $\phi$ is in fact injective. Suppose by induction that $\phi$ is injective on $\Lambda V^{<n}$. An element $w \in\Lambda V^{\leq n}$ can be written as $\Sum_{k_1, \ldots, k_r} v_1^{k_1}\cdots v_r^{k_r} a_{k_1\cdots k_r}$, where $\{v_1, \ldots, v_r\}$ is a basis for $V^n$ and $a_{k_1\cdots k_r}\in\Lambda V^{<n}$. Let $\pi : H^\ast(X; \Q)\to H^\ast(X; \Q)/\phi(\Lambda V^{<n})$ is the (linear) projection map. Now consider the image of $(\pi\tensor\id)\mu^\ast(\phi(w))$ in the component $\im(\pi)\tensor H^\ast(X; \Q)$, it can be written as (here we use the above commuting square):