15.01.2013 Views

Simplicial Structures in Topology

Simplicial Structures in Topology

Simplicial Structures in Topology

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

78 II <strong>Simplicial</strong> Complexes<br />

In the context of the categories Csim and CCsim, the naturality of the connect<strong>in</strong>g<br />

homomorphism<br />

λn : Hn(K,L;Z) → Hn−1(L;Z)<br />

can be expla<strong>in</strong>ed as follows. We start with a result whose proof is easily obta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

from the given def<strong>in</strong>itions and is left to the reader.<br />

(II.4.2) Theorem. Let (k,ℓ): (K,L) → (K ′ ,L ′ ) be a given simplicial function.<br />

Then, for every n ≥ 1, the follow<strong>in</strong>g diagram commutes.<br />

Let<br />

be the functor def<strong>in</strong>ed by<br />

Hn(K,L;Z)<br />

Hn(k,ℓ)<br />

��<br />

Hn(K ′ ,L ′ ;Z)<br />

λn ��<br />

λn<br />

Hn−1(L;Z)<br />

Hn−1(ℓ)<br />

��<br />

��<br />

Hn−1(L ′ ;Z)<br />

pr2 : CCsim → Csim<br />

(∀(K,L) ∈ CCsim) pr2(K,L)=L<br />

and<br />

(∀(k,ℓ) ∈ CCsim((K,L),(K ′ ,L ′ ))) pr2(k,ℓ)=ℓ.<br />

For each n ≥ 0, take the covariant functors<br />

Hn(−,−): CCsim → Gr<br />

and<br />

Hn−1(−) ◦ pr2 : CCsim → Gr .<br />

Theorem (II.3.3) states that<br />

λn : Hn(−,−;Z) → Hn−1(−;Z) ◦ pr2<br />

is a natural transformation (see the def<strong>in</strong>ition of natural transformation of functors<br />

<strong>in</strong> Sect. I.2).<br />

Comput<strong>in</strong>g the homology of a complex K can be made easier by the exact homology<br />

sequence, provided that we can compute the homology of L and the relative<br />

homology of (K,L). Another very useful technique for comput<strong>in</strong>g the homology of<br />

a simplicial complex is us<strong>in</strong>g the Mayer–Vietoris sequence. Consider two simplicial<br />

complexes K1 =(X1,Φ1) and K2 =(X2,Φ2) such that K1 ∩ K2 and K1 ∪ K2 are<br />

simplicial complexes; <strong>in</strong> addition, K1 ∩K2 must be a subcomplex of both K1 and K2.<br />

The <strong>in</strong>clusions<br />

Φ1 ∩ Φ2 ↩→ Φα , Φα ↩→ Φ1 ∪ Φ2 , α = 1,2

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!