Homotopy complex projective spaces with Pin(2)-action

Anand Dessai

Published 2001-02-07Version 1

Let $M$ be a manifold homotopy equivalent to the complex projective space $\C P^m$. Petrie conjectured that $M$ has standard total Pontrjagin class if $M$ admits a non-trivial action by $S^1$. We prove the conjecture for $m<12$ under the assumption that the action extends to a nice $Pin(2)$-action with fixed point. The proof involves equivariant index theory for $Spin^c$-manifolds and Jacobi functions as well as classical results from the theory of transformation groups.