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I read Example 9.1. Of "Differential forms in Algebraic Topology" Bott&Tu's.

We consider the following Good cover of the circle

And we study they Čech cohomology which is the cohomology induced by the coboundary operator $(\delta\omega)_{\alpha_{0}...\alpha_{n+1}}=\sum(-1)^{i}\omega_{\alpha_{0}...\hat\alpha{i}...\alpha_{n+1}}$

And where a p-cochain is a constant function on a p-intersection of open sets from the good covering.

For instance, we can write $C^{1} = \{(\eta_{01},\eta_{02},\eta_{12}),$ $\eta_{ij}$ constant on $U_{i} \cap U_{j}\}$

It states that $\eta = (1,0,0)$ is a nontrivial 1-cocycle on the circle for the Čech cohomology, which means it is not a coboundary.

But cocycle are supposed to be element of the Kernel of $\delta$ which is not the case for $\eta$.

Why can we state that $\eta$ is a cocylce please ?

I now there is a similar question on the forum but it doesn't answer mine sadly.

Dearly

Joniloli
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    Read this question. If you don’t have the book in front of you, does it make sense? Please make the question self-contained and clear. By the way, isn’t the boundary of a circle empty? – Ted Shifrin May 04 '23 at 02:51
  • Sorry you are right i edited my question I hope it is more clear – Joniloli May 04 '23 at 03:16
  • I can't tell if this matters, but it looks like you've written the formula for the boundary for defining $\delta$, which is the symbol for the co-boundary. – JonathanZ May 04 '23 at 03:35
  • @JonathanZsupportsMonicaC Yes, it is the coboundary. – Ted Shifrin May 04 '23 at 03:42

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Ah. What are the Čech 3-cochains for this open covering? You didn’t specify the covering, but I have a good guess. What is $U_{012}$?

Ted Shifrin
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