Questions tagged [homology-cohomology]

Use this tag if your question involves some type of (co)homology, including (but not limited to) simplicial, singular or group (co)homology. Consider the tag (homological-algebra) for more abstract aspects of (co)homology theory.

A chain complex $(A_{\bullet}, d_{\bullet})$ is a sequence $(A_n)_{-\infty}^{\infty}$ of abelian groups (or modules) and group (module) homomorphisms $d_n : A_n \to A_{n-1}$ such that $d_{n-1}\circ d_n = 0$. This data can be represented as follows:

$$\cdots \xrightarrow{d_{n+1}} A_n \xrightarrow{d_n} A_{n-1} \xrightarrow{d_{n-1}} \cdots$$

The homology of a chain complex is the sequence of abelian groups

$$H_n = \frac{\ker d_n}{\operatorname{im}d_{n+1}}.$$

Dually, a cochain complex is a sequence $(A_{\bullet}, d_{\bullet})$ of abelian groups where $d_n : A_n \to A_{n+1}$.

There are many common types of (co)homology including simplicial (co)homology, singular (co)homology, and group (co)homology. A more extensive list can be found here.

Simplicial homology and singular homology are examples of homology theories attached to a topological space. The Eilenberg-Steenrod axioms are a collection of properties that such homology theories share.

For the more abstract aspects of (co)homology theory, the tag may be more appropriate.

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Does vanishing of $H^1$ for every open subset imply vanishing of higher cohomology generally?

I learned about Tate cohomology that for finite group $G$ and $G$-module $A$, if $\hat{H}^0(H,A)=\hat{H}^1(H,A)=0$ for any subgroup $H \subset G$, then $\hat{H}^k(G,A)=0$ for all $k$. Is there similar statement for topological space? For example,…
aerile
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Retracts from product spaces to wedge spaces

I want to show that $S^n \vee S^m$ is not a retract of $S^n \times S^m$, using the cup product. I am trying to do this as a special case of a more general theorem where $X \vee Y$ are arbitrary topological spaces with some nontrivial positive…
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Euler characteristic of complex of sheaves

I saw it written that, for $j : U \rightarrow X$ an open embedding and $\mathcal{F}$ a sheaf of complex vector spaces on $U,$ that $\chi(X, Rj_*\mathcal{F}) = \chi(U, \mathcal{F}).$ I am a little confused. Firstly, I have never seen a source…
user960774
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Simplicial homology from Smith normal over finite field

This is insanely frustrating to me, as I know I must be described somewhere, but I just cannot seem to find any references. I know that simplicial homology (or thus Betti numbers) is commonly computed through the Smith normal form using the…
rvdaele
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Formal definition and intuitive understanding of homology groups

Homology groups seem to be formally defined as quotient groups $Q$. I feel it is a bit difficult to connect this formal definition with the 'holes' intuition. Perhaps we can find a group $X$ acting on a hole ($S^1$ or the product space of $S^1$'s)…
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Homology group of $S^2$ with a string

What is a homology group of $S^2$ with a string attached to it by both ends? (Name it $X$. Drawing in below) I tried to decompose X as following, but I'm not sure if it's correct. I'll appreciate any help.
Saki
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Isomorphism between Relative Homology Groups.

I am trying to prove the following statement. If $A$ and $B$ are closed homeomorphic subsets of $\mathbb{R}^{n}$, then show that the homology group of $H_i(\mathbb{R}^{n},\mathbb{R}^{n} - A)$ and $H_i(\mathbb{R}^{n},\mathbb{R}^{n} - B)$ are…
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(Co-)Homology with different coefficients

I'm recently diving into the realm of homology and cohomology and encountered the universal coefficient theorems and concluded from it $H_i(X, k) = H_i(X,\mathbb{Z}) \otimes k$ for characteristic 0 fields $k$ ($X$ is a general top space). I'm also…
Anzor Rubin
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Intuitive meanings of the name homology and cohomology?

It's said here https://mathworld.wolfram.com/Homology.html that homology studies relations between two maps (from two manifolds to a manifold). Does it suggest that it's to study if two manifolds can be 'projected' into the same manifold, and a…
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Intuitive view on $H_2(K)$ where $K$ is the M$\ddot{o}$bius strip

Take a Torus $T^2$ and compute its homology group $H_2(T^2)$. It can be deduced that $H_2(T^2) \cong \mathbb{Z}$, and this is correspondent to the intuitive view that the only 2-simplex that is a cycle (boundaryless) and is not a boundary of…
Nugi
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Inclusion map induces a homology isomorphism

I am studying the book "Elements of Algebraic Topology" written by James R. Munkres. I was stuck in the problem 3.(b). in Section 26 (The Eilenberg Steenrod Axioms), which states that: if X is the polytope of a simplicial complex K and X_1 and X_2…
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Sending the Poincaré dual class of a point in a smooth manifold to 1

I have been given the following problem: For a compact oriented $n$-dimensional manifold, use a nowhere zero $n$-fold $\omega\in\Omega^n(M)$ to define a linear map \begin{equation} [M]: H^n(M)\to \mathbb{R} \end{equation} sending the Poincaré dual…
Tom
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Second Homology of torus induced by first one

I try to solve the problem: Let's we have a map from torus to torus $f: \mathbb T \to \mathbb T$ that inuducing homomorphism between first groups of homology: $f_*: H_1(\mathbb T) \to H_1(\mathbb T)$ wich has a $2\times2$ matrix $A$. I need to prove…
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Ext functor isomorphism

I am having a hard moment trying to solve something that looks really easy but I cannot solve. I want to prove that, given two presentations of left R-modules, one injective and the other projective, respectively, $0\to A \to I \to B \to 0$ and …
Ojotsk
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If $A$ is a weak deformation retraction of $X$, is $i*$ an homology isomorphism?

Let $A \subseteq X$ be a weak deformation retraction as in this definition: https://topospaces.subwiki.org/wiki/Weak_deformation_retraction Does this mean that $i* : H_n(A) \to H_n(X)$ is an isomorphism? I think I know how to prove this if $A$ is a…
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