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# Computing Characteristic Numbers Using Fixed Points

## 1. Line Bundles on $`G/T`$ and on $`BT`$

Let $`G`$ be a compact, connected Lie group and $`T`$ a maximal torus in $`G`$. The cohomology classes on the homogeneous space $`G/T`$ and on the classifying space $`BT`$ all come from the first Chern class of complex line bundles on these spaces. Both $`G/T`$ and $`BT`$ are base spaces of principal $`T`$-bundles: $`G/T`$ is the base space of the principal $`T`$-bundle $`GG/T`$ and $`BT`$ is the base space of a universal principal $`T`$-bundle $`ETBT`$. For this reason, we will first construct complex line bundles on the base space of an arbitrary principal $`T`$-bundle.

A *character* of the torus $`T`$ is a multiplicative Lie group homomorphism of $`T`$ into $`^{}`$. Let $`\widehat{T}`$ be the group of characters of $`T`$, with the multiplication of characters written additively: for $`\alpha ,\beta \widehat{T}`$ and $`tT`$,

$$t^{\alpha +\beta }:=t^\alpha t^\beta =\alpha (t)\beta (t).$$

Denote by $`_\gamma `$ the complex vector space $``$ with an action of $`T`$ given by the character $`\gamma :T^{}`$. A character $`\alpha :T^{}`$ has the form $`\alpha (t_1,\mathrm{},t_{\mathrm{}})=t_1^{n_1}\mathrm{}t_{\mathrm{}}^n_{\mathrm{}}`$, where $`t_iS^1`$ and $`n_i`$ (\[10, Proposition 8.1, p. 107\]). So the character group $`\widehat{T}`$ is isomorphic to $`^{\mathrm{}}`$.

Suppose a torus $`T`$ of dimension $`\mathrm{}`$ acts freely on the right on a topological space $`X`$ so that $`XX/T`$ is a principal $`T`$-bundle. By the mixing construction, a character $`\gamma `$ on $`T`$ associates to the principal bundle $`XX/T`$ a complex line bundle $`L(X/T,\gamma )`$ over $`X/T`$:

$$L_\gamma :=L(X/T,\gamma ):=X\times _T_\gamma :=(X\times _\gamma )/T,$$

where $`T`$ acts on $`X\times _\gamma `$ by

$$(x,v)t=(xt,\gamma (t^1)v).$$

The equivalence class of $`(x,v)`$ is denoted $`[x,v]`$. It is easy to check that as complex line bundles over $`X/T`$,

$$L_{\alpha +\beta }L_\alpha L_\beta .$$

Hence, $`L_\alpha L_\alpha ^{^{}}`$, the dual bundle of $`L`$.

The first Chern class of an associated complex line bundle defines a homomorphism of abelian groups

$$c:\widehat{T}H^2(X/T),\gamma c_1(L(X/T,\gamma )).$$
(1)
Let $`\mathrm{Sym}(\widehat{T})`$ be the symmetric algebra with rational coefficients generated by the additive group $`\widehat{T}`$. The group homomorphism (1) extends to a ring homomorphism

$$c:\mathrm{Sym}(\widehat{T})H^{}(X/T),$$

called the *characteristic map* of $`X/T`$, sometimes denoted $`c_{X/T}`$.

We apply the construction of the associated bundle of a character $`\gamma \widehat{T}`$ to two situations:

(i) The classifying space $`BT`$. Applied to the universal bundle $`ETBT`$, this construction yields line bundles

$$S_\gamma :=L(ET/T,\gamma )=L(BT,\gamma )$$

over $`BT`$ and cohomology classes $`c(\gamma )=c_1(S_\gamma )`$ in $`H^2(BT)`$. The characteristic map

$$c:\mathrm{Sym}(\widehat{T})H^{}(BT)$$

is a ring isomorphism, since both $`\mathrm{Sym}(\widehat{T})`$ and $`H^{}(BT)`$ are polynomial rings in $`\mathrm{}`$ generators and the generators correspond. If $`\chi _1,\mathrm{},\chi _{\mathrm{}}`$ is a basis for the character group $`\widehat{T}`$ and $`u_i=c_1(S_{\chi _i})`$, then $`\mathrm{Sym}(\widehat{T})`$ is the polynomial ring $`[\chi _1,\mathrm{},\chi _{\mathrm{}}]`$, and

$`H^{}(BT)`$ $`=H^{}(BS^1\times \mathrm{}\times BS^1)`$
$`H^{}(BS^1)_{}\mathrm{}_{}H^{}(BS^1)[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}],`$
because $`BS^1P^{\mathrm{}}`$.

(ii) The homogeneous space $`G/T`$. Applied to the principal $`T`$-bundle $`GG/T`$, this construction yields line bundles

$$L_\gamma :=L(G/T,\gamma )$$

over $`G/T`$.

For each character $`\gamma `$ on the torus $`T`$, the relationship of the line bundle $`S_\gamma `$ over $`BT`$ and the line bundle $`L_\gamma `$ over $`G/T`$ is as follows. The universal $`G`$-bundle $`EGBG`$ factors through $`EGEG/TBG`$. The total space $`EG`$ is a contractible space on which $`G`$ acts freely. A fortiori, $`EG`$ is also a contractible space on which the subgroup $`T`$ acts freely. Hence, $`EG=ET`$. It follows that $`(EG)/T=(ET)/T=BT`$, so there is a commutative diagram

representing $`G/T`$ as a fiber of the fiber bundle $`BTBG`$ and the principal $`T`$-bundle $`GG/T`$ as the restriction of the principal $`T`$-bundle $`ETBT`$ from $`BT`$ to $`G/T`$. Hence, the associated bundle $`L_\gamma =G\times _\gamma `$ is the restriction of the associated bundle $`S_\gamma =ET\times _\gamma `$ from $`BT`$ to $`G/T`$.

## 2. The actions of the Weyl group

The Weyl group of a maximal torus $`T`$ in the compact, connected Lie group $`G`$ is $`W=N_G(T)/T`$, where $`N_G(T)`$ is the normalizer of $`T`$ in $`G`$. The Weyl group is a finite reflection group.

We use $`w`$ to denote both an element of $`W`$ and a lift of the element to the normalizer $`N_G(T)`$. The Weyl group $`W`$ acts on the character group $`\widehat{T}`$ of $`T`$ by

$$(w\gamma )(t)=\gamma (w^1tw).$$

This action induces an action on $`\mathrm{Sym}(\widehat{T})`$ as ring isomorphisms. Let $`R`$ be the polynomial ring

$$R=\mathrm{Sym}(\widehat{T})=[\chi _1,\mathrm{},\chi _{\mathrm{}}]$$

and $`R^W`$ the subring of $`W`$-invariant polynomials.

If the Lie group $`G`$ acts on the right on a space $`X`$, then the Weyl group $`W`$ acts on the right on $`X/T`$ by

$$r_w(xT)=(xT)w=xwT.$$

This action of $`W`$ on $`X/T`$ induces by the pullback an action of $`W`$ on the line bundles over $`X/T`$ and also on the cohomology ring $`H^{}(X/T)`$: if $`L`$ is a line bundle on $`X/T`$ and $`aH^{}(X/T)`$, then

$$wL=r_w^{}L,wa=r_w^{}a,$$

where we use the same notation $`r_w^{}`$ for the pullback of a line bundle and for the pullback of a cohomology class.

###### Proposition 1.

The action of the Weyl group $`W`$ on the associated line bundles over $`X/T`$ is compatible with its action on the characters of $`T`$; more precisely, for $`wW`$ and $`\gamma \widehat{T}`$,

$$r_w^{}L(X/T,\gamma )L(X/T,w\gamma ).$$

Indication of proof. Define $`\phi :r_w^{}L(X/T,\gamma )L(X/T,w\gamma )`$ by

$$\phi (xT,[xw,v])=[x,v].$$

If we use a different representative $`xt`$ to represent $`xT`$, then

$$(xT,[xw,v])=(xtT,[xtw,v^{}])$$

and it is easily verified that $`v^{}=\gamma (w^1t^1w)v`$. Hence,

$`\phi (xtT,[xtw,v^{}])`$ $`=[xt,v^{}]=[xt,(w\gamma )(t^1)v]`$
$`=[x,v].`$
This shows that $`\phi `$ is well defined. It has the obvious inverse map

$$\psi ([x,v])=(xT,[xw,v]).$$

###### Corollary 2.

The characteristic map $`c:\mathrm{Sym}(\widehat{T})H^{}(X/T)`$ is $`W`$-equivariant.

Proof. Let $`\gamma `$ be a character on the torus $`T`$. Writing $`L_\gamma `$ instead of $`L(X/T,\gamma )`$, it follows from the proposition that

$$r_w^{}c(\gamma )=r_w^{}c_1(L_\gamma )=c_1(r_w^{}L_\gamma )=c_1(L_{w\gamma })=c(w\gamma ).$$

###### Corollary 3.

For $`\gamma `$ a character on $`T`$ and $`w`$ an element of the Weyl group $`W`$,

$$wc_1(S_\gamma )=c_1(S_{w\gamma }).$$

Proof. This is a special case of the preceding corollary with $`X=ET`$. ∎

## 3. Fiber Bundles with Fiber $`G/T`$

Let $`G`$ be a compact, connected Lie group, $`T`$ a maximal torus, and $`W=N_G(T)/T`$ the Weyl group of $`T`$ in $`G`$. Suppose $`G`$ acts freely on the right on a topological space $`X`$ so that $`XX/G`$ is a principal $`G`$-bundle. Then the natural projection $`X/TX/G`$ is a fiber bundle with fiber $`G/T`$. We will have frequent occasion to call on the following topological lemma.

###### Lemma 4.

The rational cohomology of $`X/G`$ is the subspace of $`W`$-invariants of the rational cohomology of $`X/T`$: $`H^{}(X/G)H^{}(X/T)^W`$.

The proof is based on the following two facts from :

Fact 1. The compact homogeneous space $`G/T`$ has a cellular decomposition into even-dimensional cells indexed by the Weyl group.

This is a consequence of the well-known Bruhat decomposition (see \[13, p. 35\])111Fact 1 may also be obtained from Morse theory; there is a proof in  for $`G`$ compact, connected, and simply connected., using the fact that a compact homogeneous space $`G/T`$ has a complex description $`G_{}/B=G/T`$, where $`G_{}`$ is the complexification of $`G`$ and $`B`$ is a Borel subgroup containing $`T`$. It implies that $`H^{}(G/T)`$ vanishes in odd degrees and that the Euler characteristic of $`G/T`$ is $`\chi (G/T)=|W|`$.

Fact 2. If $`N=N_G(T)`$ is the normalizer of $`T`$ in $`G`$, then $`G/N`$ is acyclic.

Proof. The projection $`G/TG/N`$ is a regular covering map with group $`W=N/T`$. Hence, $`H^{}(G/N)=H^{}(G/T)^W`$. It follows that like $`G/T`$, $`G/N`$ also has nonzero cohomology classes only in even degrees. Since

$$\chi (G/N)=\frac{1}{|W|}\chi (G/T)=\frac{1}{|W|}|W|=1,$$

$`H^0(G/N)=`$ and $`H^k(G/N)=0`$ for $`k>0`$. ∎

Proof of Lemma 4. Factor $`X/TX/G`$ into $`X/TX/NX/G`$. Because $`G/N`$ is acyclic, the constant function $`1`$ defines a global cohomology class on $`X/N`$ that restricts to a generator of cohomology on each fiber $`G/N`$ of $`X/NX/G`$. By the Leray–Hirsch theorem, $`H^{}(X/N)H^{}(X/G)`$.

Since $`X/TX/N`$ is a regular covering with group $`W=N/T`$, $`H^{}(X/N)H^{}(X/T)^W`$. Thus, $`H^{}(X/G)H^{}(X/T)^W`$. ∎

## 4. Cohomology Rings of $`G/T`$ and $`G/H`$

Let $`EGBG`$ and $`ETBT`$ be universal bundles for the compact, connected Lie group $`G`$ and its maximal torus $`T`$. Since $`ET=EG`$, $`BG=(EG)/G`$ and $`BT=(EG)/T`$. So the natural projection $`BTBG`$ is a fiber bundle with fiber $`G/T`$.

Choose a basis $`\chi _1,\mathrm{},\chi _{\mathrm{}}`$ for the character group $`\widehat{T}`$, let $`S_{\chi _i}`$ be the associated complex line bundles over $`BT`$, and set $`u_i=c_1(S_{\chi _i})`$. As noted earlier, if $`R=\mathrm{Sym}(\widehat{T})`$, then

$$H^{}(BT)=[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}][\chi _1,\mathrm{},\chi _{\mathrm{}}]R.$$

By Lemma 4, the cohomology of $`BG`$ is the subring of $`W`$-invariants in $`H^{}(BT)`$:

$$H^{}(BG)=H^{}(BT)^W=R^W.$$

###### Theorem 5.

Let $`R_+^W`$ be the submodule of $`R^W`$ generated by all homogeneous elements of positive degree, and $`(R_+^W)`$ the ideal in $`R`$ generated by $`R_+^W`$. Then $`H^{}(G/T)R/(R_+^W)`$.

Proof. Consider the spectral sequence of the fiber bundle $`BTBG`$ with fiber $`G/T`$. Since both the base $`BG`$ and the fiber $`BT`$ have only even-dimensional cohomology, all the differentials $`d_r`$ vanish for $`r2`$ and the spectral sequence degenerates at the $`E_2`$ term (\[8, Theorem 14.14 and Theorem 14.18\]). Therefore,

$$H^{}(BT)=E_{\mathrm{}}E_2H^{}(BG)_{}H^{}(G/T).$$

In the picture of $`E_2`$, $`H^{}(G/T)`$ is the zeroth column and $`H^{}(BG)`$ is the bottom row.

From the picture of $`E_2`$, one sees that the kernel of the restriction to the fiber: $`H^{}(BT)H^{}(G/T)`$ is the shaded area, which is the ideal generated by $`_{p>0}H^p(BG)=R_+^W`$. Hence,

$$H^{}(G/T)\frac{H^{}(BT)}{\left(_{p>0}H^p(BG)\right)}=\frac{R}{(R_+^W)}.$$
(2)
This isomorphism is a priori a module isomorphism, but because the restriction map $`H^{}(BT)H^{}(G/T)`$ is a ring homomorphism, the module isomorphism (2) is in fact a ring isomorphism. ∎

In terms of the basis $`\chi _1,\mathrm{},\chi _{\mathrm{}}`$ for $`\widehat{T}`$, let $`L_{\chi _i}`$ be the line bundle over $`G/T`$ associated to the character $`\chi _i`$ and let $`y_i=c_1(L_{\chi _i})H^2(G/T)`$. If $`i:G/TBT`$ is the inclusion map as a fiber of $`BTBG`$, then as noted in Section 1, $`L_{\chi _i}=i^{}S_{\chi _i}`$ and

$$y_i=c_1(L_{\chi _i})=c_1(i^{}S_{\chi _i})=i^{}c_1(S_{\chi _i})=i^{}u_i.$$

Let $`H`$ be a closed, connected subgroup of maximal rank in the compact, connected Lie group $`G`$, and $`TH`$ a maximal torus. Denote by $`W_G`$ and $`W_H`$ the Weyl groups of $`T`$ in $`G`$ and in $`H`$ respectively.

###### Theorem 6.

If $`R=H^{}(BT)`$, $`R^{W_H}`$ the subring of $`W_H`$-invariant elements, and $`(R_+^{W_G})`$ the ideal generated by $`W_G`$-invariant elements of positive degree in $`R^{W_H}`$, then

$$H^{}(G/H)\frac{R^{W_H}}{\left(R_+^{W_G}\right)}.$$

Proof. The natural projection $`G/TG/H`$ is a fiber bundle with fiber $`H/T`$. By Lemma 4 and Theorem 5,

$$H^{}(G/H)H^{}(G/T)^{W_H}\left[\frac{R}{\left(R_+^{W_G}\right)}\right]^{W_H}=\frac{R^{W_H}}{\left(R_+^{W_G}\right)}.$$

## 5. Equivariant cohomology and equivariant characteristic classes

Suppose a topological group $`G`$ acts on the left on a topological space $`M`$, and $`EGBG`$ is the universal principal $`G`$-bundle. Since $`G`$ acts freely on $`EG`$, the diagonal action of $`G`$ on $`EG\times M`$,

$$(e,x)g=(eg,g^1x),$$

is also free. The space $`M_G:=EG\times _GM:=(EG\times M)/G`$ is called the *homotopy quotient* of $`M`$ by $`G`$, and its cohomology $`H^{}(M_G)`$ the *equivariant cohomology* of $`M`$ under the $`G`$-action, denoted $`H_G^{}(M)`$. For the basics of equivariant cohomology, we refer to  or .

A $`G`$-equivariant vector bundle $`EM`$ induces a vector bundle $`E_GM_G`$. An *equivariant characteristic class* $`c^G(E)`$ of $`EM`$ is defined to be the corresponding ordinary characteristic class $`c(E_G)`$ of $`E_GM_G`$.

By the definition of homotopy quotient, $`M_GBG`$ is a fiber bundle with fiber $`M`$. Let $`i:MM_G`$ be the inclusion map as a fiber. We say that a cohomology class $`\stackrel{~}{\alpha }H_G^{}(M)`$ is an *equivariant extension* of $`\alpha H^{}(M)`$ if $`i^{}\stackrel{~}{\alpha }=\alpha `$. For example, if $`EM`$ is a $`G`$-equivariant vector bundle, then any characteristic class $`c(E)`$ has an equivariant extension $`c^G(E)`$, since

$$i^{}c^G(E)=i^{}c(E_G)=c(i^{}E_G)=c(E).$$
(2)
Now suppose $`G`$ is a compact, connected Lie group with maximal torus $`T`$. We associate to a character $`\gamma :T^{}`$ the complex line bundle $`L_\gamma `$ on $`G/T`$:

$$L_\gamma =G\times _\gamma .$$

There is an action of the torus $`T`$ on $`L_\gamma `$:

$$t[g,v]=[tg,v],\text{for }[g,v]G\times _\gamma ,$$

where $`[g,v]`$ is the equivalence class of $`(g,v)G\times `$. This action is compatible with the action of $`T`$ on $`G/T`$ in the sense that the diagram

commutes for all $`tT`$. Therefore, $`L_\gamma G/T`$ is a $`T`$-equivariant line bundle and induces a line bundle $`(L_\gamma )_T`$ over the homotopy quotient $`(G/T)_T`$. Fix a basis $`\chi _1,\mathrm{},\chi _{\mathrm{}}`$ for the characters of $`T`$ and let $`\stackrel{~}{y}_i=c_1((L_{\chi _i})_T)H_T^2(G/T)`$. These are equivariant extensions of the cohomology classes $`y_i:=c_1(L_{\chi _i})H^2(G/T)`$.

The $`T`$-equivariant cohomology of a point is

$$H_T^{}(\mathrm{pt})=H^{}(BT)=[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}],u_i=c_1(S_{\chi _i}).$$
(3)
For any $`T`$-space $`M`$, let $`\pi :G/T\mathrm{pt}`$ be the constant map. The pullback map $`\pi ^{}:H_T^{}(\mathrm{pt})H_T^{}(M)`$ makes $`H_T^{}(M)`$ into an algebra over the polynomial ring $`[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}]`$.

## 6. Additive structure of $`H_T^{}(G/T)`$

Consider the action of $`T`$ on $`G/T`$ by left multiplication. Write $`W=W_G=W_G(T)`$ for the Weyl group of $`T`$ in $`G`$. By Theorem 5, the rational cohomology ring of $`G/T`$ is

$$H^{}(G/T)=[y_1,\mathrm{},y_{\mathrm{}}]/(R_+^W)=R/(R_+^W),$$

where $`R=[y_1,\mathrm{},y_{\mathrm{}}]H^{}(BT)`$ and $`(R_+^W)`$ is the ideal generated by the $`W`$-invariant polynomials of positive degree in $`R`$. In particular, the cohomology $`H^{}(G/T)`$ has only even-dimensional cohomology classes. For dimensional reasons, viz., $`H^{\text{odd}}(G/T)=H^{\text{odd}}(BT)=0`$, all the differentials $`d_2,d_3,\mathrm{}`$ in the spectral sequence of the fiber bundle

$$G/T(G/T)_TBT$$
(4)
vanish, and additively

$`H^{}((G/T)_T)`$ $`=E_2\text{-term of the spectral sequence}`$
$`=H^{}(BT)_{}H^{}(G/T)R_{}H^{}(G/T)R_{}(R/(R_+^W))`$
$`=[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}]_{}([y_1,\mathrm{},y_{\mathrm{}}]/(R_+^W)).`$
This shows that $`H_T^{}(G/T)`$ is a free $`R`$-module of rank equal to $`dimH^{}(G/T)`$.

Moreover, because the differentials $`d_r,r2`$, in the spectral sequence all vanish, the classes $`y_1,\mathrm{},y_{\mathrm{}}`$ extend to global classes on $`(G/T)_T`$. Indeed, since $`y_i=c_1(L_{\chi _i})`$ is the first Chern class of a $`T`$-equivariant line bundle on $`G/T`$, by (2) its global extension is

$$\stackrel{~}{y}_i=c_1((L_{\chi _i})_T)$$

in $`H_T^{}(G/T)`$. Thus, $`H_T^{}(G/T)`$ is generated as a $``$-algebra by $`u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}`$, $`\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}`$, and it remains only to determine the relations they satisfy.

## 7. Restriction to a fixed point in $`G/T`$

Although it is possible to give a shorter derivation of the equivariant cohomology ring $`H_T^{}(G/T)`$ (see ), we will determine the ring structure of $`H_T^{}(G/T)`$ from the fixed points of the action of $`T`$ on $`G/T`$ using the following localization theorem of Borel. This approach leads to a restriction formula (Proposition 10) that will be useful in our subsequent computation of characteristic numbers.

Theorem (Borel localization theorem, \[13, Proposition 2, p. 39\]) Suppose a torus $`T`$ acts on a manifold $`M`$ with fixed point set $`F`$. Let $`i_F:FM`$ be the inclusion map. Then both the kernel and cokernel of the restriction homomorphism

$$i_F^{}:H_T^{}(M)H_T^{}(F)$$

are torsion $`H^{}(BT)`$-modules.

To apply this theorem to the action of $`T`$ on $`G/T`$ by left multiplication, it is necessary to know the fixed point set $`F`$ of the action as well as the restriction homomorphism $`i_F^{}:H_T^{}(G/T)H_T^{}(F)`$.

###### Proposition 7.

For a compact Lie group $`G`$ with maximal torus $`T`$, let $`N_G(T)`$ be the normalizer of $`T`$ in $`G`$ and let $`T`$ act on $`G/T`$ by left multiplication. Then the fixed point set $`F`$ of the action is $`W_G=N_G(T)/T`$, the Weyl group of $`T`$ in $`G`$.

Proof. The coset $`xT`$ is a fixed point

iff $`txT=xT\text{for all }tT`$
iff $`x^1txT=T\text{for all }tT`$
iff $`x^1txT`$
iff $`xN_G(T).`$
At a fixed point $`w`$ in $`G/T`$, the group $`T`$ acts on the fiber $`(L_\gamma )_w`$ of the line bundle $`L_\gamma `$. Therefore, the fiber $`(L_\gamma )_w`$ is a complex representation of $`T`$.

###### Lemma 8.

At the fixed point $`w=xTW_G`$, the torus $`T`$ acts on the fiber of the line bundle $`L_\gamma `$ as the representation $`w\gamma `$, i.e., $`(L_\gamma )_w=_{w\gamma }`$.

Proof. The fiber of $`L_\gamma `$ at a fixed point $`xT`$ consists of elements of the form $`[x,v]G\times _\gamma `$. If $`tT`$, then

$`t[x,v]`$ $`=[tx,v]=[x(x^1tx),v]`$
$`=[x,\gamma (x^1tx)v]=[x,(w\gamma )(t)v].`$
Hence, under the identification $`[x,v]v`$, the torus $`T`$ acts on the fiber $`(L_\gamma )_w`$ as the representation $`w\gamma `$. ∎

###### Lemma 9.

Let $`w`$ be a point in the Weyl group $`W_GG/T`$ and $`i_w:\{w\}G/T`$ the inclusion map. For a character $`\gamma `$ of $`T`$, the restriction of the line bundle $`(L_\gamma )_T`$ from $`(G/T)_T`$ to $`\{w\}_TBT`$ is given by

$$(i_w)_T^{}(L_\gamma )_TS_{w\gamma },$$

where $`S_{w\gamma }`$ is the complex line bundle on $`BT`$ associated to the character $`w\gamma `$.

Proof. By Lemma 8 the restriction of the line bundle $`L_\gamma `$ to the fixed point $`w`$ gives rise to a commutative diagram of $`T`$-equivariant maps

Taking the homotopy quotients results in the diagram

But $`(_{w\gamma })_T=ET\times _T_{w\gamma }`$ is precisely the line bundle $`S_{w\gamma }`$ over $`BT`$ associated to the character $`w\gamma `$ of $`T`$. ∎

To avoid a plethora of subscripts, we write $`(i_w)_T^{}`$ also as $`i_w^{}`$. To describe the restriction $`i_F^{}:H_T^{}(G/T)H_T^{}(F)`$, we need to describe $`i_w^{}(u_i)`$ and $`i_w^{}(\stackrel{~}{y}_i)`$ for each $`wW`$.

###### Proposition 10 (Restriction formula for $`G/T`$).

At a fixed point $`wW`$, let

$$i_w^{}:H_T^{}(G/T)H_T^{}(\{w\})$$

be the restriction map in equivariant cohomology. Then

1. $`i_w^{}u_i=u_i`$.
2. For any character $`\gamma \widehat{T}`$, $`i_w^{}c_1^T(L_\gamma )=wc_1(S_\gamma )`$. In particular, if $`\stackrel{~}{y}_i=c_1^T(L_{\chi _i})`$ and $`u_i=c_1(S_{\chi _i})`$, then $`i_w^{}\stackrel{~}{y}_i=wu_i`$.

Proof. (i) Let $`\pi :G/T\{w\}`$ be the constant map. Since $`\pi i_w=1_w`$, the identity map on $`\{w\}`$, $`i_w^{}\pi ^{}=1_{H_T^{}(G/T)}`$. The elements $`u_i`$ in $`H_T^{}(G/T)`$ are really $`\pi ^{}u_i`$, so

$$i_w^{}u_i=i_w^{}\pi ^{}u_i=u_i.$$

(ii) By the naturality of $`c_1`$ and by Lemma 9,

$`i_w^{}c_1((L_\gamma )_T)`$ $`=c_1(i_w^{}(L_\gamma )_T)=c_1(S_{w\gamma })`$
$`=wc_1(S_\gamma )\text{(by Corollary }\text{3}\text{).}`$
Now take $`\gamma `$ to be $`\chi _i`$. ∎

## 8. The equivariant cohomology rings of $`G/T`$ and $`G/H`$

Suppose $`G`$ is a compact, connected Lie group with maximal torus $`T`$. Choose a basis $`\chi _1,\mathrm{},\chi _{\mathrm{}}`$ of the character group $`\widehat{T}`$. Let $`L_{\chi _i}`$ be the associated line bundles over $`G/T`$, and $`y_i=c_1(L_{\chi _i})H^2(G/T)`$ and $`\stackrel{~}{y}_i=c_1^T(L_{\chi _i})H_T^2(G/T)`$ be their ordinary and equivariant first Chern classes. Similarly, let $`S_{\chi _i}`$ be the associated line bundles over $`BT`$, and $`u_i=c_1(S_{\chi _i})H^2(BT)`$ their first Chern classes. Recall $`R=H^{}(BT)=[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}]`$.

###### Theorem 11.

1. The equivariant cohomology ring of $`G/T`$ under the action of $`T`$ on $`G/T`$ by left multiplication is

$$H_T^{}(G/T)\frac{[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}},\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]}{𝒥},$$

where $`𝒥`$ is the ideal in $`[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}},\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]`$ generated by $`b(\stackrel{~}{y})b(u)`$ for all polynomials $`bR_+^{W_G}`$, the $`W_G`$-invariant polynomials of positive degree.
2. If $`H`$ is a closed subgroup of $`G`$ containing the maximal torus $`T`$, and $`T`$ acts on $`G/H`$ by left multiplication, then

$$H_T^{}(G/H)\frac{[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}]_{}([\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]^{W_H})}{𝒥},$$

where $`𝒥`$ is the ideal in $`[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}]_{}([\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]^{W_H})`$ generated by $`b(\stackrel{~}{y})b(u)`$ for all polynomials $`bR_+^{W_G}`$.

Proof. By Proposition 7, the fixed point set $`F`$ of the action of $`T`$ on $`G/T`$ is the Weyl group $`W=W_G`$. For each $`wW`$, by the restriction formula (Proposition 10), $`i_w^{}\stackrel{~}{y}_i=wu_i`$. Hence, if $`b(u)=b(u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}})`$ is a $`W`$-invariant polynomial with coefficients in $``$, then

$`i_w^{}b(\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}})`$ $`=b(wu_1,\mathrm{},wu_{\mathrm{}})`$
$`=b(u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}).`$
With $`\pi :G/T\{w\}`$ being the constant map and $`i_w:\{w\}G/T`$ the inclusion map, $`\pi i_w=1`$. Thus,

$$b(u)=i_w^{}\pi ^{}b(u).$$

It follows that

$$i_w^{}b(\stackrel{~}{y})=b(u)=i_w^{}\pi ^{}b(u),$$

or

$$i_w^{}(b(\stackrel{~}{y})\pi ^{}b(u))=0.$$

As is customary, in $`H_T^{}(G/T)`$, we identify $`\pi ^{}b(u)`$ with $`b(u)`$, so we can write

$$i_w^{}(b(\stackrel{~}{y})b(u))=0.$$

Since this is true at any fixed point $`wF`$,

$$i_F^{}(b(\stackrel{~}{y})b(u))=0,$$

where $`i_F:FG/T`$ is the inclusion map.

Let $`R=H^{}(BT)`$. By the Borel localization theorem, the kernel of the restriction map

$$i_F^{}:H_T^{}(G/T)H_T^{}(F)$$

is a torsion $`R`$-module. Since $`H_T^{}(G/T)`$ is a free $`R`$-module, the kernel must be $`0`$. Therefore, $`i_F^{}`$ is injective. So we obtain the relations

$$b(\stackrel{~}{y})b(u)=0$$
(5)
in $`H_T^{}(G/T)`$ for all $`W`$-invariant polynomials $`b(u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}})`$.

Let $`𝒥`$ be the ideal $`(b(\stackrel{~}{y})b(u))`$ in $`[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}},\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]`$ generated by $`b(\stackrel{~}{y})b(u)`$ for all polynomials $`bR_+^W`$. Then there is a surjective ring homomorphism

$$\varphi :\frac{[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}},\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]}{𝒥}\frac{R_{}R}{𝒥}H_T^{}(G/T).$$
(6)
From the spectral sequence of the fibering (4), we know that $`H_T^{}(G/T)`$ is a free $`R`$-module of rank equal to $`dimH^{}(G/T)`$. To prove that $`\varphi `$ is an isomorphism, it suffices to show that $`(R_{}R)/𝒥`$ is a free $`R`$-module of the same rank, for in that case the kernel of $`\varphi `$, being of rank 0, is a torsion submodule of a free module and is therefore the zero module. Note that

$$\frac{R_{}R}{𝒥}R_{R^W}R,$$

since the tensor product over $`R^W`$ is obtained from the tensor product over $``$ by dividing out by the ideal generated by elements of the form $`b11b`$ for $`bR^W`$. Moreover,

$`R_{R^W}R`$ $`(R_{})_{R^W}R\left(R_{}{\displaystyle \frac{R^W}{(R_+^W)}}\right)_{R^W}R`$
$`R_{}\left({\displaystyle \frac{R^W}{(R_+^W)}}_{R^W}R\right)R_{}{\displaystyle \frac{R}{(R_+^W)}}`$
$`R_{}H^{}(G/T)\text{(Theorem }\text{5}\text{).}`$
So $`(R_{}R)/𝒥`$ is a free $`R`$-module of rank equal to $`dimH^{}(G/T)`$. This proves that $`\varphi `$ is an isomorphism.

(ii) Since the fiber bundle $`G/HG/T`$ with fiber $`H/T`$ is $`T`$-equivariant, it induces a map in homotopy quotients $`(G/H)_T(G/T)_T`$, which is also a fiber bundle with fiber $`H/T`$. By Lemma 4,

$`H_T^{}(G/H)`$ $`=H_T^{}(G/T)^{W_H}`$
$`={\displaystyle \frac{[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}]_{}([\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]^{W_H})}{𝒥}},`$ (7)
where as before, $`𝒥`$ is the ideal generated by $`b(\stackrel{~}{y})b(u)`$ for all $`bR_+^{W_G}`$. ∎

## 9. The tangent bundle of $`G/H`$

Let $`G`$ be a Lie group with Lie algebra $`𝔤`$, and $`H`$ a closed subgroup with Lie algebra $`𝔥`$.

###### Proposition 12 (See also \[16, p. 130\]).

The tangent bundle of $`G/H`$ is diffeomorphic to the vector bundle $`G\times _H(𝔤/𝔥)`$ associated to the principal $`H`$-bundle $`GG/H`$ via the adjoint representation of $`H`$ on $`𝔤/𝔥`$.

Proof. For $`gG`$, let $`\mathrm{}_g:G/HG/H`$ denote left multiplication by $`g`$. Then $`\mathrm{}_g`$ is a diffeomorphism and its differential

$$(\mathrm{}_g)_{}:T_{eH}(G/H)T_{gH}(G/H)$$

is an isomorphism.

Now define

$$\phi :G\times _H(𝔤/𝔥)T(G/H)$$

by

$$\phi ([g,v])=(\mathrm{}_g)_{}(v).$$

To show that $`\phi `$ is well-defined, pick another representative of $`[g,v]`$, say $`[gh,\mathrm{Ad}(h^1)v]`$ for some $`hH`$. Then

$`(\mathrm{}_{gh})_{}(\mathrm{Ad}(h^1)v)`$ $`=(\mathrm{}_{gh})_{}(\mathrm{}_{h^1})_{}(r_h)_{}v`$
$`=(\mathrm{}_g)_{}(\mathrm{}_h)_{}(\mathrm{}_{h^1})_{}(r_h)_{}v`$
$`=(\mathrm{}_g)_{}v,`$
since right multiplication $`r_h`$ on $`G/H`$ is the identity map.

Since $`dimG/H=dim𝔤/𝔥`$, $`\phi `$ is a surjective bundle map of two vector bundles of the same rank, and so it is an isomorphism. ∎

## 10. Equivariant Euler class of the normal bundle at a fixed point of $`G/T`$

In this section $`G`$ is a compact, connected Lie group, $`T`$ a maximal torus in $`G`$, $`𝔤`$ and $`𝔱`$ their respective Lie algebras, and $`W=N_G(T)/T`$ the Weyl group of $`T`$ in $`G`$. The adjoint representation of $`T`$ on $`𝔤`$ decomposes $`𝔤`$ into a direct sum

$$𝔤=𝔱\left(\underset{\alpha ^+}{}_\alpha \right),$$

where $`^+`$ is a choice of positive roots.

Let $`wW`$ be a fixed point of the left multiplication action of $`T`$ on $`G/T`$, and $`\nu _w`$ the normal bundle of $`\{w\}`$ in $`G/T`$. The normal bundle at a point is simply the tangent space. Let $`\mathrm{}(w)`$ be the length of $`w`$ and $`(1)^w:=(1)^{\mathrm{}(w)}`$ the sign of $`w`$.

###### Proposition 13 (Euler class formula for $`G/T`$).

The equivariant Euler class of the normal bundle $`\nu _w`$ at a fixed point $`wW`$ of the left action of $`T`$ on $`G/T`$ is

$$e^T(\nu _w)=w\left(\underset{\alpha ^+}{}c_1(S_\alpha )\right)=(1)^w\underset{\alpha ^+}{}c_1(S_\alpha )H^{}(BT).$$

Proof. By Proposition 12 the tangent bundle of $`G/T`$ is the homogeneous vector bundle associated to the adjoint representation of $`T`$ on $`𝔤/𝔱=_{\alpha ^+}_\alpha `$. In the notation of Section 1, with $`L_\alpha `$ being the complex line bundle over $`G/T`$ associated to the character $`\alpha `$ of $`T`$,

$$T(G/T)G\times _T(𝔤/𝔱)G\times _T\left(\underset{\alpha ^+}{}_\alpha \right)\underset{\alpha ^+}{}L_\alpha .$$
(8)
By (8) and Lemma 8, at a fixed point $`w`$ the normal bundle $`\nu _w`$ is

$$\nu _w=T_w(G/T)=\underset{\alpha ^+}{}(L_\alpha )_w\underset{\alpha ^+}{}_{w\alpha }.$$

It follows that the equivariant Euler class of $`\nu _w`$ is

$`e^T(\nu _w)`$ $`=e^T\left({\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+}{}}_{w\alpha }\right)=e\left({\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+}{}}(_{w\alpha })_T\right)`$
$`=e\left({\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+}{}}S_{w\alpha }\right)`$ (by the definition of $`S_\alpha `$)
$`={\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+}{}}c_1(S_{w\alpha })={\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+}{}}wc_1(S_\alpha )`$ (Corollary 3)
$`=w\left({\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+}{}}c_1(S_\alpha )\right)`$ ($`w`$ is a ring homomorphism)
Each simple reflection $`s`$ in the Weyl group $`W=N_G(T)/T`$ carries exactly one positive root to a negative root. Note that $`c_1(S_\alpha )=c_1(S_\alpha ^{^{}})=c_1(S_\alpha )`$. Hence,

$$s\left(\underset{\alpha ^+}{}c_1(S_\alpha )\right)=\underset{\alpha ^+}{}c_1(S_{s\alpha })=\underset{\alpha ^+}{}c_1(S_\alpha ).$$

Since $`w`$ is the product of $`\mathrm{}(w)`$ reflections,

$$w\left(\underset{\alpha ^+}{}c_1(S_\alpha )\right)=(1)^{\mathrm{}(w)}\underset{\alpha ^+}{}c_1(S_\alpha ).$$

## 11. Fixed points of $`T`$ acting on $`G/H`$

The quotient space $`W_G/W_H`$ can be viewed as a subset of $`G/H`$ via

$$\frac{W_G}{W_H}\frac{N_G(T)}{N_H(T)}=\frac{N_G(T)}{N_G(T)H}\frac{G}{H}.$$

###### Proposition 14.

Under the action of $`T`$ on $`G/H`$ by left multiplication, the fixed point set $`F`$ is $`W_G/W_H`$.

Proof. The coset $`xH`$ is a fixed point

iff $`txH=xH\text{for all }tT`$
iff $`x^1txH=H\text{for all }tT`$
iff $`x^1txH\text{for all }tT`$
iff $`x^1TxH.`$
Since any two maximal tori in $`H`$ are conjugate by an element of $`H`$, there is an element $`hH`$ such that

$$h^1x^1Txh=T.$$

Therefore, $`xhN_G(T)`$, and $`xH=xhH`$. Thus any fixed point can be represented as $`yH`$ for some $`yN_G(T)`$.

Conversely, if $`yN_G(T)`$, then $`yH`$ is a fixed point of the action of $`T`$ on $`G/H`$, since $`TyH=yTH=yH`$. It follows that there is a surjective map

$`N_G(T)`$ $`FG/H,`$
$`y`$ $`yH`$
with fiber $`N_G(T)H`$ and hence a bijection

$$\frac{N_G(T)}{N_G(T)H}F.$$

## 12. Restriction to a fixed point of $`G/H`$

###### Theorem 15 (Restriction formula for $`G/H`$).

With $`H_T^{}(G/H)`$ as in Theorem 11(ii) and $`w`$ a fixed point in $`W_G/W_H`$, the restriction map $`i_w^{}`$ in equivariant cohomology

$$i_w^{}:H_T^{}(G/H)H_T^{}(\{w\})=[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}]$$

is given by

$$i_w^{}u_i=u_i,i_w^{}f(\stackrel{~}{y})=wf(u)$$

for any $`W_H`$-invariant polynomial $`f(\stackrel{~}{y})[\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]^{W_H}`$.

Proof. Write $`w=xHN_G(T)/(N_G(T)H)G/H`$, with $`xN_G(T)`$. The commutative diagram of $`T`$-equivariant maps

induces a commutative diagram in equivariant cohomology

Since $`\sigma ^{}:H_T^{}(G/H)H_T^{}(G/T)`$ is an injection and

$$\sigma _x^{}:H_T^{}(\{xH\})=H^{}(BT)H^{}(BT)=H_T^{}(\{xT\})$$

is the identity map, the restriction $`i_{xH}^{}`$ is given by the same formula as the restriction $`i_{xT}^{}`$. The theorem then follows from the restriction formula for $`G/T`$ (Proposition 10). ∎

## 13. Pullback of an associated bundle

Assume that $`\rho :H\mathrm{GL}(V)`$ is a representation of the group $`H`$ on a vector space $`V`$ over any field. By restriction, one obtains a representation of the maximal torus $`T`$.

###### Proposition 16.

Let $`\sigma :G/TG/H`$ be the projection map. Under $`\sigma `$ the associated bundle $`G\times _HV`$ pulls back to $`G\times _TV`$:

$$\sigma ^{}(G\times _HV)G\times _TV.$$

Proof. Let $`[g,v]_T`$ and $`[g,v]_H`$ denote the equivalence classes of $`(g,v)`$ in $`G\times _TV`$ and $`G\times _HV`$ respectively. Define $`\phi :G\times _TV\sigma ^{}(G\times _HV)`$ by

$$[g,v]_T(gT,[g,v]_H).$$

If $`(gT,[g^{},v^{}]_H)`$ is any element of $`\sigma ^{}(G\times _HV)`$, then $`gH=g^{}H`$. Hence, $`g^{}=gh`$ for some $`hH`$ and

$`(gT,[g^{},v^{}]_H)`$ $`=(gT,[gh,v^{}]_H)`$
$`=(gT,[g,hv^{}]_H)`$
$`=\phi ([g,hv^{}]_T),`$
which shows that $`\phi `$ is surjective. A surjective bundle map between two vector bundles of the same rank is an isomorphism. ∎

## 14. Pulling back the tangent bundle of $`G/H`$ to $`G/T`$

Let $`𝔤,𝔥`$, and $`𝔱`$ be the Lie algebras of $`G,H`$, and $`T`$ respectively. Under the adjoint representation of $`H`$ the Lie algebra $`𝔤`$ decomposes into a direct sum of $`H`$-modules

$$𝔤=𝔥𝔪.$$

By Proposition 12, the tangent bundle of $`G/H`$ is the associated bundle

$$T(G/H)G\times _H𝔪.$$
(9)
Restricting the adjoint representation to the maximal torus $`T`$, the Lie algebras of $`H`$ and $`G`$ decompose further into a sum of $`T`$-modules

$$𝔥=𝔱\left(\underset{\alpha ^+(H)}{}_\alpha \right)$$

and

$$𝔤=𝔱\left(\underset{\alpha ^+(H)}{}_\alpha \right)\left(\underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}_\alpha \right),$$

where $`^+(H)`$ denotes a choice of positive roots for $`H`$, $`^+`$ a choice of positive roots for $`G`$ containing $`^+(H)`$, and $`^+^+(H)`$ the complement of $`^+(H)`$ in $`^+`$. Hence, as a $`T`$-module,

$$𝔪=\underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}_\alpha .$$
(10)
###### Proposition 17.

Under the natural projection $`\sigma :G/TG/H`$, the tangent bundle $`T(G/H)`$ pulls back to a sum of associated line bundles:

$$\sigma ^{}T(G/H)\underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}L_\alpha .$$

Proof.

$`\sigma ^{}T(G/H)`$ $`\sigma ^{}(G\times _H𝔪)G\times _T𝔪`$ (by (9) and Proposition 16)
$`=G\times _T\left({\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}}_\alpha \right)`$ (by (10))
$`={\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}}L_\alpha `$ (definition of $`L_\alpha `$)
## 15. The normal bundle at a fixed point of $`G/H`$

At a fixed point $`w=xH`$ of $`G/H`$, with $`xN_G(T)`$, the action of $`T`$ on $`G/H`$ induces an action of $`T`$ on the tangent space $`T_w(G/H)`$.

###### Proposition 18.

At a fixed point $`w=xH`$ of $`G/H`$, the tangent space $`T_w(G/H)`$ decomposes as a representation of $`T`$ into

$$T_w(G/H)\underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}_{w\alpha }.$$

Proof. Let $`\sigma :G/TG/H`$ be the projection map. Then

$`T_{xH}(G/H)`$ $`=(T(G/H))_{xH}`$ (fiber of tangent bundle at $`xH`$)
$`=(\sigma ^{}T(G/H))_{xT}`$
$`=\left({\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}}(L_\alpha )_{xT}\right)`$ (Proposition 17)
$`{\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}}_{w\alpha }`$ (Lemma 8)
###### Theorem 19 (Euler class formula for $`G/H`$).

At a fixed point $`wW_G/W_H`$ of the left action of $`T`$ on $`G/H`$, the equivariant Euler class of the normal bundle $`\nu _w`$ is given by

$$e^T(\nu _w)=w\left(\underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}c_1(S_\alpha )\right).$$

Proof. The normal bundle $`\nu _w`$ at the point $`w`$ is the tangent space $`T_w(G/H)`$. By the multiplicativity of the Euler class and the fact that the Euler class of a complex line bundle is its first Chern class, the equivariant Euler class of $`\nu _w`$ is

$`e^T(\nu _w)`$ $`=e^T(T_w(G/H))=e^T\left({\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}}_{w\alpha }\right)\text{(Proposition }\text{18}\text{)}`$
$`={\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}}c_1^T(_{w\alpha })={\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}}c_1((_{w\alpha })_T)`$
$`={\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}}c_1(S_{w\alpha })=w\left({\displaystyle \underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}}c_1(S_\alpha )\right).`$
## 16. Equivariant characteristic numbers of $`G/H`$ and $`G/T`$

Suppose a torus $`T`$ acts on a compact oriented manifold $`M`$. Let $`\pi :M\mathrm{pt}`$ be the constant map and $`\pi _{}:H_T^{}(M;)H_T^{}(\mathrm{pt};)=H^{}(BT;)`$ the push-forward or integration map in equivariant cohomology. For any class $`\stackrel{~}{\eta }H_T^{}(M;)`$, the equivariant localization formula computes $`\pi _{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }`$ in terms of an integral over the fixed point set $`F`$ (, ). In case the fixed points are isolated, the equivariant localization formula states that

$$\pi _{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }=\underset{pF}{}\frac{i_p^{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }}{e^T(\nu _p)}.$$
(11)
On the right-hand side the calculation is performed in the fraction field of $`H^{}(BT;)`$ and so is a priori a rational function of $`u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}`$, but it is part of the theorem that the sum will be a polynomial in $`u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}`$ since the left-hand side $`\pi _{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }H^{}(BT;)`$ is a polynomial in $`u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}`$.

Although the equivariant localization formula is stated for real cohomology, by viewing rational cohomology as a subset of real cohomology, we can apply the equivariant localization formula to rational cohomology classes. Now suppose $`G`$ is a compact, connected Lie group, $`T`$ a maximal torus in $`G`$, and $`H`$ a closed subgroup of $`G`$ containing $`T`$. For $`\stackrel{~}{\eta }H_T^{}(G/H;)`$, $`\pi _{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }`$ is a priori a real class in $`H^{}(BT;)`$. However, the explicit formula (12) below shows that it is in fact a rational class in $`H^{}(BT;)`$.

For $`M=G/H`$ with the standard torus action, by Theorem 11(ii), an element of $`H_T^{}(G/H;)`$ is of the form

$$\stackrel{~}{\eta }=(\pi ^{}a_i(u))f_i(\stackrel{~}{y}),$$

where $`a_i(u)[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}]`$ and $`f_i(\stackrel{~}{y})[\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]^{W_H}`$. By the projection formula,

$$\pi _{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }=a_i(u)\pi _{}f_i(\stackrel{~}{y}).$$

Thus, to calculate $`\pi _{}:H_T^{}(G/H;)H_T^{}(G/H;)H^{}(BT;)`$, it suffices to calculate $`\pi _{}f(\stackrel{~}{y})`$ for $`f(\stackrel{~}{y})=f(\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}})`$ a $`W_H`$-invariant polynomial with coefficients in $``$. Since $`\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}`$ are all equivariant characteristic classes, $`\pi _{}f(\stackrel{~}{y})`$ is called an *equivariant characteristic number* of $`G/H`$. With the aid of the restriction formula (Theorem 15) and the Euler class formula (Theorem 19), the equivariant localization formula (11) gives for any $`f(\stackrel{~}{y})[\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]^{W_H}`$,

$$\pi _{}f(\stackrel{~}{y})=\underset{wW_G/W_H}{}w\left(\frac{f(u)}{_{\alpha ^+^+(H)}c_1(S_\alpha )}\right).$$
(12)
In this formula, $`f(u)=f(u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}})`$ is obtained from $`f(\stackrel{~}{y})`$ by replacing $`\stackrel{~}{y}_i`$ by $`u_i`$. Since the left-hand side $`\pi _{}f(\stackrel{~}{y})H^{}(BT;)`$ is a polynomial in $`u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}}`$ with real coefficients, so is the right-hand side. But the right-hand side clearly has rational coefficients. Hence, $`\pi _{}f(\stackrel{~}{y})H^{}(BT;)`$.

For $`G/T`$,

$$H_T^{}(G/T)=\frac{[u_1,\mathrm{},u_{\mathrm{}},\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]}{(b(\stackrel{~}{y})b(u)bR_+^{W_G})},$$

and the fixed point set is $`W_G`$. For $`f(\stackrel{~}{y})[\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_{\mathrm{}}]`$, by the restriction formula (Proposition 10) and the Euler class formula (Proposition 13) for $`G/T`$,

$$\pi _{}f(\stackrel{~}{y})=\underset{wW_G}{}w\left(\frac{f(u)}{_{\alpha ^+}c_1(S_\alpha )}\right)=\frac{_{wW_G}(1)^wwf(u)}{_{\alpha ^+}c_1(S_\alpha )}.$$
(13)
## 17. Ordinary integration and equivariant integration

We state a general principle (Proposition 20), well known to the experts, relating ordinary integration and equivariant integration.

###### Proposition 20.

Let $`M`$ be a compact oriented manifold of dimension $`n`$ on which a compact, connected Lie group $`G`$ acts and let $`\pi _{}:H_G^{}(M;)H^{}(BG;)`$ be equivariant integration. Suppose a cohomology class $`\eta H^n(M;)`$ has an equivariant extension $`\stackrel{~}{\eta }H_G^n(M;)`$. Then

$$_M\eta =\pi _{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }.$$
(14)
###### Remark 21.

For a torus action the right-hand side $`\pi _{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }`$ of (14) can be computed using the equivariant localization formula in terms of the fixed point set $`F`$ of $`T`$ on $`M`$. In case the fixed points are isolated, this gives

$$_M\eta =\underset{pF}{}\frac{i_p^{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }}{e^T(\nu _p)}.$$

Proof of Proposition 20. The commutative diagram

induces by the push-pull formula (\[12, p. 158\]) a commutative diagram in cohomology

(15)
In degree 0, the restriction $`j^{}:H^0(BG;)H^0(\mathrm{pt};)=`$ is an isomorphism. Hence, if $`\eta `$ has degree $`n`$ in $`H^n(M;)`$, then by the commutative diagram (15) and the push-pull formula

$$_M\eta =\tau _{}\eta =\tau _{}i^{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }=j^{}\pi _{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }=\pi _{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }.$$

Since all ordinary characteristic classes of $`G`$-vector bundles have equivariant extensions, all ordinary characteristic numbers of $`G`$-vector bundles can be computed from the equivariant localization formula.

Fix a basis $`\chi _1,\mathrm{},\chi _{\mathrm{}}`$ of the character group $`\widehat{T}`$ of the maximal torus $`T`$ in the compact, connected Lie group $`G`$. Let $`H`$ be a closed subgroup containing $`T`$ in $`G`$. On $`G/T`$, we have associated bundles $`L_{\chi _i}:=G\times _T_{\chi _i}`$. Let $`y_i=c_1(L_{\chi _i})H^2(G/T;)`$. Let $`R`$ be the polynomial ring $`[y_1,\mathrm{},y_{\mathrm{}}]`$. By Theorem 6,

$$H^{}(G/H;)=\frac{R^{W_H}}{(R_+^{W_G})}=\frac{[y_1,\mathrm{},y_{\mathrm{}}]^{W_H}}{(R_+^{W_G})}.$$

###### Theorem 22.

Let $`f(y)[y_1,\mathrm{},y_{\mathrm{}}]^{W_H}`$ be a $`W_H`$-invariant polynomial of degree $`dimG/H`$, where each $`y_i`$ has degree 2. Then the characteristic number $`_{G/H}f(y)`$ of $`G/H`$ is given by

$$_{G/H}f(y)=\pi _{}f(\stackrel{~}{y})=\underset{wW_G/W_H}{}w\left(\frac{f(u)}{_{\alpha ^+^+(H)}c_1(S_\alpha )}\right).$$

Proof. Since $`\stackrel{~}{y}_i=c_1^T(L_{\chi _i})`$ is an equivariant extension of $`y_i`$, the cohomology class $`f(\stackrel{~}{y})H_T^{}(G/H;)`$ is an equivariant extension of $`f(y)`$. Combining Proposition 20 and (12), the formula for the ordinary characteristic numbers of $`G/H`$ follows. As noted earlier, (12) shows that if $`f(\stackrel{~}{y})`$ is a rational class, then so is $`\pi _{}f(\stackrel{~}{y})`$. ∎

## 18. Example: the complex Grassmannian

In this example, we work out the $`T`$-equivariant cohomology ring as well as the characteristic numbers of the complex Grassmannian $`G(k,n)`$ of $`k`$-planes in $`^n`$. As a homogeneous space, $`G(k,n)`$ can be represented as $`G/H`$, where $`G`$ is the unitary group $`U(n)`$ and $`H`$ is the closed subgroup $`U(k)\times U(nk)`$.

A maximal torus contained in $`H`$ is

$$T=\underset{n}{\underset{}{U(1)\times \mathrm{}\times U(1)}}=\left\{t=\left[\begin{array}{ccc}t_1& & \\ & \mathrm{}& \\ & & t_n\end{array}\right]\right|t_iU(1)\}.$$

A basis for the characters of $`T`$ is $`\chi _1,\mathrm{},\chi _n`$, with $`\chi _i(t)=t_i`$. The characters $`\chi _i`$ define line bundles $`S_{\chi _i}`$ over the classifying space $`BT`$. We let $`u_i=c_1(S_{\chi _i})H^2(BT)`$. A choice of positive roots for $`G`$ and for $`H`$ is

$`^+`$ $`=\{\chi _i\chi _j1i<jn\},`$
$`^+(H)`$ $`=\{\chi _i\chi _j1i<jk\}\{\chi _i\chi _jk+1i<jn\}.`$
Therefore,

$$^+^+(H)=\{\chi _i\chi _j1ik,k+1jn\}.$$

If $`\alpha =\chi _i\chi _j`$, then

$$c_1(S_\alpha )=c_1(S_{\chi _i}S_{\chi _j}^{})=c_1(S_{\chi _i})c_1(S_{\chi _j})=u_iu_j.$$
(15)
The Weyl groups of $`T`$ in $`G`$ and $`H`$ are

$`W_G`$ $`=S_n,\text{the symmetric group on }n\text{ letters},`$
$`W_H`$ $`=S_k\times S_{nk}.`$
(Notation: $`S_\alpha ,S_\chi `$ are line bundles over $`BT`$ associated to the characters $`\alpha `$ and $`\chi `$, but $`S_k`$, $`S_n`$ are symmetric groups.) A permutation in the symmetric group $`S_n`$ is a bijection $`w:\{1,\mathrm{},n\}\{1,\mathrm{},n\}`$,

$$w(1)=i_1,\mathrm{},w(k)=i_k,w(k+1)=j_1,\mathrm{},w(n)=j_{nk},$$
(16)
where $`I=(i_1,\mathrm{},i_k)`$ and $`J=(j_1,\mathrm{},j_{nk})`$ are two *complementary* multi-indices, i.e., $`IJ=\{1,\mathrm{},n\}`$. The equivalence class of $`w`$ in $`S_n/(S_k\times S_{nk})`$ has a unique representative with $`I=(i_1<\mathrm{}<i_k)`$ and $`J=(j_1<\mathrm{}<j_{nk})`$ both strictly increasing.

By Theorem 11(ii), the rational equivariant cohomology ring of the Grassmannian $`G(k,n)`$ under the torus action is

$$H_T^{}(G(k,n))=\frac{[u_1,\mathrm{},u_n]_{}([\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_k,\stackrel{~}{y}_{k+1},\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_n]^{S_k\times S_{nk}})}{𝒥},$$
(17)
where $`𝒥`$ is the ideal in $`[u_1,\mathrm{},u_n]_{}([\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_k,\stackrel{~}{y}_{k+1},\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_n]^{S_k\times S_{nk}})`$ generated by $`b(\stackrel{~}{y})b(u)`$ for all symmetric polynomials $`b(\stackrel{~}{y})[\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_n]`$. Let $`\sigma _r`$ be the $`r`$th elementary symmetric polynomial. Since every symmetric polynomial is a polynomial in the elementary symmetric polynomials, $`𝒥`$ is also the ideal generated by $`\sigma _r(\stackrel{~}{y})\sigma _r(u)`$ for $`r=1,\mathrm{},n`$. Thus, we may write

$$H_T^{}(G(k,n))=\frac{[u_1,\mathrm{},u_n]_{}([\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_k,\stackrel{~}{y}_{k+1},\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_n]^{S_k\times S_{nk}})}{((1+\stackrel{~}{y}_i)(1+u_i))}$$
(18)
In this formula, the notation $`(p(u,\stackrel{~}{y}))`$ means the ideal generated by the homogeneous terms of the polynomial $`p(u,\stackrel{~}{y})`$.

If $`S`$ and $`Q`$ are the universal sub- and quotient bundles over $`G(k,n)`$, then setting

$`\stackrel{~}{s}_r=c_r^T(S)`$ $`=\sigma _r(\stackrel{~}{y}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_k),\stackrel{~}{q}_r=c_r^T(Q)=\sigma _r(\stackrel{~}{y}_{k+1},\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{y}_n),`$
we have
$`1+\stackrel{~}{s}_1+\mathrm{}+\stackrel{~}{s}_k`$ $`={\displaystyle \underset{i=1}{\overset{k}{}}}(1+\stackrel{~}{y}_i),\text{and}1+\stackrel{~}{q}_1+\mathrm{}+\stackrel{~}{q}_{nk}={\displaystyle \underset{i=k+1}{\overset{n}{}}}(1+\stackrel{~}{y}_i).`$
Thus (18) can be rewritten in the form

$$H_T^{}(G(k,n))=\frac{[u_1,\mathrm{},u_n,\stackrel{~}{s}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{s}_k,\stackrel{~}{q}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{q}_{nk}]}{((1+\stackrel{~}{s}_1+\mathrm{}+\stackrel{~}{s}_k)(1+\stackrel{~}{q}_1+\mathrm{}+\stackrel{~}{q}_{nk})(1+u_i))}.$$

Using the relation

$$1+\underset{i=1}{\overset{nk}{}}\stackrel{~}{q}_i=\frac{(1+u_i)}{1+\stackrel{~}{s}_i},$$
(19)
one can eliminate all the $`\stackrel{~}{q}_i`$ from $`H_T^{}(G(k,n))`$; in other words, $`H_T^{}(G(k,n))`$ is generated as an algebra over $`[u_1,\mathrm{},u_n]`$ by $`\stackrel{~}{s}_1,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{s}_k`$ with relations given by terms of degree $`>2(nk)`$ in (19). In computing degrees, keep in mind that $`\mathrm{deg}u_i=2`$ and $`\mathrm{deg}\stackrel{~}{s}_i=\mathrm{deg}\stackrel{~}{q}_i=2i`$.

Similarly, in this notation, the rational cohomology ring of the Grassmannian $`G(k,n)`$ is

$`H^{}(G(k,n))`$ $`={\displaystyle \frac{[y_1,\mathrm{},y_k,y_{k+1},\mathrm{},y_n]^{S_k\times S_{nk}}}{((1+y_i))}}`$
$`={\displaystyle \frac{[s_1,\mathrm{},s_k,q_1,\mathrm{},q_{nk}]}{((1+s_1+\mathrm{}+s_k)(1+q_1+\mathrm{}+q_{nk}))}},`$
where $`s_r=c_r(S)=\sigma _r(y_1,\mathrm{},y_k)`$ and $`q_r=c_r(Q)=\sigma _r(y_{k+1},\mathrm{},y_n)`$.

###### Proposition 23.

The characteristic numbers of $`G(k,n)`$ are

$$_{G(k,n)}c_1(S)^{m_1}\mathrm{}c_k(S)^{m_k}=\underset{I}{}\frac{_{r=1}^k\sigma _r(u_{i_1},\mathrm{},u_{i_k})^{m_r}}{_{iI}_{jJ}(u_iu_j)},$$
(20)
where $`m_r=k(nk)`$, $`I`$ runs over all multi-indices $`1i_1<\mathrm{}<i_kn`$ and $`J`$ is its complementary multi-index.

Proof. In Theorem 22, take $`f(y)`$ to be $`_{r=1}^kc_r(S)^{m_r}=_{r=1}^k\sigma _r(y_1,\mathrm{},y_k)^{m_r}`$ and

$$w=(i_1,\mathrm{},i_k,j_1,\mathrm{},j_{nk})$$

as in (16). Because $`wu_1=u_{i_1}`$, …, $`wu_k=u_{i_k}`$,

$$wf(u)=\underset{r=1}{\overset{k}{}}\sigma _r(u_{i_1},\mathrm{},u_{i_k})^{m_r}.$$

By (15),

$$\underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}c_1(S_\alpha )=\underset{i=1}{\overset{k}{}}\underset{j=k+1}{\overset{n}{}}(u_iu_j).$$

By (16),

$$w\left(\underset{\alpha ^+^+(H)}{}c_1(S_\alpha )\right)=w\left(\underset{i=1}{\overset{k}{}}\underset{j=k+1}{\overset{n}{}}(u_iu_j)\right)=\underset{iI}{}\underset{jJ}{}(u_iu_j).$$

One of the surprising features of the localization formula is that although the right-hand side of (20) is apparently a sum of rational functions of $`u_1,\mathrm{},u_n`$, the sum is in fact an integer.

Example.  As an example, we compute the characteristic numbers of $`P^2=G(1,3)`$. The rational cohomology of $`P^2`$ is $`H^{}(P^2)=[x]/(x^3)`$, generated by $`x=c_1(S^{^{}})=c_1(S)`$. By Proposition 23,

$`{\displaystyle _{P^2}}x^2`$ $`={\displaystyle _{G(1,3)}}c_1(S)^2={\displaystyle \underset{i=1}{\overset{3}{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{u_i^2}{_{ji}(u_iu_j)}}`$
$`={\displaystyle \frac{u_1^2}{(u_1u_2)(u_1u_3)}}+{\displaystyle \frac{u_2^2}{(u_2u_1)(u_2u_3)}}+{\displaystyle \frac{u_3^2}{(u_3u_1)(u_3u_2)}},`$
which simplifies to 1, as expected.