\chapter{Bonus: Cellular homology} We now introduce cellular homology, which essentially lets us compute the homology groups of any CW complex we like. \section{Degrees} \prototype{$z \mapsto z^d$ has degree $d$.} For any $n > 0$ and map $f : S^n \to S^n$, consider \[ f_\ast : \underbrace{H_n(S^n)}_{\cong \ZZ} \to \underbrace{H_n(S^n)}_{\cong \ZZ} \] which must be multiplication by some constant $d$. This $d$ is called the \vocab{degree} of $f$, denoted $\deg f$. \begin{ques} Show that $\deg(f \circ g) = \deg(f) \deg(g)$. \end{ques} \begin{example} [Degree] \listhack \begin{enumerate}[(a)] \ii For $n=1$, the map $z \mapsto z^k$ (viewing $S^1 \subseteq \CC$) has degree $k$. \ii A reflection map $(x_0, x_1, \dots, x_n) \mapsto (-x_0, x_1, \dots, x_n)$ has degree $-1$; we won't prove this, but geometrically this should be clear. \ii The antipodal map $x \mapsto -x$ has degree $(-1)^{n+1}$ since it's the composition of $n+1$ reflections as above. We denote this map by $-\id$. \end{enumerate} \end{example} Obviously, if $f$ and $g$ are homotopic, then $\deg f = \deg g$. In fact, a theorem of Hopf says that this is a classifying invariant: anytime $\deg f = \deg g$, we have that $f$ and $g$ are homotopic. One nice application of this: \begin{theorem} [Hairy ball theorem] If $n > 0$ is even, then $S^n$ doesn't have a continuous field of nonzero tangent vectors. \end{theorem} \begin{proof} If the vectors are nonzero then WLOG they have norm $1$; that is for every $x$ we have an orthogonal unit vector $v(x)$. Then we can construct a homotopy map $F : S^n \times [0,1] \to S^n$ by \[ (x,t) \mapsto (\cos \pi t)x + (\sin \pi t) v(x). \] which gives a homotopy from $\id$ to $-\id$. So $\deg(\id) = \deg(-\id)$, which means $1 = (-1)^{n+1}$ so $n$ must be odd. \end{proof} Of course, the one can construct such a vector field whenever $n$ is odd. For example, when $n=1$ such a vector field is drawn below. \begin{center} \begin{asy} size(5cm); draw(unitcircle, blue+1); label("$S^1$", dir(100), dir(100), blue); void arrow(real theta) { pair P = dir(theta); dot(P); pair delta = 0.8*P*dir(90); draw( P--(P+delta), EndArrow ); } arrow(0); arrow(50); arrow(140); arrow(210); arrow(300); \end{asy} \end{center} \section{Cellular chain complex} Before starting, we state: \begin{lemma} [CW homology groups] Let $X$ be a CW complex. Then \begin{align*} H_k(X^n, X^{n-1}) &\cong \begin{cases} \ZZ^{\oplus\text{\#$n$-cells of $X$}} & k = n \\ 0 & \text{otherwise}. \end{cases} \\ \intertext{and} H_k(X^n) &\cong \begin{cases} H_k(X) & k \le n-1 \\ 0 & k \ge n+1. \end{cases} \end{align*} \end{lemma} \begin{proof} % I'll prove just the case where $X$ is finite-dimensional as usual. The first part is immediate by noting that $(X^n, X^{n-1})$ is a good pair and $X^n/X^{n-1}$ is a wedge sum of two spheres. For the second part, fix $k$ and note that, as long as $n \le k-1$ or $n \ge k+2$, \[ \underbrace{H_{k+1}(X^n, X^{n-1})}_{=0} \to H_k(X^{n-1}) \to H_k(X^n) \to \underbrace{H_{k}(X^n, X^{n-1})}_{=0}. \] So we have isomorphisms \[ H_k(X^{k-1}) \cong H_k(X^{k-2}) \cong \dots \cong H_k(X^0) = 0 \] and \[ H_k(X^{k+1}) \cong H_k(X^{k+2}) \cong \dots \cong H_k(X). \qedhere \] \end{proof} So, we know that the groups $H_k(X^k, X^{k-1})$ are super nice: they are free abelian with basis given by the cells of $X$. So, we give them a name: \begin{definition} For a CW complex $X$, we define \[ \Cells_k(X) = H_k(X^k, X^{k-1}) \] where $\Cells_0(X) = H_0(X^0, \varnothing) = H_0(X^0)$ by convention. So $\Cells_k(X)$ is an abelian group with basis given by the $k$-cells of $X$. \end{definition} Now, using $\Cells_k = H_k(X^k, X^{k-1})$ let's use our long exact sequence and try to string together maps between these. Consider the following diagram. \begin{center} \newcommand{\CX}[1]{\boxed{\color{blue}\Cells_{#1}(X)}} \begin{tikzcd}[column sep=tiny] & \underbrace{H_3(X^2)}_{=0} \ar[d, "0"] \\ \CX{4} \ar[r, "\partial_4"] \ar[rd, "d_4", blue] & H_3(X^3) \ar[r, two heads] \ar[d, "0"] & \underbrace{H_3(X^4)}_{\cong H_3(X)} \ar[r, "0"] & \underbrace{H_3(X^4, X^3)}_{= 0} \\ & \CX{3} \ar[d, "\partial_3"] \ar[rd, "d_3", blue] && \underbrace{H_1(X^0)}_{=0} \ar[d, "0"] \\ \underbrace{H_2(X^1)}_{=0} \ar[r, "0"] & H_2(X^2) \ar[r, hook] \ar[d, two heads] & \CX{2} \ar[r, "\partial_2"] \ar[rd, "d_2", blue] & H_1(X^1) \ar[r, two heads] & \underbrace{H_1(X^2)}_{\cong H_1(X)} \ar[r, "0"] & \underbrace{H_1(X^2, X^1)}_{=0} \\ & \underbrace{H_2(X^3)}_{\cong H_2(X)} \ar[d, "0"] && \CX{1} \ar[d, "\partial_1"] \ar[rd, "d_1", blue] \\ & \underbrace{H_2(X^3, X^2)}_{=0} & \underbrace{H_0(\varnothing)}_{=0} \ar[r, "0"] & H_0(X^0) \ar[r, hook] \ar[d, two heads] & \CX{0} \ar[r, "\partial_0"] & \dots \\ &&& \underbrace{H_0(X^1)}_{\cong H_0(X)} \ar[d, "0"] \\ &&& \underbrace{H_0(X^1, X^0)}_{=0} \end{tikzcd} \end{center} The idea is that we have taken all the exact sequences generated by adjacent skeletons, and strung them together at the groups $H_k(X^k)$, with half the exact sequences being laid out vertically and the other half horizontally. In that case, composition generates a sequence of dotted maps between the $H_k(X^k, X^{k-1})$ as shown. \begin{ques} Show that the composition of two adjacent dotted arrows is zero. \end{ques} So from the diagram above, we can read off a sequence of arrows \[ \dots \taking{d_5} \Cells_4(X) \taking{d_4} \Cells_3(X) \taking{d_3} \Cells_2(X) \taking{d_2} \Cells_1(X) \taking{d_1} \Cells_0(X) \taking{d_0} 0. \] This is a chain complex, called the \vocab{cellular chain complex}; as mentioned before before all the homology groups are free, but these ones are especially nice because for most reasonable CW complexes, they are also finitely generated (unlike the massive $C_\bullet(X)$ that we had earlier). In other words, the $H_k(X^k, X^{k-1})$ are especially nice ``concrete'' free groups that one can actually work with. The other reason we care is that in fact: \begin{theorem}[Cellular chain complex gives $H_n(X)$] \label{thm:cellular_chase} The $k$th homology group of the cellular chain complex is isomorphic to $H_k(X)$. \end{theorem} \begin{proof} Follows from the diagram; \Cref{prob:diagram_chase}. \end{proof} A nice application of this is to define the \vocab{Euler characteristic} of a finite CW complex $X$. Of course we can write \[ \chi(X) = \sum_n (-1)^n \cdot \#(\text{$n$-cells of $X$}) \] which generalizes the familiar $V-E+F$ formula. However, this definition is unsatisfactory because it depends on the choice of CW complex, while we actually want $\chi(X)$ to only depend on the space $X$ itself (and not how it was built). In light of this, we prove that: \begin{theorem} [Euler characteristic via Betti numbers] For any finite CW complex $X$ we have \[ \chi(X) = \sum_n (-1)^n \rank H_n(X). \] \end{theorem} Thus $\chi(X)$ does not depend on the choice of CW decomposition. The numbers \[ b_n = \rank H_n(X) \] are called the \vocab{Betti numbers} of $X$. In fact, we can use this to define $\chi(X)$ for any reasonable space; we are happy because in the (frequent) case that $X$ is a CW complex, \begin{proof} We quote the fact that if $0 \to A \to B \to C \to D \to 0$ is exact then $\rank B + \rank D = \rank A + \rank C$. Then for example the row \begin{center} \begin{tikzcd} \underbrace{H_2(X^1)}_{=0} \ar[r, "0"] & H_2(X^2) \ar[r, hook] & H_2(X^2, X^1) \ar[r, "\partial_2"] & H_1(X^1) \ar[r, two heads] & \underbrace{H_1(X^2)}_{\cong H_1(X)} \ar[r, "0"] & \underbrace{H_1(X^2, X^1)}_{=0} \end{tikzcd} \end{center} from the cellular diagram gives \[ \#(\text{$2$-cells}) + \rank H_1(X) = \rank H_2(X^2) + \rank H_1(X^1). \] More generally, \[ \#(\text{$k$-cells}) + \rank H_{k-1}(X) = \rank H_k(X^k) + \rank H_{k-1}(X^{k-1}) \] which holds also for $k=0$ if we drop the $H_{-1}$ terms (since $\#\text{$0$-cells} = \rank H_0(X^0)$ is obvious). Multiplying this by $(-1)^k$ and summing across $k \ge 0$ gives the conclusion. \end{proof} \begin{example} [Examples of Betti numbers] \listhack \begin{enumerate}[(a)] \ii The Betti numbers of $S^n$ are $b_0 = b_n = 1$, and zero elsewhere. The Euler characteristic is $1 + (-1)^n$. \ii The Betti numbers of a torus $S^1 \times S^1$ are $b_0 = 1$, $b_1 = 2$, $b_2 = 1$, and zero elsewhere. Thus the Euler characteristic is $0$. \ii The Betti numbers of $\CP^n$ are $b_0 = b_2 = \dots = b_{2n} = 1$, and zero elsewhere. Thus the Euler characteristic is $n+1$. \ii The Betti numbers of the Klein bottle are $b_0 = 1$, $b_1 = 1$ and zero elsewhere. Thus the Euler characteristic is $0$, the same as the sphere (also since their CW structures use the same number of cells). \end{enumerate} One notices that in the ``nice'' spaces $S^n$, $S^1 \times S^1$ and $\CP^n$ there is a nice symmetry in the Betti numbers, namely $b_k = b_{n-k}$. This is true more generally; see Poincar\'e duality and \Cref{prob:betti}. \end{example} \section{The cellular boundary formula} In fact, one can describe explicitly what the maps $d_n$ are. Recalling that $H_k(X^k, X^{k-1})$ has a basis the $k$-cells of $X$, we obtain: \begin{theorem} [Cellular boundary formula for $k=1$] For $k=1$, \[ d_1 : \Cells_1(X) \to \Cells_0(X) \] is just the boundary map. \end{theorem} \begin{theorem} [Cellular boundary for $k > 1$] Let $k > 1$ be a positive integer. Let $e^k$ be an $k$-cell, and let $\{e_\beta^{k-1}\}_\beta$ denote all $(k-1)$-cells of $X$. Then \[ d_k : \Cells_k(X) \to \Cells_{k-1}(X) \] is given on basis elements by \[ d_k(e^k) = \sum_\beta d_\beta e_\beta^{k-1} \] where $d_\beta$ is be the degree of the composed map \[ S^{k-1} = \partial D_\beta^k \xrightarrow{\text{attach}} X^{k-1} \surjto S_\beta^{k-1}. \] Here the first arrow is the attaching map for $e^k$ and the second arrow is the quotient of collapsing $X^{k-1} \setminus e^{k-1}_\beta$ to a point. \end{theorem} This gives us an algorithm for computing homology groups of a CW complex: \begin{itemize} \ii Construct the cellular chain complex, where $\Cells_k(X)$ is $\ZZ^{\oplus \# \text{$k$-cells}}$. \ii $d_1 : \Cells_1(X) \to \Cells_0(X)$ is just the boundary map (so $d_1(e^1)$ is the difference of the two endpoints). \ii For any $k > 1$, we compute $d_k : \Cells_k(X) \to \Cells_{k-1}(X)$ on basis elements as follows. Repeat the following for each $k$-cell $e^k$: \begin{itemize} \ii For every $k-1$ cell $e^{k-1}_\beta$, compute the degree of the boundary of $e^k$ welded onto the boundary of $e^{k-1}_\beta$, say $d_\beta$. \ii Then $d_k(e^k) = \sum_\beta d_\beta e^{k-1}_\beta$. \end{itemize} \ii Now we have the maps of the cellular chain complex, so we can compute the homologies directly (by taking the quotient of the kernel by the image). \end{itemize} We can use this for example to compute the homology groups of the torus again, as well as the Klein bottle and other spaces. \begin{example} [Cellular homology of a torus] Consider the torus built from $e^0$, $e^1_a$, $e^1_b$ and $e^2$ as before, where $e^2$ is attached via the word $aba\inv b\inv$. For example, $X^1$ is \begin{center} \begin{asy} unitsize(0.8cm); draw(shift(-1,0)*unitcircle, blue, MidArrow); draw(shift(1,0)*rotate(180)*unitcircle, red, MidArrow); label("$e^1_a$", 2*dir(180), dir(180), blue); label("$e^1_b$", 2*dir(0), dir(0), red); dotfactor *= 1.4; dot("$e^0$", origin, dir(0)); \end{asy} \end{center} The cellular chain complex is \begin{center} \begin{tikzcd} 0 \ar[r] & \ZZ e^2 \ar[r, "d_2"] & \ZZ e^1_a \oplus \ZZ e^1_b \ar[r, "d_1"] & \ZZ e^0 \ar[r, "d_0"] & 0 \end{tikzcd} \end{center} Now apply the cellular boundary formulas: \begin{itemize} \ii Recall that $d_1$ was the boundary formula. We have $d_1(e^1_a) = e_0 - e_0 = 0$ and similarly $d_1(e^1_b) = 0$. So $d_1 = 0$. \ii For $d_2$, consider the image of the boundary $e^2$ on $e^1_a$. Around $X^1$, it wraps once around $e^1_a$, once around $e^1_b$, again around $e^1_a$ (in the opposite direction), and again around $e^1_b$. Once we collapse the entire $e^1_b$ to a point, we see that the degree of the map is $0$. So $d_2(e^2)$ has no $e^1_a$ coefficient. Similarly, it has no $e^1_b$ coefficient, hence $d_2 = 0$. \end{itemize} Thus \[ d_1=d_2=0. \] So at every map in the complex, the kernel of the map is the whole space while the image is $\{0\}$. So the homology groups are $\ZZ$, $\ZZ^{\oplus 2}$, $\ZZ$. \end{example} \begin{example} [Cellular homology of the Klein bottle] Let $X$ be a Klein bottle. Consider cells $e^0$, $e^1_a$, $e^1_b$ and $e^2$ as before, but this time $e^2$ is attached via the word $abab\inv$. So $d_1$ is still zero, but this time we have $d_2(e^2) = 2e^1_a$ instead (why?). So our diagram looks like \begin{center} \begin{tikzcd}[row sep = tiny] 0 \ar[r, "0"] & \ZZ e^2 \ar[r, "d_2"] & \ZZ e^1_a \oplus \ZZ e^1_b \ar[r, "d_1"] & \ZZ e^0 \ar[r, "d_0"] & 0 \\ & e^2 \ar[r, mapsto] & 2e^1_a \\ && e_1^a \ar[r, mapsto] & 0 && \\ && e_1^b \ar[r, mapsto] & 0 \end{tikzcd} \end{center} So we get that $H_0(X) \cong \ZZ$, but \[ H_1(X) \cong \ZZ \oplus \Zc2 \] this time (it is $\ZZ^{\oplus 2}$ modulo a copy of $2\ZZ$). Also, $\ker d_2 = 0$, and so now $H_2(X) = 0$. \end{example} \section\problemhead \begin{dproblem} Let $n$ be a positive integer. Show that \[ H_k(\CP^n) \cong \begin{cases} \ZZ & k=0,2,4,\dots,2n \\ 0 & \text{otherwise}. \end{cases} \] \begin{hint} $\CP^n$ has no cells in adjacent dimensions, so all $d_k$ maps must be zero. \end{hint} \end{dproblem} \begin{problem} Show that a non-surjective map $f : S^n \to S^n$ has degree zero. \begin{hint} The space $S^n - \{x_0\}$ is contractible. \end{hint} \end{problem} \begin{problem}[Moore spaces] \gim Let $G_1$, $G_2$, \dots, $G_N$ be a sequence of finitely generated abelian groups. Construct a space $X$ such that \[ \wt H_n(X) \cong \begin{cases} G_n & 1 \le n \le N \\ 0 & \text{otherwise}. \end{cases} \] \end{problem} \begin{problem} \label{prob:diagram_chase} Prove \Cref{thm:cellular_chase}, showing that the homology groups of $X$ coincide with the homology groups of the cellular chain complex. \begin{hint} You won't need to refer to any elements. Start with \[ H_2(X) \cong H_2(X^3) \cong H_2(X^2) / \ker \left[ H_2(X^2) \surjto H_2(X^3) \right], \] say. Take note of the marked injective and surjective arrows. \end{hint} \begin{sol} For concreteness, let's just look at the homology at $H_2(X^2, X^1)$ and show it's isomorphic to $H_2(X)$. According to the diagram \begin{align*} H_2(X) &\cong H_2(X^3) \\ &\cong H_2(X^2) / \ker \left[ H_2(X^2) \surjto H_2(X^3) \right] \\ &\cong H_2(X^2) / \img \partial_3 \\ &\cong \img\left[ H_2(X^2) \injto H_2(X^2, X^1) \right] / \img \partial_3 \\ &\cong \ker(\partial_2) / \img\partial_3 \\ &\cong \ker d_2 / \img d_3. \qedhere \end{align*} \end{sol} \end{problem} \begin{dproblem} \gim Let $n$ be a positive integer. Show that \[ H_k(\RP^n) \cong \begin{cases} \ZZ & \text{if $k=0$ or $k=n\equiv 1 \pmod 2$} \\ \Zc2 & \text{if $k$ is odd and $0 < k < n$} \\ 0 & \text{otherwise}. \end{cases} \] \begin{hint} There is one cell of each dimension. Show that the degree of $d_k$ is $\deg(\id)+\deg(-\id)$, hence $d_k$ is zero or $\cdot 2$ depending on whether $k$ is even or odd. \end{hint} \end{dproblem}