PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICS

Vol. 44, No. 1, 1973

THE EVALUATION MAP AND EHP SEQUENCES

GEORGE E. LANG, JR.

Let L(ΣB, X) be the space of maps from ΣB (the reduced

suspension of B) to X with the compact-open topology, let
S\ ΣB-> X and L(ΣB, X; /) the path component of L(ΣB, X)
containing /. For nice spaces the evaluation map ω:
L(ΣB, X,s)->X defined by ω(f) = /(*) is a fibration and gives
rise to a long exact sequence in homotopy. The purpose of this
paper is to show that the boundary map in that long exact
sequence can be given by a generalized Whitehead product
and that the sequence generalizes the EHP sequence of G. W.
Whitehead.

1* Preliminary definitions* All spaces are assumed to be CW

complexes with base point at a vertex. Maps are base point preserv-
ing. The cartesian product A x B is assumed to be based at (α0, b0),
the unit inverval, 7, is based at 0, and quotient spaces are based at
the image of the base point under the natural quotient map. Where
the space is clear * will denote the base point as well as the constant
map with image at the base point.
We use the following notations. L(A, B) will denote the space
of maps from A to B with the compact-open topology and L{A, B; /)
the path component of L(A, B) containing /\ A—*B. L0(A, B) and
L0(A, B; /) will denote the space of base point preserving maps in
L(A, B) and L(A, B; /) respectively. Let A V B and A % B denote
the one point union and smash product respectively.
Since spaces are assumed to be C W complexes the smash product
can be taken a s i x ί with AV B identified with (α0, b0). Q- A x B—*
A%B will denote the quotient map. Note that Sp+q = ΣpSq = Sp$Sq,
ΣPA = SP#A, and Σ(A V B) = ΣAV ΣB.
Let pl9p2:AxB—>A\/B be defined by p^a, b) = a V bQ and
p2(a, b) = α0 V 6. Define k: Σ(A x JB) -> ΣA V ΣB by k = Σpγ + Σp% -
Σp1 — Σp2. Since k \ Σ(A V B) homotopically trivial, by the homotopy
extension property there is a map k'\ Σ(A x B) —• ΣA V ΣB, homotopic
to fe, such that kf \ Σ(A v B ) = *. V then induces a map k: Σ(A#B) ->
ΣA V ΣB. Arkowitz [1] has shown that [ίc] is uniquely determined
by the requirement k = ϊc°Σq. The following definition is due to
Arkowitz [1].

DEFINITION 1.1. For a = [f]e [ΣA, X] and β = [g] e [ΣB, X], the
generalized Whiteheal product [a, β] is defined by [a, β] = [(fVg)°k]
e[Σ(A#B)X].
201
202 GEORGE E. LANG, JR.

Hardie shows (Theorem 2.3 in [2]) that the map ΣpL + Σp2 +
Σq: Σ(A x B)->ΣAV ΣBV Σ(A # B) is a homotopy equivalence for A
and i? C TF complexes with a single vertex. Then there is a map
φ: Σ{A$B)->Σ{A x B) such that Σqoφ ^ I 2 u ^ ) β

DEFINITION 1.2. I f / : i x 5 - > I , where ^L and B have a single

vertex, the element obtained from / by the generalized Hopf con-
struction is defined to be the map Σfoφ: Σ(A$B) —>ΣX.

Hardie shows in [2] that if A and B are spheres, Definition 1.2

reduces to the classical definition of the Hopf construction.
r r r
Let φr: S —> S V S be the map which identifies the equator of
r
S . G. W. Whitehead (Theorem 1.17 in [6]) shows for n < p + q +
p q p 9
min (p, q) - 3 that πn(S V S ) = πn(S ) 0 τr.(S ) 0 TΓ^S ^- )- Let
3 1

Q: πn(Sp V S9) —> ^(S^' 7 " 1 ) be the natural projection onto the direct
summand π n (S p+g " 1 ).

DEFINITION 1.3. For n < 3r — 3 the generalized Hopf invariant

πn(S2r-1) is defined by if - Qoφ^.

DEFINITION1.4. For λ = [/] e [ΣB, X] the λ-Whitehead homomor-

phism Pλ: [ΣA, X] -> [Σ(A#B), X] is defined by Pλ{a) - [a, λ].

DEFINITION 1.5. If F: A—>L(B, X) the map G: A x B—>X given

by G(α, δ) = F{a){b) is said to be an associated map for F.

2* The λ-component j&flP sequence* The purpose of this

section is to show that the map Pλ of Definition 1.4 is embedded in
a long exact sequence resulting from the fibration ω: L(ΣB, X; s)—>X.
Each λ G [ΣB, X] determines a path component of L(ΣB, X) and ω
restricted to each path component determine a fibration and a long
exact sequence. In § 3 the relationship between these sequences and
the James suspension sequence is explored and it is shown that G. W.
Whitehead's EHP sequence [7] is a special case of an ^-component
EHP sequence where cn = [lsn] in πn(Sn).

LEMMA 2.1. For se L0(ΣB, X), LQ(ΣB, X; *) is homotopy equiva-

lent to L0(ΣB, X; /).

Proof. Let /\ LQ(ΣB, X; *)-*L0(ΣB, X; /) be defined by /{g) -

g + / and s~ι\ LQ(ΣB, X; /) — L0(ΣB, X; *) by s~\g) = g - /. Then
it is clear that /~ι is a two sided homotopy inverse of /.
In remaining parts of this section the map s will be taken to be
given by
 THE EVALUATION MAP AND EHP SEQUENCES 203

9[b,±t 0<t < —.

" ~ 5
s{b, 5ΐ - 4) —^ ί ^ 1.

LEMMA 2.2. [Σ(A#B), X] is isomorphic to [A, LQ(ΣB, X; *)].

This fact is well know. For the remainder of this section the
isomorphism will be denoted by θ: [Σ(A§B), X] -» [A, L0(ΣB, X; *)]
defined as follows. If /: Σ(A$B)->X, θ(f)(a) is the map taking (δ, t)
to /((α, b), t) in X.

DEFINITION 2.3. A@B is defined a s i x ί with A x {60} iden-

tified with (θo, δ0).
Let m: A x ΣB-»{A%ΣB) V (A@ ΣB) be defined by
_4_
i,4« V* 0
5
(ra(α, (6,)) =
* V (α, (δ, 5ί - 4)) -Ξ- ^ ί ^ 1 .
5
Now let G: A%ΣB —>X be a map associated with [#] e
[A, Lo^S, X; *)], /G L o (^5, X), and p2: A@ΣB-+ΣB the natural
projection.

The following lemma can be easily verified.

LEMMA 2.4. (G V (V°p2))om: A x ΣB—+X is an associated map

for s*([g])e[A,L0(ΣB,X;s)].
Let hx: A x SB-^Σ(A x 5) be defined by h,{a, (δ, ί)) = ((α, 6), ί),
where SA is the unreduced suspension.
By the homotopy extension property the quotient map q^. SB—+ΣB
is a homotopy equivalence. Its homotopy inverse will be denoted

LEMMA 2.5. Let a = [f] e [ΣA, X] and X = \/\ e [ΣB, X], then
(f V ^HΣpt + Σp2 - Σp, - Σp2 + Σp^oh^i^ x qτι): Ax ΣB-+X is a
map associated with s*oθ([a, λ]) e [A, LQ(ΣB, X; /)].

Proof. Let m,: Σ(A x B) -> Σ(A x B) V Σ(A x B) be given by

(α, V* 0 ^ t ^ —
5
.da, b), t) =
V ((α, δ), 5ί - 4)
204 GEORGE E. LANG, JR.

Consider the following diagram:

-Σpχ-Σp2Λ-Σp2
Σ(AxB)

Σ{AxB)\/Σ{AxB)
1 Σq

lAxq1
AxΣB -~ A x SB- -AxΣB

qf\ A%ΣB—+Σ(A%B) is the homomorphism defined by q'{ay (δ, t)) ~

{{a, δ), t) and k is as in Definition 1.1. It is easiest to check the
homotopy commutativity of this diagram by looking first at the lower
four fifths of the t coordinate in SB and then at the upper fifth.

Part 1. Σp, + Σp2 - Σp, - Σp2 + Σp2 = (Oc°Σq) V

The lower four fifths of Σ(A x B) is mapped in one case by

Σpι + Σp2 — Σp1 — Σp2 and in the other by koΣq. But these are
homotopic by the definition of k. The upper fifth is mapped by Σp2
in either case.

Part 2. (/ V s)o(ϊcoΣq V = (((/ V S)°koqf) v

On the lower four fifths the maps "meet" at Σ(A#B). In either

case the point (a, (6, t)) e A x SB is mapped to ((a, 6), (5/4)ί) e ^(A# B).
On the upper fifth both maps are given by taking (α, (δ, £)) to
•((6, 5ί - 4) in X.
By Lemma 2.4 and the definition of [a, λ], (((/ V Oo&otf') V (^°P2))°
m is an associated map for s*θ([a, λ]). This is the lower route in
the above diagram. Since qt and qϊ1 are homotopy inverses

V S)°koq') v Sop2)om
= (((/ V /)o£o?') v /op2)omo(l4 x ^) x
= (/ V S)o(%oΣq V ^ 2 ) ^ , 0 ^ 0 ( 1 , x
S (/ V ^
The last two homotopies follow from Part 2 and Part 1 respectively.
But the last map is the one claimed to be an associated map for
 THE EVALUATION MAP AND EHP SEQUENCES 205

/ *θ([a, λ]) and the lemma is proven.

For λ = \/\ e [ΣB, X] the evaluation map ω: L(ΣB, X; s)-»X is
a fibration with fiber L0(ΣB, X; /). Then there is a long exact sequence
of homotopy groups

[Σ'A, L{ΣB, X; /)] — [ΣΆ, X] — [ΣA, X]

[A, L0(ΣB, X; /)] — [A, L(ΣB, X; /)] — [A, X] ,
where exactness at the last two stages is as pointed sets. Recall
that Lemma 2.2 shows there is an isomorphism θ: [Σ(A$B), X] —*
[A, L{ΣB, X; *)].

THEOREM 2.6. For ae[ΣrA, X\, d{a) = /*oθoPx(a).

Proof. Let a be represented by a map /: ΣrA —> X and let

g2: C(2rr~1A) —• ΣrA be the natural quotient map from the cone to the
suspension. Define F: C{Σr~ιA) x SB -> 2ί(2rr~1A) V ^ ^ by
1
,r V
= =— r =
-
0 ^ ί ^ — r ^ ~3ί

, r), (6, «)) = * V

— ^t £1 r^St - 2

q2(a, A3 <_ ί <_ l r <_ 3 £ - 2

where (α, r) e C(Σr~1A)1 r being the level on the cone and (b, t) e SB,
t being the level on the suspension. At t — 1/3 or 2/3 and on the
lines r — — Zt + 1 and r = 3t — 2, the image of F is at * and F is
well defined and continuous at these points. Since F is independent
of a at r = 1 and independent of 6 at ί = 1 and t = 0, JP is well
defined. Let I ^ M . x S£ -> C(Jr-\A) x SB be induced by including
Σ'-'A at the 0 level of C(Σr~ιA). Consider the following diagram:
C{Σr~ιA) V SB

x &B- V ΣB

Σ'-'A x r ι
-*Σ(Σ ~ A x B) .
206 GEORGE E. LANG, JR.

The map »! + Σp2 — Σp^ohi is given by

(a, 3ί) V * 0< t < —

~ ~ 3
(a, (b, *))• V q1(b, 3ί - 1) 1 £ ί <ί - |
o o

(a, 3 - 3ί) V * < ί < 1.

r ι
But this is the same as F((a, 0), (b, t)), that is F\Σ ~ A x SB. There-
fore the lower square commutes. In the upper triangle, when t = 0
(the base point of &B), F((a, r), (b, 0)) = qz(a, r) by definition. At the
r ι
base point of C(Σ ~ A) consider

g 2 (α 0 , 3ί) V * =

F((aΰ, 0), (b, ί)) = , V <7χ(δ, 3ί - 1)

q2(a0,

But this is clearly homotopic to * V q19 thus the upper triangle com-
mutes up to homotopy. Now consider the map F: C(Σr~1A) x ΣB —•
X given by F = (/ V /)°Fo(lC{Σr-iA) x gr 1 ). F is then an associated
map for an element of [(dΣ'^A), Σ'^A), (L(ΣB, X; /\ L0(ΣB, X; /))].
Since F\C(Σr~ιA) x * is given by f°q2,F is associated to the class
[/] G [ΣrA, X] under the bijection (see p. 104 in [5]) ω*\ [(CiΣ^A),
Σr-1A),(L(ΣB,X',s),L0(ΣB,X;/))]-+[ΣrA,X]. Then by definition
of the boundary homomorphism, 3([/]) — d(a) has associated map
FI Σr~ιA x ΣB. But by commutativity of the above diagram F \ Σr~ιA x
ΣB ~ (f V ^)°(Σp1 + Σp2 — ΣpJohioζLzr-iA x gr1) and by Lemma 2.5
this is an associated map for /*°θo([a, λ]) = s*oθoPλ(a).
The existence of the λ-component EHP sequence now can be
shown. Let i'*: [Σ(Σr-ιA$B)> X] — [Σr~Ά, L(ΣB, X; /)] be given by

THEOREM 2.7. Tfeβre is α sequence

\ X', S)] — ^ [ΣrA, X]

X] — [Σ'-'A, L{ΣB, 1

Proof. Since / * and <9 are isomorphisms, the exactness of this

sequence is immediate from the exactness of the homotopy exact
sequence of the fibration ω%\ L(ΣB, X; /) —> X and Theorem 2.6.
 THE EVALUATION MAP AND EHP SEQUENCES 207

3* The Whitehead and James sequences* The purpose of this

section is to compare the λ-component EHP sequence with the classical
EHP sequence of George W. Whitehead [7] and the suspension sequence
of I. M. James [4]. The spaces A and B will be assumed to be CW
complexes with a single vertex. For a e [A, L(ΣB, X; /)} the element
H{a) e [Σ(A # ΣB), ΣX] is defined by the element obtained from a map
associated with a by the Hopf construction of Definition 1.2. The
homomorphism E: [A # ΣB, X] — [Σ(A # ΣB), ΣX] is defined by E([f]) =

LEMMA 3.1. The following diagram commutes:

[A%ΣB, X] - ^ [Σ(A#ΣB), ΣX]

[A, Lt(ΣB, X; *)] H

[A, L0(ΣB, X; /)] ^ U [A, L(ΣB, X; /)\ .

Proof. Let /: A%ΣB-*X represent an element of \A%ΣB,X\.

Then ^*°#([/]) has an associated map F: A x ΣB-^X given by

f(a, (b, 2ί) 0^ t ^ ±

F(a, (b, t)) =
, 2ί 1_
2

Let φ:Σ{A$ΣB)-+Σ(A x ΣB) and q: A x ΣB->A$ΣB be as in the

comments preceding Difinition 1.2. Consider the following diagram:

Σ(A x ΣB)

where ί, is the inclusion of Σ(A%ΣB) in Σ(A%ΣB) V ΣΣB. The

homotopy commutativity of this diagram will establish the result since
ΣFo(φ + *) ^ ΣFoφ which by definition is the element obtained from
208 GEORGE E. LANG, JR.

e
by t h Hopf construction and (Σf V Σ/)°\ = 2/, a repre-
sentative of E{[f\).
In the lower triangle of the diagram (Σq + Σp2)o(φ + *) ^ Jfgo^
which is homotopic to iL by the definition of φ.
In the upper triangle

(f(a, (b, 2ί)), r) 0<t< —

ΣF(a, (b, t), r) = ~ ~ 2
, 2t - 1), r) i ^ ί ^
Δ

and

(/(α, (6, ί)), 2r) 0<r < —

(2/ V Σp2)(a, (6, t), r) = "" ~ 2
, t),2r-l) -i- ^ r ^ 1 .

The usual homotopy to interchange the roles of t and r for

homotopy will work in this case since / is defined on A$ΣB and /
is independent of α. Thus the upper triangle is homotopy commuta-
tive and the lemma is established.

DEFINITION 3.2. The classical EHP sequence is given by:

E

where E is the suspension homomorphism, Hr = —E'^oH where H

is the Hopf invariant of Definition 1.8, P = P ι% , where cn = [18%] e πn(Sn).

This sequence was shown exact in [7]; the form used in Definition
3.2 is that of P. J. Hilton and J. H. C. Whitehead in [3]. The
classical EHP sequence can now be compared with the ^-component
EHP sequence for the fibration ω: L(Sn, Sn; 15») -> S\

THEOREM 3.3. For q <Ξ 3n — 2 the following exact ladder is com-

mutative and H is an isomorphism:

Proof. The left square commutes by Lemma 3.1 since, by defini-

 THE EVALUATION MAP AND EHP SEQUENCES 209

tion, i'* = i*o/^oβ. The right square commutes by the definition of

P. For the range q <^ Sn — 2, G. W. Whitehead shows (Corollary 6-4
in [7]) t h a t every element a e πq+1(Sn+1) is obtainable from a map
F: Sq-n x Sn — Sn of type (H'(a), O by a Hopf construction. Thus
if F is considered as an associated map for an element βe
πg_n(L(Sn, Sn; l s »)), β has type (<o*(β),cn) and H(β) is obtainable by a
Hopf construction from a map of type (co*(β), cn) as well as a map of
type (H'(a), cn). But then by 5.1 in [6], ω*{β)*tw = H'{a)*cn, where * is
the join operation. Since fΛ is the homotopy class of 15», En+ίω*(β) —
ω*(β)*cn = H'(a)*cn = En+Ή'(a). Now g g 3% - 2 so g - ^ g 2^ - 2
and by the Freudenthal suspension theorem 2?Λ+1 is an isomorphism,
thus ω*(/S) = i ϊ ' O ) = H'(H{β)). This establishes the commutivity of
the ladder. That i J is an isomorphism follows from the five lemma.
Since the bottom line is the ^-component EHP sequence, the
classical EHP sequence can be considered as the ^-component EHP
sequence for spheres in the range q ^ Sn — 2.
Some definitions will be required before describing the suspension
sequence of James. Let Dn denote the solid %-ball. Then dDn = Sn~ι =
D+"1 U Dl'1 where D+"1 and Dϋ" 1 are the northern and southern hemi-
spheres of S""1 respectively. Note that Df1 Π Dl~" = Sn~2.

DEFINITION 3.4. For A and B subspaces of X such that A{M>Φ

Φ let πn{X\ A, B) be the set of homotopy classes maps of /: (Dn, D++~\

There are natural boundary operators 3L: πn(X; A, B) —>

πn_x{A, Af]B) and 32: πn_γ{A, A Π B)—>πn_2(A n B) defined by restriction
to (Z>r\ Sϋr2) and Sn~2 respectively.

DEFINITION 3.5. The repeated boundary operator A: πn(X; A, B) —+

πn_2(A Π B) is defined by Δ — 92o9lβ

The following result of James will be useful.

THEOREM 3.6. There is a pairing {β, 7} e πp+q+ι(ΣX; C+X, C^X)

for β e πp(X) and 7 e πq(X) such that
( i ) Δ{β, 7} = [β, 7] G πp+q+ι(X), the usual Whitehead product and
(ii) // i#: πp+q+1(ΣX) —> πp+q+1(ΣX; C+X, C_X) is the natural in-
clusion, an element a e πp+q+1(ΣX) is obtainable by a Hopf construction
of type (β, 7) iff i*(a) = {β, 7}.

Proof. See §4 and Theorem 2.17 in [4].

DEFINITION 3 7. The James suspension sequence is

210 GEORGE E. LANG, JR.

> πp+q(X) > πp+q+ί(ΣX) > πp+q+1(ΣX; C+X, C^

where E is the suspension homomorphism and Δ is the repeated

boundary operator.

THEOREM 3.8. The following exact ladder is commutative:

^ " , X; /))
P
w *
>A
' ^2>+g(-^) Kp+q+i\ΣX) >7Cp+q+1(ΣX*, C+X, C^J.

where H is as in Lemma 3.1, P(a) = {a, λ}, and λ = \/\ for any

Proof. The left square commutes by Lemma 3.1 since i* = i*°

s*oθ by definition. If a e πp(L(Sq, X; /)) then by definition of H, H(a)
is obtainable by a Hopf construction of type (ω*(a), λ) and by Theorem
3.6, (ii), i*H{a) = {ω*(a), λ} = Poω*(ά). Thus the middle square
commutes. The right square commutes by Theorem 3.6, (i).

Theorem 3.8 clearly indicates the extent to which the map i* =

V / ^ o ^ of the λ-component EHP sequence approximates the suspen-
sion homomorphism. Indeed, E — Hoϊ*. While the James sequence
contains the suspension homomorphism in a straight forward form,
the λ-component EHP sequence contains the generalized Whitehead
product in a more direct form.

REFERENCES

1. Martin Arkowitz, The generalized Whitehead product, Pacific J. Math., 12 (1962),

7-23.
2. K. A. Hardie, A generalization of the Hopf construction, Quart. J. Math. Oxford
Ser., (2) 12 (1961), 196-204.
3. Peter Hilton and J. H. C. Whitehead, Note on the Whitehead product, Ann. of Math.,
(2) 58 (1953), 429-442.
4. I. M. James, On the suspension triad, Ann. of Math., (2) 6 3 (1956), 191-247.
5. Edwin H. Spanier, Algebraic Topology, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York 1966.
6. G. W. Whitehead, A generalization of the Hopf invariant, Ann. of Math., (2) 5 1
(1950), 192-237.
7. , On the Freudenthal theorems, Ann. of Math., (2) 5 7 (1953), 209-229.

Received June 7, 1971. This paper constituted part of the author's doctoral thesis
written at Purdue University under Daniel H. Gottlieb.

FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY