On the cohomology of loop spaces for some Thom spaces

Abstract

In this paper we identify conditions under which the cohomology $H^*(ΩMξ;\k)$ for the loop space $ΩMξ$ of the Thom space $Mξ$ of a spherical fibration $ξ\downarrow B$ can be a polynomial ring. We use the Eilenberg-Moore spectral sequence which has a particularly simple form when the Euler class $e(ξ)\in H^n(B;\k)$ vanishes, or equivalently when an orientation class for the Thom space has trivial square. As a consequence of our homological calculations we are able to show that the suspension spectrum $Σ^\inftyΩMξ$ has a local splitting replacing the James splitting of $ΣΩMξ$ when $Mξ$ is a suspension.

Final version, minor changes