Mod-two restriction from complex to real projective space ($i^{\ast }h=a^2$)

Let $i:{\mathbb{RP}}^d\hookrightarrow {\mathbb{CP}}^d$ be the standard inclusion. If $h=c_1(\mathcal{O}(1))\mathrm{mod}2$ and $a=w_1({\gamma }_d)$, thenThe restricted complex tautological bundle is the complexification of a real vector bundle ${\gamma }_d{\otimes }_{\mathbb{R}}\mathbb{C}$. Its underlying real bundle is ${\gamma }_d\oplus {\gamma }_d$. The Whitney product formula for Stiefel–Whitney classes gives total class $(1+a{)}^2=1+a^2$, while the Stiefel–Whitney class of the underlying real bundle of a complex line identifies its second class with the reduced First Chern class. Dualizing changes the integral sign but has no effect modulo two. Thus the full induced map on cohomology sends $h^j$ to $a^{2j}$.

For $k\ge 1$, put $U={\mathbb{CP}}^{2k}\setminus {\mathbb{RP}}^{2k}$. Its cohomology ring isHere $x$ is the restricted hyperplane class. The cohomological Gysin map of an embedding sends $a^{2j}$ to $h^{k+j}$ and every odd-degree class to zero, by Poincare duality and mod-two restriction from complex to real projective space. Its exact sequence gives one-dimensional groups in even degrees $0,2,\dots ,4k-2$, and zero otherwise. Choose $y$ with $\delta y=a$. The connecting-map module identity gives $\delta (x^{j}y)=a^{2j+1}$ for $0\le j<k$, so these are the upper-half generators. The lower-half generators are $x^j$. The relations $x^k=0$ and $y^2=0$ follow respectively from $i_{!}1=h^k$ and $H^{4k}(U;{\mathbb{F}}_2)=0$. The result is a ring isomorphism with Complex projective space ${\mathbb{CP}}^{k-1}$ times $S^{2k}$; it does not by itself assert a homotopy equivalence of the spaces.