Quaternionic projective space (${\mathbb{HP}}^n$)

Quaternionic projective space is the space of right quaternionic lines in ${\mathbb{H}}^{n+1}$. It is $S^{4n+3}$ modulo the right action of unit quaternions, with one cell in each dimension $0,4,\dots ,4n$. It is a compact smooth manifold of real dimension $4n$; ${\mathbb{HP}}^1\cong S^4$. The quaternionic tautological line bundle and its sphere bundle give the multiplication in its cohomology ring of quaternionic projective space.

For the quaternionic tautological line bundle regarded as a complex rank-two bundle, take $q=c_2^{MU}$. Its ordinary image generates degree-four integral cohomology, and its square generates degree eight. The Atiyah-Hirzebruch spectral sequence collapses because the cells have dimensions $0,4,8$ and the coefficients are even. The classes $1,q,q^2$ lift a free basis of the associated graded module, and $q^3=0$ because the theory is connective and the space has dimension eight.

Coordinate inclusion of complex vectors sends a complex line to its quaternionic span. If two such vectors span the same quaternionic line, a nonzero complex coordinate forces their scalar ratio to be complex, so this map is injective. The pulled-back quaternionic tautological line bundle splits as $L\oplus \overline{L}$ with complex first Chern classes $-x,x$. Its top Chern class, and thus Euler class, is $-x^2$. With $u$ the negative Euler generator, $i^{\ast }u=x^2$ and $i^{\ast }(u^k)=x^{2k}$. The map on infinite projective spaces is injective on cohomology; a finite inclusion loses the degrees with $2k>n$.

The cell structure gives one integral cohomology generator in each degree divisible by four through $4n$. The Gysin sequence of a sphere bundle for the quaternionic tautological line bundle makes multiplication by its Euler class an isomorphism between successive such degrees. Choose $u$ to be the negative of that Euler class; its powers generate the displayed cohomology ring.