The Bott isomorphism is multiplication by the Bott element :
Together with the suspension isomorphism and
it gives the Complex K-theory of a sphere
Let
be a CW filtration in which each quotient is a wedge of even-dimensional spheres. The six-term exact sequence in Topological K-theory, the sphere calculation, and induction give
and a short exact sequence whose new summand in is free abelian on the newly attached cells. Every such extension splits as an extension of free abelian groups, so is free, with one generator for each cell. This proves the Complex K-theory of an even-cell complex result.
The exterior product defines
For a point it is the identity. Attaching one layer of even cells gives corresponding exact sequences on the source and target; the sphere case is the suspension isomorphism, and induction with the Five lemma proves that the product map remains an isomorphism. This is the Künneth theorem for complex K-theory with an even-cell factor.
For a mapping torus , the K-theory Wang sequence of a mapping torus contains
When , exactness gives
For , the Complex K-theory of complex projective space and the K-theory Künneth isomorphism give
The factor swap interchanges and . Its invariant subgroup has the basis
It follows that the K-theory of the mapping torus of the factor swap on two complex projective planes is
The cofibration
gives the long exact sequence of a pair in Topological K-theory. Identify with by deformation retraction and use multiplication by the K-theory Thom class
to identify the relative term with . Pullback along the zero section sends to the K-theory Euler class
The map from the relative term to is therefore multiplication by , giving the K-theory Gysin sequence of a sphere bundle
For
over , put . The Complex K-theory of complex projective space is
and
The Gysin sequence consequently identifies
for . This is the Odd K-theory of the sphere bundle of two tautological lines.
If , then the base is a point and , so by Bott periodicity.
The cannibalistic class is defined by the identity
for the Adams operation . The Thom class of a direct sum is the product of the pulled-back Thom classes. Applying the ring homomorphism gives
If is a line bundle, restriction along the zero section gives
so
Let be the boundary map. By definition of ,
The natural operation commutes with , and therefore
Cancelling the Thom class proves the Adams operation and the boundary pushforward of a sphere bundle formula
Choose the basis of characterized by
For ,
Modulo , this gives
Since identifies with this kernel, the Second Adams operation on the odd K-theory of the sphere bundle of two tautological lines is
For , the single generator of is multiplied by .