$H^0(X;G)$

algebraic-topologyhomology-cohomology

Let $X=\sqcup_\alpha X_\alpha$ be a topological space consisting of a disjoint union of path connected components and $G$ an abelian group. What is $H^0(X;G)$?

In homology one gets using the augmentation map that $H_0(X;G)\cong\bigoplus_\alpha G$.

In cohomology I tried looking at a cochain $\phi\in S^0(X;G)$. It is a cocycle $\Leftrightarrow \delta(\phi)=0 \Leftrightarrow \phi$ is constant on the the path connected components of X. But I don't understand what $H^0(X;G)$ looks like.

What step am I missing to understand the zeroth cohomology group?

Best Answer

$H^0(X; G)$ is the dual of $H_0(X; G) = \bigoplus_\alpha G$, hence $\prod_\alpha G$. This can be seen by explicitly computing the cocycles as you indicated, which are $G$-valued $0$-cochains that are constant on the path components of $X$, i.e., constant on $X_\alpha$. This is the direct product of the groups $G$ indexed over the path components. There are no nontrivial $0$-coboundaries because of degree reasons.