[Math] Homology of Covering Spaces

at.algebraic-topologyfundamental-grouphomology

Let $A$ be a subgroup of a group $G$. Then since $A$ is a subgroup of the fundamental group $\pi_1(K(G,1))=G$, there is a covering space $p\colon Y\to K(G,1)$ with $p_*(\pi_1(Y))=A$. So the homology of $Y$ should be completely determined by $A$ and $G$. Suppose that $A$ and $G$ is known, how can one compute $H_*(Y)$, the homology groups of $Y$?

Best Answer

This is not a trivial problem. A favorite example of mine is the case of a knot complement, $S^3\setminus K$. (It is known that these are Eilenberg-Maclane spaces.) If you pick $A$ to be the commutator subgroup of $\pi_1(S^3\setminus K)=G$, then $Y$ is called the universal Abelian cover, and $H_1(Y;\mathbb Q)$ turns out to be a torsion $\mathbb Q[t,t^{-1}]$-module, called the Alexander module of the knot. The order of the Alexander module is called the Alexander polynomial. One can calculate the Alexander module from the fundamental group using Fox calculus.

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