Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2000
In this paper we define three elements of a certain generalised cohomology ring BP〈m, n〉* BVk. Here m, n and k are non-negative integers with k+m[les ]n+1, there is a fixed prime p not exhibited in the notation, and Vk is an elementary Abelian p-group of rank k. We show that these elements are equal; this is striking, because the three definitions are very different. The significance of our equation is not yet entirely clear, but it makes contact with other work in the literature in a number of fascinating ways.