Peterson's hit problem conjecture

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Let PhP_h be the polynomial algebra on hh variables over Fp\mathbb F_p, equipped with the action of the Steenrod algebra Ap\mathscr A_p. For a positive integer nn, write its pp-adic expansion as n=∑j≥0αj(n)pjn=\sum_{j\geq 0}\alpha_j(n)p^j with 0≤αj(n)≤p−10\leq\alpha_j(n)\leq p-1, and set α(n)=∑j≥0αj(n)\alpha(n)=\sum_{j\geq 0}\alpha_j(n). Peterson's conjecture. Every homogeneous polynomial of degree nn in hh variables is in the image of the Steenrod algebra if and only if α(n+h)>h\alpha(n+h)>h. Over F2\mathbb F_2 this conjecture was proved by Wood, and later for the symmetric algebras corresponding to classifying spaces of orthogonal groups by Janfada and Wood; however, it is not true for odd primes in general.

References

Primary source

Dang Vo Phuc, “A note on the hit problem for the polynomial algebra in the case of odd primes and its application”, arXiv:2510.17908 (2025).

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