For a path-connected metric space $(X,d)$, the $n$-th homotopy group $\pi _n(X)$ inherits a natural pseudometric from the $n$-th iterated loop space with the uniform metric. This pseudometric gives $\pi _n(X)$ the structure of a topological group, and when $X$ is compact, the induced pseudometric topology is independent of the metric $d$. In this paper, we study the properties of this pseudometric and how it relates to previously studied structures on $\pi _n(X)$. Our main result is that the pseudometric topology agrees with the shape topology on $\pi _n(X)$ if $X$ is compact and $LC^{n-1}$ or if $X$ is an inverse limit of finite polyhedra with retraction bonding maps.

A natural composition ⊙ on all pages of the lower central series spectral sequence for spheres is defined. Moreover, it is defined for the p-lower central series spectral sequence of a simplicial group. It is proved that the rth differential satisfies a ‘Leibniz rule with suspension’: dr(a ⊙ σ b) = ±dra ⊙ b + a ⊙ dr σ b, where σ is the suspension homomorphism.

The method for computing the $p$-localization of the group $\left[ X,\,\text{U}\left( n \right) \right]$, by Hamanaka in 2004, is revised. As an application, an explicit description of the self-homotopy group of $\text{Sp}\left( 3 \right)$ localized at $p\,\ge \,5$ is given and the homotopy nilpotency of $\text{Sp}\left( 3 \right)$ localized at $p\,\ge \,5$ is determined.

We address the problem of computing the fundamental group of a symplectic ${{S}^{1}}$-manifold for non-Hamiltonian actions on compact manifolds, and for Hamiltonian actions on non-compact manifolds with a proper moment map. We generalize known results for compact manifolds equipped with a Hamiltonian ${{S}^{1}}$-action. Several examples are presented to illustrate our main results.

Let $G$ be a simple, compact, simply-connected Lie group localized at an odd prime $p$. We study the group of homotopy classes of self-maps $\left[ G,\,G \right]$ when the rank of $G$ is low and in certain cases describe the set of homotopy classes of multiplicative self-maps $H\left[ G,\,G \right]$. The low rank condition gives $G$ certain structural properties which make calculations accessible. Several examples and applications are given.

The homotopy groups of a finite partially ordered set (poset) can be described entirely in the context of posets, as shown in a paper by $\text{B}$. Larose and $\text{C}$. Tardif. In this paper we describe the relative version of such a homotopy theory, for pairs $\left( X,\,A \right)$ where $X$ is a poset and $A$ is a subposet of $X$. We also prove some theorems on the relevant version of the notion of weak homotopy equivalences for maps of pairs of such objects. We work in the category of reflexive binary relational structures which contains the posets as in the work of Larose and Tardif.

The notion of shape fibration with the near lifting of near multivalued paths property is studied. The relation of these maps—which agree with shape fibrations having totally disconnected fibers—with Hurewicz fibrations with the unique path lifting property is completely settled. Some results concerning homotopy and shape groups are presented for shape fibrations with the near lifting of near multivalued paths property. It is shown that for this class of shape fibrations the existence of liftings of a fine multivalued map is equivalent to an algebraic problem relative to the homotopy, shape or strong shape groups associated.

The importance of finite limits in completeness conditions has been long recognized. One has only to consider elementary toposes, pretoposes, exact categories, etc., to realize their ubiquity. However, often pullbacks suffice and in a sense are more natural. For example it is pullbacks that are the essential ingredient in composition of spans, partial morphisms and relations. In fact the original definition of elementary topos was based on the notion of partial morphism classifier which involved only pullbacks (see [6]). Many constructions in topos theory, involving left exact functors, such as coalgebras on a cotriple and the gluing construction, also work for pullback preserving functors. And pullback preserving functors occur naturally in the subject, e.g. constant functors and the Σα. These observations led Rosebrugh and Wood to introduce partial geometric morphisms; functors with a pullback preserving left adjoint [9]. Other reasons led Kennison independently to introduce the same concept under the name semi-geometric functors [5].