Splitting Principle

In mathematics, the splitting principle is a technique used to reduce questions about vector bundles to the case of line bundles.

In the theory of vector bundles, one often wishes to simplify computations, say of Chern classes. Often computations are well understood for line bundles and for direct sums of line bundles. In this case the splitting principle can be quite useful.

Theorem: Splitting Principle: Let be a vector bundle of rank over a manifold . There exists a space, called the flag bundle associated to, and a map such that

1. the induced cohomology homomorphism is injective, and
2. the pullback bundle breaks up as a direct sum of line bundles:

The line bundles or their first characteristic class are called Chern roots.

The fact that is injective means that any equation which holds in (say between various Chern classes) also holds in .

The point is that these equations are easier to understand for direct sums of line bundles than for arbitrary vector bundles, so equations should be understood in and then pushed down to .