Characteristic classes invariant under stable fibre homotopy type

Abstract

In a letter dated 19 November 1988, addressed to Samuel Gitler, with copies to the three other authors of [2], J. F. Adams formulated the problem studied and solved in the present paper. In his letter, Adams provided the key ingredient for its solution and proved a first result. (See (1·2) and the second paragraph of the proof of (1·1)) We therefore wish to express our debt of gratitude to the late Professor Adams for his essential contribution, without which this paper could not have been written.