Polynomial functors

Abstract

1. Introduction: If G is a group, Z(G) its integral group-ring and AG the augmentation ideal, then we can form the Abelian groupsIn (5) we have studied the structure of these Abelian groups which we called polynomial grouups. If C denotes the category of Abelian groups, then Pn and Qn are functors from C into C. We call these functors polynomial functors. The object of this work is to study the nature of these funtors. Except for n = 1, these functors are non-additive. In fact, in the sense of Eilenberg–Maclane (4) these are functors of degree exactly n (Theorem 2·3). Because of their non-additive nature, their derived functors cannot be calculated in the traditional Cartan–Eilenberg(1) method. We have to make use of the more recent theory of Dold–Puppe (3).