In mathematics, a characteristic class is a way of associating to each principal bundle of a topological space X a cohomology class of X. The cohomology class measures the extent to which the bundle is "twisted" and whether it possesses sections. Characteristic classes are global invariants that measure the deviation of a local product structure from a global product structure.
In mathematics, a characteristic class is a way of associating to each principal bundle of a topological space X a cohomology class of X. The cohomology class measures the extent to which the bundle is "twisted" and whether it possesses sections. Characteristic classes are global invariants that measure the deviation of a local product structure from a global product structure.
Source: Wikipedia "Characteristic class" · CC BY-SA 4.0
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