Subject: Why "spectral" sequence? From: "Martin C. Tangora" Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:36:00 -0600 To: Don Davis For the topology list: Why is it called a "spectral" sequence? I always assumed -- just on the face of it -- that it was because the idea is to take a differential and break it up into its components, just as a prism breaks white light into the spectrum. Does anyone know who invented the term, and whether my guess is correct? Martin C. Tangora University of Illinois at Chicago tangora@uic.edu