Localization of equivariant cohomology rings of real Grassmannians

Abstract: We use localization method to understand the rational equivariant cohomology rings of real Grassmannians and oriented Grassmannians, then relate this to the Leray-Borel description which says the ring generators are equivariant Pontryagin classes, Euler classes in even dimension, and one more new type of classes in odd dimension, as stated by Casian and Kodama. We give additive basis in terms of equivariant characteristic polynomials and equivariant Schubert/canonical classes. We also calculate Poincar\'e series, equivariant Littlewood-Richardson coefficients and equivariant characteristic numbers. Since all these Grassmannians with torus actions are equivariantly formal, many results for equivariant cohomology have similar statements for ordinary cohomology.