Successive spectral sequences

In this paper, we develop a structure theory for generalized spectral sequences, which are derived from chain complexes that are filtered over arbitrary partially ordered sets. Also, a more general construction method reminiscent of exact couples is studied, together with examples where they arise naturally. As for ordinary spectral sequences we will see differentials and group extensions, however the real power comes from the appearance of natural isomorphisms between pages of differing indices. The constructions reveal finer invariants than ordinary spectral sequences, and they connect to other fields such as Fary functors and perverse sheaves. They are based on a natural index scheme, which allows us to obtain new results even in the standard case of Z \mathbb {Z} -filtered chain complexes, e.g. a useful criterion for a product structure for Grothendieck’s spectral sequences, and new paths to connect the first or second page to the limit. This turns out to yield the right framework for unifying several spectral sequences that one would usually apply one after another. Examples that we work out are successive Leray–Serre spectral sequences, the Adams–Novikov spectral sequence following the chromatic spectral sequence, successive Grothendieck spectral sequences, and successive Eilenberg–Moore spectral sequences.