Homotopy types of line arrangements

Summary We prove that the complement of a real affine line arrangement inC ² is homotopy equivalent to the canonical 2-complex associated with Randell's presentation of the fundamental group. This provides a much smaller model for the homotopy type of the complement of a real affine 2- or central 3-arrangement than the Salvetti complex and its cousins. As an application we prove that these exist (infinitely many) pairs of central arrangements inC ³ with different underlying matroids whose complements are homotopy equivalent. We also show that two real 3-arrangements whose oriented matroids are connected by a sequence of flips are homotopy equivalent.Oblatum 17-X-1991 & 8-VII-1992Author partially supported by NSF grant DMS-9004202     

Algebraic geometry of topological spaces I

We use techniques from both real and complex algebraic geometry to study K-theoretic and related invariants of the algebra C(X) of continuous complex-valued functions on a compact Hausdorff topological space X. For example, we prove a parameterized version of a theorem by Joseph Gubeladze; we show that if M is a countable, abelian, cancellative, torsion-free, semi-normal monoid, and X is contractible, then every finitely generated projective module over C(X)[M] is free. The particular case gives a parameterized version of the celebrated theorem proved independently by Daniel Quillen and Andrei Suslin that finitely generated projective modules over a polynomial ring over a field are free. The conjecture of Jonathan Rosenberg which predicts the homotopy invariance of the negative algebraic K-theory of C(X) follows from the particular case . We also give algebraic conditions for a functor from commutative algebras to abelian groups to be homotopy invariant on C ^*-algebras, and for a homology theory of commutative algebras to vanish on C ^*-algebras. These criteria have numerous applications. For example, the vanishing criterion applied to nil K-theory implies that commutative C ^*-algebras are K-regular. As another application, we show that the familiar formulas of Hochschild–Kostant–Rosenberg and Loday–Quillen for the algebraic Hochschild and cyclic homology of the coordinate ring of a smooth algebraic variety remain valid for the algebraic Hochschild and cyclic homology of C(X). Applications to the conjectures of Beĭlinson-Soulé and Farrell–Jones are also given.     

Splitting monoidal stable model categories

If C is a stable model category with a monoidal product then the set of homotopy classes of self-maps of the unit forms a commutative ring, [S,S]^C. An idempotent e of this ring will split the homotopy category: [X,Y]^C≅e[X,Y]^C⊕(1−e)[X,Y]^C. We prove that provided the localised model structures exist, this splitting of the homotopy category comes from a splitting of the model category, that is, C is Quillen equivalent to L_eSC×L_(1−e)SC and [X,Y]^L_eSC≅e[X,Y]^C. This Quillen equivalence is strong monoidal and is symmetric when the monoidal product of C is.     

Counterexamples to a fiber theorem

We exhibit a counterexample to a fiber theorem stated by F. Fumagalli in [Francesco Fumagalli, On the homotopy type of the Quillen complex of finite soluble groups, J. Algebra 283 (2) (2005) 639–654] and show how it affects the rest of Fumagalli's paper. As a consequence, whether the poset A_p(G) is homotopy equivalent to a wedge of spheres for any finite solvable group G seems to remain an open question.     

Champs affines

The purpose of this work is to introduce a notion of affine stacks, which is a homotopy version of the notion of affine schemes, and to give several applications in the context of algebraic topology and algebraic geometry. As a first application we show how affine stacks can be used in order to give a new point of view (and new proofs) on rational and p-adic homotopy theory. This gives a first solution to A. Grothendieck’s schematization problem described in [18]. We also use affine stacks in order to introduce a notion of schematic homotopy types. We show that schematic homotopy types give a second solution to the schematization problem, which also allows us to go beyond rational and p-adic homotopy theory for spaces with arbitrary fundamental groups. The notion of schematic homotopy types is also used in order to construct various homotopy types of algebraic varieties corresponding to various co-homology theories (Betti, de Rham, l-adic, ...), extending the well known constructions of the various fundamental groups. Finally, just as algebraic stacks are obtained by gluing affine schemes we define $$ \infty $$-geometric stacks as a certain gluing of affine stacks. Examples of $$ \infty $$-geometric stacks in the context of algebraic topology (moduli spaces of dga structures up to quasi-isomorphisms) and Hodge theory (non-abelian periods) are given.     

Champs affines

The purpose of this work is to introduce a notion of affine stacks, which is a homotopy version of the notion of affine schemes, and to give several applications in the context of algebraic topology and algebraic geometry. As a first application we show how affine stacks can be used in order to give a new point of view (and new proofs) on rational and p-adic homotopy theory. This gives a first solution to A. Grothendieck’s schematization problem described in [18]. We also use affine stacks in order to introduce a notion of schematic homotopy types. We show that schematic homotopy types give a second solution to the schematization problem, which also allows us to go beyond rational and p-adic homotopy theory for spaces with arbitrary fundamental groups. The notion of schematic homotopy types is also used in order to construct various homotopy types of algebraic varieties corresponding to various co-homology theories (Betti, de Rham, l-adic, ...), extending the well known constructions of the various fundamental groups. Finally, just as algebraic stacks are obtained by gluing affine schemes we define $$ \infty $$-geometric stacks as a certain gluing of affine stacks. Examples of $$ \infty $$-geometric stacks in the context of algebraic topology (moduli spaces of dga structures up to quasi-isomorphisms) and Hodge theory (non-abelian periods) are given.     

Topological Model Categories Generated by Finite Complexes

 Our main result states that for each finite complex L the category TOP of topological spaces possesses a model category structure (in the sense of Quillen) whose weak equivalences are precisely maps which induce isomorphisms of all [L]-homotopy groups. The concept of [L]-homotopy has earlier been introduced by the first author and is based on Dranishnikov’s notion of extension dimension. As a corollary we obtain an algebraic characterization of [L]-homotopy equivalences between [L]-complexes. This result extends two classical theorems of J. H. C. Whitehead. One of them – describing homotopy equivalences between CW-complexes as maps inducing isomorphisms of all homotopy groups – is obtained by letting L = {point}. The other – describing n-homotopy equivalences between at most (n+1)-dimensional CW-complexes as maps inducing isomorphisms of k-dimensional homotopy groups with k ⩽ n – by letting L = S ⁿ⁺¹ , n ⩾ 0.     

Cochain model for thickenings and its application to rational LS-category

A thickening of a finite CW-complex X is by definition a compact manifold M of the same simple homotopy type as X. We give a model for the cochain complex of the boundary of that manifold, C ^*(δM), as a module over the cochain algebra C ^*(X). We also show how to construct an algebraic model of the rational homotopy type of δC ^*(M) from a model of X. Using this rational model, we prove a new formula for the rational Lusternik–Schnirelmann category of X. Received: 24 September 1999     

Topological Model Categories Generated by Finite Complexes

 Our main result states that for each finite complex L the category TOP of topological spaces possesses a model category structure (in the sense of Quillen) whose weak equivalences are precisely maps which induce isomorphisms of all [L]-homotopy groups. The concept of [L]-homotopy has earlier been introduced by the first author and is based on Dranishnikov’s notion of extension dimension. As a corollary we obtain an algebraic characterization of [L]-homotopy equivalences between [L]-complexes. This result extends two classical theorems of J. H. C. Whitehead. One of them – describing homotopy equivalences between CW-complexes as maps inducing isomorphisms of all homotopy groups – is obtained by letting L = {point}. The other – describing n-homotopy equivalences between at most (n+1)-dimensional CW-complexes as maps inducing isomorphisms of k-dimensional homotopy groups with k ⩽ n – by letting L = S ⁿ⁺¹ , n ⩾ 0. The first author was partially supported by NSERC research grant. Received December 12, 2001; in revised form September 7, 2002 Published online February 28, 2003     

Homotopy Type of Complexes of Graph Homomorphisms between Cycles

In this paper we study the homotopy type of Hom(C_m,C_n), where C_k is the cyclic graph with k vertices. We enumerate connected components of Hom(C_m,C_n) and show that each such component is either homeomorphic to a point or homotopy equivalent to S¹. Moreover, we prove that Hom(C_m,L_n) is either empty or is homotopy equivalent to the union of two points, where L_n is an n-string, i.e., a tree with n vertices and no branching points.     

G-symmetric spectra,semistability and the multiplicative norm

In this paper we develop the basic homotopy theory of G-symmetric spectra (that is, symmetric spectra with a G-action) for a finite group G, as a model for equivariant stable homotopy with respect to a G-set universe. This model lies in between Mandell's equivariant symmetric spectra and the G-orthogonal spectra of Mandell and May and is Quillen equivalent to the two. We further discuss equivariant semistability, construct model structures on module, algebra and commutative algebra categories and describe the homotopical properties of the multiplicative norm in this context.     

A note on model structures on arbitrary Frobenius categories

We show that there is a model structure in the sense of Quillen on an arbitrary Frobenius category F such that the homotopy category of this model structure is equivalent to the stable category F as triangulated categories. This seems to be well-accepted by experts but we were unable to find a complete proof for it in the literature. When F is a weakly idempotent complete (i.e., every split monomorphism is an inflation) Frobenius category, the model structure we constructed is an exact (closed) model structure in the sense of Gillespie (2011).     

Homotopy invariance of AF-embeddability

We prove that AF-embeddability is a homotopy invariant in the class of separable exact C ^*-algebras. This work was inspired by Spielberg's work on homotopy invariance of AF-embeddability and Dadarlat's serial works on AF-embeddability of residually finite dimensional C ^*-algebras. Submitted: February 2002.     

TheK-theory of AF embeddings of the rational rotation algebras

Our main result is the construction of an embedding ofC(T²) into an approximately finite-dimensionalC ^*-algebra which induces an injection onK ₀(C(T²)). The existence of this embedding implies that Cech cohomology cannot be extended to a stable, continuous homology theory forC ^*-algebras which admits a well-behaved Chern character. Homotopy properties ofC ^*-algebras are also considered. For example, we show that the second homotopy functor forC ^*-algebras is discontinuous. Similar embeddings are constructed for all the rational rotation algebras, with the consequence that none of the rational rotation algebras satisfies the homotopy property called semiprojectivity.     

Mapping Surgery to Analysis I: Analytic Signatures

We develop the theory of analytically controlled Poincaré complexes over C ^*-algebras. We associate a signature in C ^*-algebra K-theory to such a complex, and we show that it is invariant under bordism and homotopy. The authors were supported in part by NSF Grant DMS-0100464.     

Separated Lie models and the homotopy Lie algebra

A simply connected topological space X has homotopy Lie algebra π_∗(ΩX)⊗Q. Following Quillen, there is a connected differential graded free Lie algebra (dgL) called a Lie model, which determines the rational homotopy type of X, and whose homology is isomorphic to the homotopy Lie algebra. We show that such a Lie model can be replaced with one that has a special property that we call being separated. The homology of a separated dgL has a particular form which lends itself to calculations.     

On the asymptotic tensor C*-norm

We introduce a new asymptotic one-sided and symmetric tensor norm, the latter of which can be considered as the minimal tensor norm on the category of separable C^*-algebras with homotopy classes of asymptotic homomorphisms as morphisms. We show that the one-sided asymptotic tensor norm differs in general from both the minimal and the maximal tensor norms and discuss its relation to semi-invertibility of C^*-extensions. Received: 23 September 2004; revised: 30 May 2005     

A Quillen Model Structure for 2-Categories

We describe a cofibrantly generated Quillen model structure on the locally finitely presentable category 2-Cat of (small) 2-categories and 2-functors; the weak equivalences are the biequivalences, and the homotopy relation on 2-functors is just pseudonatural equivalence. The model structure is proper, and is compatible with the monoidal structure given by the Gray tensor product. It is not compatible with the Cartesian closed structure, in which the tensor product is the product.The model structure restricts to a model structure on the full subcategory PsGpd of 2-Cat, consisting of those 2-categories in which every arrow is an equivalence and every 2-cell is invertible. The model structure on PsGpd is once again proper, and compatible with the monoidal structure given by the Gray tensor product.     

NonstableK-Theory for operator algebras

We show that the homotopy groups of the group of quasi-unitaries inC ^*-algebras form a homology theory on the category of allC ^*-algebras which becomes topologicalK-theory when stabilized. We then show how this functorial setting, in particular the half-exactness of the involved functors, helps to calculate the homotopy groups of the group of unitaries in a series ofC ^*-algebras. The calculations include the case of all AbelianC ^*-algebras and allC ^*-algebras of the formAB, whereA is one of the Cuntz algebras O_n n=2, 3, ..., an infinite dimensional simpleAF-algebra, the stable multiplier or corona algebra of a-unitalC ^*-algebra, a properly infinite von Neumann algebra, or one of the projectionless simpleC ^*-algebras constructed by Blackadar.