A counter-example to a conjecture of Félix

If X is a simply connected space of finite type, then the rational homotopy groups of the based loop space of X possess the structure of a graded Lie algebra, denoted L_X. The radical of L_X, which is an important rational homotopy invariant of X, is of finite total dimension if the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of X is finite.Let X be a simply connected space with finite Lusternik-Schnirelmann category. If dimL_X<∞, i.e., if X is elliptic, then L_X is its own radical, and therefore the total dimension of the radical of L_X in odd degrees is less than or equal to its total dimension in even degrees (Friedlander and Halperin (1979) [8]). Félix conjectured that this inequality should hold for all simply connected spaces with finite Lusternik-Schnirelmann category.We prove Félix’s conjecture in some interesting special cases, then provide a counter-example to the general case.     

A measure of the deviation from there being fibrations between a pair of compact manifolds

In this paper we first study the topology of certain manifold complements. The obtained results are then used to show that the φ-category (cf. Lusternik-Schnirelmann category) of some pairs of manifolds is infinite. Finally, in the last section the equivariant case is considered, examples of equivariant mappings with infinitely many critical orbits being provided.     

On Fox?s m-dimensional category and theorems of Bochner type

We show that catm(X)=cat(jm), where catm(X) is Fox?s m-dimensional category, jm:X→X[m] is the mth Postnikov section of X and cat(X) is the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of X. This characterization is used to give new “Bochner-type” bounds on the rank of the Gottlieb group and the first Betti number for manifolds of non-negative Ricci curvature. Finally, we apply these methods to obtain Bochner-type theorems for manifolds of almost non-negative sectional curvature.     

Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of a sphere-bundle over a sphere

We determine the Lusternik-Schnirelmann (L-S) category of a total space of a sphere-bundle over a sphere in terms of primary homotopy invariants of its characteristic map, and thus providing a complete answer to Ganea's Problem 4. As a result, we obtain a necessary and sufficient condition for a total space N to have the same L-S category as its ‘once punctured submanifold’ N\{P},P∈N. Also, necessary and sufficient conditions for a total space M to satisfy Ganea's conjecture are described.     

On the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of Stiefel manifolds

We determine the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of real Stiefel manifolds Vn,k and quaternionic Stiefel manifolds Xn,k for n?2k which is equal to the cup-length of the mod 2 cohomology of Vn,k and the integer cohomology of Xn,k, respectively.     

Lifting homotopy T-algebra maps to strict maps

The settings for homotopical algebra—categories such as simplicial groups, simplicial rings, _A∞$A_{\infty }$ spaces, _E∞$E_{\infty }$ ring spectra, etc.—are often equivalent to categories of algebras over some monad or triple T. In such cases, T is acting on a nice simplicial model category in such a way that T descends to a monad on the homotopy category and defines a category of homotopy T-algebras. In this setting there is a forgetful functor from the homotopy category of T-algebras to the category of homotopy T-algebras.     

Unitary groups of nondegenerate Hermitian forms and the homotopy groups of pseudospheres

The Witt Extension Theorem states that the unitary group of a finite-dimensional vector space V equipped with a nondegenerate hermitian form acts transitively on the pseudosphere induced by the form. We provide a new, constructive proof of this result for finite-dimensional vector spaces V over R, C, or H. This constructive proof is then used to prove a similar result for the unitary group of a finitely generated free right module over an abelian AW^∗-algebra. The topology of these unitary groups is examined and as an application we determine the homotopy groups π₁ and π₂ of the induced real, complex, and quaternionic pseudospheres.     

Calculus of functors and model categories

The category of small covariant functors from simplicial sets to simplicial sets supports the projective model structure [B. Chorny, W.G. Dwyer, Homotopy theory of small diagrams over large categories, preprint, 2005]. In this paper we construct various localizations of the projective model structure and also give a variant for functors from simplicial sets to spectra. We apply these model categories in the study of calculus of functors, namely for a classification of polynomial and homogeneous functors. In the n-homogeneous model structure, the nth derivative is a Quillen functor to the category of spectra with Σn-action. After taking into account only finitary functors—which may be done in two different ways—the above Quillen map becomes a Quillen equivalence. This improves the classification of finitary homogeneous functors by T.G. Goodwillie [T.G. Goodwillie, Calculus. III. Taylor series, Geom. Topol. 7 (2003) 645-711 (electronic)].     

A theory of PWD-structures

A general study is undertaken of product-wedge-diagonal (=PWD) structures on a space. In part this concept may be viewed as arising from G.W. Whitehead's fat-wedge characterization of Lusternik-Schnirelmann category. From another viewpoint PWD-structures occupy a distinguished position among those structures that provide data allowing Hopf invariants to be defined. Indeed the Hopf invariant associated with a PWD-structure is a crucial component of the structure. Our overall theme addresses the basic question of existence of compatible structures on X and Y with regard to a map X→Y. A principal result of the paper uses Hopf invariants to formulate a Berstein-Hilton type result when the space involved is a double mapping cylinder (or homotopy pushout). A decomposition formula for the Hopf invariant (extending previous work of Marcum) is provided in case the space is a topological join U*V that has PWD-structure defined canonically via the join structure in terms of diagonal maps on U and V.     

Modules in monoidal model categories

This paper studies the existence of and compatibility between derived change of ring, balanced product, and function module derived functors on module categories in monoidal model categories.     

A van Kampen theorem for equivariant fundamental groupoids

The equivariant fundamental groupoid of a G-space X is a category which generalizes the fundamental groupoid of a space to the equivariant setting. In this paper, we prove a van Kampen theorem for these categories: the equivariant fundamental groupoid of X can be obtained as a pushout of the categories associated to two open G-subsets covering X. This is proved by interpreting the equivariant fundamental groupoid as a Grothendieck semidirect product construction, and combining general properties of this construction with the ordinary (non-equivariant) van Kampen theorem. We then illustrate applications of this theorem by showing that the equivariant fundamental groupoid of a G-CW complex only depends on the 2-skeleton and also by using the theorem to compute an example.     

Interpolation categories for homology theories

For a homological functor from a triangulated category to an abelian category satisfying some technical assumptions, we construct a tower of interpolation categories. These are categories over which the functor factorizes and which capture more and more information according to the injective dimension of the images of the functor. The categories are obtained by using truncated versions of resolution model structures. Examples of functors fitting in our framework are given by every generalized homology theory represented by a ring spectrum satisfying the Adams-Atiyah condition. The constructions are closely related to the modified Adams spectral sequence and give a very conceptual approach to the associated moduli problem and obstruction theory. As an application, we establish an isomorphism between certain E(n)-local Picard groups and some Ext-groups.     

Dimension zero at all scales

We consider the notion of dimension in four categories: the category of (unbounded) separable metric spaces and (metrically proper) Lipschitz maps, and the category of (unbounded) separable metric spaces and (metrically proper) uniform maps. A unified treatment is given to the large scale dimension and the small scale dimension. We show that in all categories a space has dimension zero if and only if it is equivalent to an ultrametric space. Also, 0-dimensional spaces are characterized by means of retractions to subspaces. There is a universal zero-dimensional space in all categories. In the Lipschitz Category spaces of dimension zero are characterized by means of extensions of maps to the unit 0-sphere. Any countable group of asymptotic dimension zero is coarsely equivalent to a direct sum of cyclic groups. We construct uncountably many examples of coarsely inequivalent ultrametric spaces.     

Group-like structures and the whitehead product in pro-homotopy and shape

The notion of ‘H-space’ is of considerable importance in the homotopy theory of CW-complexes. This paper studies a similar notion in the framework of pro-homotopy and shape theories. This is achieved by following the general plan set forth by Eckmann and Hilton. Examples of shape H-space are also given; it is observed that every compact connected topological monoid is a shape H-space. The Whitehead product is defined and studied in the pro-homotopy and shape categories; and, it is shown that this Whitehead product vanishes on an H-object in pro-homotopy. These results are the natural extension of some well-known classical results in the homotopy theory of CW-complexes.     

Secondary derived functors and the Adams spectral sequence

Classical homological algebra takes place in additive categories. In homotopy theory such additive categories arise as homotopy categories of “additive groupoid enriched categories”, in which a secondary analog of homological algebra can be performed. We introduce secondary chain complexes and secondary resolutions leading to the concept of secondary derived functors. As a main result we show that the E₃-term of the Adams spectral sequence can be expressed as a secondary derived functor. This result can be used to compute the E₃-term explicitly by an algorithm.     

Stable model categories are categories of modules

A stable model category is a setting for homotopy theory where the suspension functor is invertible. The prototypical examples are the category of spectra in the sense of stable homotopy theory and the category of unbounded chain complexes of modules over a ring. In this paper we develop methods for deciding when two stable model categories represent ‘the same homotopy theory’. We show that stable model categories with a single compact generator are equivalent to modules over a ring spectrum. More generally stable model categories with a set of generators are characterized as modules over a ‘ring spectrum with several objects’, i.e., as spectrum valued diagram categories. We also prove a Morita theorem which shows how equivalences between module categories over ring spectra can be realized by smashing with a pair of bimodules. Finally, we characterize stable model categories which represent the derived category of a ring. This is a slight generalization of Rickard's work on derived equivalent rings. We also include a proof of the model category equivalence of modules over the Eilenberg-Mac Lane spectrum HR and (unbounded) chain complexes of R-modules for a ring R.     

A minimum dimensional counterexample to Ganea's conjecture

A 7-dimensional CW-complex having Lusternik-Schnirelmann category equal to 2 is constructed. Using a divisibility phenomenon for Hopf invariants, it is proved that the Cartesian product of the constructed complex with a sphere of sufficiently large dimension also has category 2. This space hence constitutes the minimum dimensional known counterexample to Ganea's conjecture on the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of spaces.     

Singular unitary dilations

We study the problem of determining which bounded linear operator on a Hilbert space can be dilated to a singular unitary operator. Some of the partial results we obtained are (1) every strict contraction has a diagonal unitary dilation, (2) everyC ₀ contraction has a singular unitary dilation, and (3) a contraction with one of its defect indices finite has a singular unitary dilation if and only if it is the direct sum of a singular unitary operator and aC ₀(N) contraction. Such results display a scenario which is in marked contrast to that of the classical case where we have the absolute continuity of the minimal unitary power dilation of any completely nonunitary contraction.     

Crossed modules as homotopy normal maps

In this note we consider crossed modules of groups (N→G, G→Aut(N)), as a homotopy version of the inclusion N⊂G of a normal subgroup. Our main observation is a characterization of the underlying map N→G of a crossed module in terms of a simplicial group structure on the associated bar construction. This approach allows for “natural” generalizations to other monoidal categories, in particular we consider briefly what we call “normal maps” between simplicial groups.