Obstruction theory in model categories

Many examples of obstruction theory can be formulated as the study of when a lift exists in a commutative square. Typically, one of the maps is a cofibration of some sort and the opposite map is a fibration, and there is a functorial obstruction class that determines whether a lift exists. Working in an arbitrary pointed proper model category, we classify the cofibrations that have such an obstruction theory with respect to all fibrations. Up to weak equivalence, retract, and cobase change, they are the cofibrations with weakly contractible target. Equivalently, they are the retracts of principal cofibrations. Without properness, the same classification holds for cofibrations with cofibrant source. Our results dualize to give a classification of fibrations that have an obstruction theory.     

The Boardman-Vogt resolution of operads in monoidal model categories

We extend the -construction of Boardman and Vogt to operads of an arbitrary monoidal model category with suitable interval, and show that it provides a cofibrant resolution for well-pointed Σ-cofibrant operads. The standard simplicial resolution of Godement as well as the cobar-bar chain resolution are shown to be particular instances of this generalised -construction.     

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 note on the homotopy theory of pro-G-spectra

This paper represents a step toward a model structure on pro-spectra in which the weak equivalences are the maps inducing pro-isomorphisms of all pro-homotopy groups. We construct a category in which these weak equivalences are inverted and show that we have not inverted “too much,” in the sense that isomorphic objects still give pro-isomorphic cohomology groups.     

A generalization of Quillen's small object argument

We generalize the small object argument in order to allow for its application to proper classes of maps (as opposed to sets of maps in Quillen's small object argument). The necessity of such a generalization arose with appearance of several important examples of model categories which were proven to be non-cofibrantly generated [J. Adámek, H. Herrlich, J. Rosický, W. Tholen, Weak factorization systems and topological functors, Appl. Categ. Structures 10 (3) (2002) 237-249 [2]; Papers in honour of the seventieth birthday of Professor Heinrich Kleisli (Fribourg, 2000); B. Chorny, The model category of maps of spaces is not cofibrantly generated, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 131 (2003) 2255-2259; J.D. Christensen, M. Hovey, Quillen model structures for relative homological algebra, Math. Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 133 (2) (2002) 261-293; D.C. Isaksen, A model structure on the category of pro-simplicial sets, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 353 (2001) 2805-2841]. Our current approach allows for construction of functorial factorizations and localizations in the equivariant model structures on diagrams of spaces [E.D. Farjoun, Homotopy theories for diagrams of spaces, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 101 (1987) 181-189] and diagrams of chain complexes. We also formulate a non-functorial version of the argument, which applies in two different model structures on the category of pro-spaces [D.A. Edwards, H.M. Hastings, ?ech and Steenrod homotopy theories with applications to geometric topology, Lecture Notes in Mathematics, vol. 542, Springer, Berlin, 1976; D.C. Isaksen, A model structure on the category of pro-simplicial sets, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 353 (2001) 2805-2841].The examples above suggest a natural extension of the framework of cofibrantly generated model categories. We introduce the concept of a class-cofibrantly generated model category, which is a model category generated by classes of cofibrations and trivial cofibrations satisfying some reasonable assumptions.     

A completion theorem for pro-G-spectra

We give a very general completion theorem for pro-spectra. We show that, if G is a compact Lie group, M[∗] is a pro-G-spectrum, and F is a family of (closed) subgroups of G, then the mapping pro-spectrum F(EF₊,M[∗]) is the F-adic completion of M[∗], in the sense that the map M[∗]→F(EF₊,M[∗]) is the universal map into an algebraically F-adically complete pro-spectrum. Here, F(EF₊,M[∗]) denotes the pro-G-spectrum , where runs over the finite subcomplexes of EF₊.     

The fiber of functors between categories of algebras

We investigate the fiber of a functor F:C→D between sketchable categories of algebras over an object D∈D from two points of view: characterizing its classifying space as a universal -space; and parametrizing its objects in cohomological terms.     

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.     

On the subdivision of small categories

We present an intrinsic and concrete development of the subdivision of small categories, give some simple examples and derive its fundamental properties. As an application, we deduce an alternative way to compare the homotopy categories of spaces and small categories, by using partially ordered sets. This yields a new conceptual proof to the well-known fact that these two homotopy categories are equivalent.     

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.     

Algebraic models of change of groups functors in (co)free rational equivariant spectra

Free and cofree equivariant spectra are important classes of equivariant spectra which represent equivariant cohomology theories on free equivariant spaces. Greenlees-Shipley [24], [26] and Pol and the author [45] have given an algebraic model for rational (co)free equivariant spectra. In this paper, we extend this framework by proving that the Quillen functors of induction-restriction-coinduction between categories of (co)free rational equivariant spectra correspond to Quillen functors between the algebraic models in the case of connected compact Lie groups. This is achieved using new abstract techniques regarding correspondences of Quillen functors along Quillen equivalences, which we expect to be of use in other applications.     

On exact categories and applications to triangulated adjoints and model structures

We show that Quillen?s small object argument works for exact categories under very mild conditions. This has immediate applications to cotorsion pairs and their relation to the existence of certain triangulated adjoint functors and model structures. In particular, the interplay of different exact structures on the category of complexes of quasi-coherent sheaves leads to a streamlined and generalized version of recent results obtained by Estrada, Gillespie, Guil Asensio, Hovey, Jørgensen, Neeman, Murfet, Prest, Trlifaj and possibly others.     

Models for homotopy n-types in diagram categories

The classical Mac Lane-Whitehead equivalence showing that crossed modules of groups are algebraic models of connected homotopy 2-types has found a corresponding equivariant version by Moerdijk and Svensson ([22]). In this paper we show that this equivariant result has a higher-dimensional version which gives an equivalence between the homotopy category of diagrams of certain objects indexed by the orbit category of a group H and H-equivariant homotopy n-types for n1.Supported by DGICYT:PS90-0226     

Model structures on exact categories

We define model structures on exact categories, which we call exact model structures. We look at the relationship between these model structures and cotorsion pairs on the exact category. In particular, when the underlying category is weakly idempotent complete, we get Hovey’s one-to-one correspondence between model structures and complete cotorsion pairs. We classify the right and the left homotopy relation in terms of the cotorsion pairs and look at examples of exact model structures. In particular, we see that given any hereditary abelian model category, the full subcategories of cofibrant, fibrant and cofibrant-fibrant subobjects each has natural exact model structures equivalent to the original model structure. These model structures each has interesting characteristics. For example, the cofibrant-fibrant subobjects form a Frobenius category, whose stable category is the same as the homotopy category of its model structure.     

Three models for the homotopy theory of homotopy theories

Given any model category, or more generally any category with weak equivalences, its simplicial localization is a simplicial category which can rightfully be called the “homotopy theory” of the model category. There is a model category structure on the category of simplicial categories, so taking its simplicial localization yields a “homotopy theory of homotopy theories”. In this paper we show that there are two different categories of diagrams of simplicial sets, each equipped with an appropriate definition of weak equivalence, such that the resulting homotopy theories are each equivalent to the homotopy theory arising from the model category structure on simplicial categories. Thus, any of these three categories with the respective weak equivalences could be considered a model for the homotopy theory of homotopy theories. One of them in particular, Rezk’s complete Segal space model category structure on the category of simplicial spaces, is much more convenient from the perspective of making calculations and therefore obtaining information about a given homotopy theory.     

Homotopical algebra in homotopical categories

We develop here a version of abstract homotopical algebra based onhomotopy kernels andcokernels, which are particular homotopy limits and colimits. These notions are introduced in anh-category, a sort of two-dimensional context more general than a 2-category, abstracting thenearly 2-categorical properties of topological spaces, continuous maps and homotopies. A setting which applies also, at different extents, to cubical or simplicial sets, chain complexes, chain algebras, ... and in which homotopical algebra can be established as a two-dimensional enrichment of homological algebra.Actually, a hierarchy of notions ofh-,h1-, ...h4-categories is introduced, through progressive enrichment of thevertical structure of homotopies, so that the strongest notion,h4-category, is a sort of relaxed 2-category. After investigating homotopy pullbacks and homotopical diagrammatical lemmas in these settings, we introduceright semihomotopical categories, ash-categories provided with terminal object and homotopy cokernels (mapping cones), andright homotopical categories, provided also with anh4-structure and verifying second-order regularity properties forh-cokernels.In these frames we study the Puppe sequence of a map, its comparison with the sequence of iterated homotopy cokernels and theh-cogroup structure of the suspension endofunctor. Left (semi-) homotopical categories, based on homotopy kernels, give the fibration sequence of a map and theh-group of loops. Finally, the self-dual notion of homotopical categories is considered, together with their stability properties.Lavoro esequito nell'ambito dei progetti di ricerca del MURST.     

The 2-category theory of quasi-categories

In this paper we re-develop the foundations of the category theory of quasi-categories (also called ∞-categories) using 2-category theory. We show that Joyal's strict 2-category of quasi-categories admits certain weak 2-limits, among them weak comma objects. We use these comma quasi-categories to encode universal properties relevant to limits, colimits, and adjunctions and prove the expected theorems relating these notions. These universal properties have an alternate form as absolute lifting diagrams in the 2-category, which we show are determined pointwise by the existence of certain initial or terminal vertices, allowing for the easy production of examples.