The homotopy categorical crossed module of a CW-complex

Crossed modules have longstanding uses in homotopy theory and the cohomology of groups. The corresponding notion in the setting of categorical groups, that is, categorical crosses modules, allowed the development of a low-dimensional categorical group cohomology. Now, its relevance is also shown here to homotopy types by associating, to any pointed CW-complex (X,∗), a categorical crossed module that algebraically represents the homotopy 3-type of X.     

Representability theorems for presheaves of spectra

Suppose that M is a simplicial model category and that F is a contravariant simplicial functor defined on M which takes values in pointed simplicial sets. This note displays conditions on the simplicial model category M and the functor F such that F is representable up to weak equivalence. The conditions on F are homotopy coherent versions of the classical conditions for Brown representability, while M should have the fundamental properties of the stable model structure for presheaves of spectra on a Grothendieck site.     

Implications of large-cardinal principles in homotopical localization

The existence of arbitrary cohomological localizations on the homotopy category of spaces has remained unproved since Bousfield settled the same problem for homology theories in the decade of 1970. This is related with another open question, namely whether or not every homotopy idempotent functor on spaces is an f-localization for some map f. We prove that both questions have an affirmative answer assuming the validity of a suitable large-cardinal axiom from set theory (Vopěnka's principle). We also show that it is impossible to prove that all homotopy idempotent functors are f-localizations using the ordinary ZFC axioms of set theory (Zermelo-Fraenkel axioms with the axiom of choice), since a counterexample can be displayed under the assumption that all cardinals are nonmeasurable, which is consistent with ZFC.     

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.     

Homotopy classification of braided graded categorical groups

For any group G, a certain cohomology theory of G-modules is developed. This cohomology arises from the homotopy theory of G-spaces and it is called the “abelian cohomology of G-modules”. Then, as the main results of this paper, natural one-to-one correspondences between elements of the 3^rd cohomology groups of G-modules, G-equivariant pointed simply-connected homotopy 3-types and equivalence classes of braided G-graded categorical groups are established. The relationship among all these objects with equivariant quadratic functions between G-modules is also discussed.     

A remark on K-theory and S-categories

It is now well known that the K-theory of a Waldhausen category depends on more than just its (triangulated) homotopy category (Invent. Math. 150 (2002) 111). The purpose of this note is to show that the K-theory spectrum of a (good) Waldhausen category is completely determined by its Dwyer-Kan simplicial localization, without any additional structure. As the simplicial localization is a refined version of the homotopy category which also determines the triangulated structure, our result is a possible answer to the general question: “To which extent K-theory is not an invariant of triangulated derived categories? ”     

Maps into homotopy coalgebras

Let X be a k-fold homotopy coalgebra of order j with respect to the pair of adjoint functors Σk and Ωk. We show that, under some connectivity conditions on the map , Y inherits a k-fold homotopy coalgebra structure of the same order for which f is a morphism of homotopy coalgebras. In particular, this holds for skeleta of homotopy coalgebras under some mild assumptions. As a consequence, we complete results on [M. Arkowitz, M. Golasiński, Homotopy coalgebras and k-fold suspensions, Hiroshima Math. J. 27 (1997) 209-220] and [T. Ganea, Cogroups and suspensions, Invent. Math. 9 (1970) 185-197] by detecting k-fold suspensions among skeleta of k-fold homotopy coalgebras.     

Homotopy algebras and the inverse of the normalization functor

In this paper, we investigate multiplicative properties of the classical Dold-Kan correspondence. The inverse of the normalization functor maps commutative differential graded algebras to E_∞-algebras. We prove that it in fact sends algebras over arbitrary differential graded E_∞-operads to E_∞-algebras in simplicial modules and is part of a Quillen adjunction. More generally, this inverse maps homotopy algebras to weak homotopy algebras. We prove the corresponding dual results for algebras under the conormalization, and for coalgebra structures under the normalization resp. the inverse of the conormalization.     

The realization space of a Π-algebra: a moduli problem in algebraic topology

A Π-algebra A is a graded group with all of the algebraic structure possessed by the homotopy groups of a pointed connected topological space. We study the moduli space R(A) of realizations of A, which is defined to be the disjoint union, indexed by weak equivalence classes of CW-complexes X with , of the classifying space of the monoid of self homotopy equivalences of X. Our approach amounts to a kind of homotopical deformation theory: we obtain a tower whose homotopy limit is R(A), in which the space at the bottom is BAut(A) and the successive fibres are determined by Π-algebra cohomology. (This cohomology is the analog for Π-algebras of the Hochschild cohomology of an associative ring or the André-Quillen cohomology of a commutative ring.) It seems clear that the deformation theory can be applied with little change to study other moduli problems in algebra and topology.     

Symmetric cubical sets

We introduce a new cubical model for homotopy types. More precisely, we will define a category Q_Σ with the following features: Q_Σ is a prop containing the classical box category as a subcategory; the category of presheaves of sets on Q_Σ models the homotopy category; and combinatorial symmetric monoidal model categories with cofibrant unit have homotopically well-behaved enrichments.     

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.     

On the Grothendieck construction for ∞-categories

We provide, among other things: (i) a Bousfield–Kan formula for colimits in ∞-categories (generalizing the 1-categorical formula for a colimit as a coequalizer of maps between coproducts); (ii) ∞-categorical generalizations of Barwick–Kan's Theorem B_n and Dwyer–Kan–Smith's Theorem C_n (regarding homotopy pullbacks in the Thomason model structure, which themselves vastly generalize Quillen's Theorem B); and (iii) an articulation of the simultaneous and interwoven functoriality of colimits (or dually, of limits) for natural transformations and for pullback along maps of diagram ∞-categories.     

Rational homotopy theory and differential graded category

We propose a generalization of Sullivan’s de Rham homotopy theory to non-simply connected spaces. The formulation is such that the real homotopy type of a manifold should be the closed tensor dg-category of flat bundles on it much the same as the real homotopy type of a simply connected manifold is the de Rham algebra in original Sullivan’s theory. We prove the existence of a model category structure on the category of small closed tensor dg-categories and as a most simple case, confirm an equivalence between the homotopy category of spaces whose fundamental groups are finite and whose higher homotopy groups are finite dimensional rational vector spaces and the homotopy category of small closed tensor dg-categories satisfying certain conditions.     

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.     

A folk model structure on omega-cat

The primary aim of this work is an intrinsic homotopy theory of strict ω-categories. We establish a model structure on ωCat, the category of strict ω-categories. The constructions leading to the model structure in question are expressed entirely within the scope of ωCat, building on a set of generating cofibrations and a class of weak equivalences as basic items. All objects are fibrant while free objects are cofibrant. We further exhibit model structures of this type on n-categories for arbitrary n∈N, as specializations of the ω-categorical one along right adjoints. In particular, known cases for n=1 and n=2 nicely fit into the scheme.     

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.     

CATEGORICAL HOMOTOPY

We present a homotopy theory of small categories. In a work of this nature there is a need to give a theory which is clear and which shows the methods of work in this field. It is also necessary to prove theorems which place the theory within the general framework of homotopy, i.e. particularly to liaise with the homotopy of topological spaces and with abstract homotopy theories. Firstly we define the important notion of finite functor on which the theory is based. Next we introduce a type of fibred category fitting to the work on homotopy. After having studied the paths and loops of a category, we consider homotopy between functors. Finally, we demonstrate the possibility of obtaining homotopy groups before taking into consideration the relations between categorical and topological homotopy.