Toric complexes and Artin kernels

A simplicial complex L on n vertices determines a subcomplex TL of the n-torus, with fundamental group the right-angled Artin group GL. Given an epimorphism χ:GL→Z, let be the corresponding cover, with fundamental group the Artin kernel Nχ. We compute the cohomology jumping loci of the toric complex TL, as well as the homology groups of with coefficients in a field k, viewed as modules over the group algebra kZ. We give combinatorial conditions for to have trivial Z-action, allowing us to compute the truncated cohomology ring, . We also determine several Lie algebras associated to Artin kernels, under certain triviality assumptions on the monodromy Z-action, and establish the 1-formality of these (not necessarily finitely presentable) groups.     

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₊.     

Cellular covers of groups

In this paper we discuss the concept of cellular cover for groups, especially nilpotent and finite groups. A cellular cover is a group homomorphism c:G→M such that composition with c induces an isomorphism of sets between and . An interesting example is when G is the universal central extension of the perfect group M. This concept originates in algebraic topology and homological algebra, where it is related to the study of localizations of spaces and other objects. As explained below, it is closely related to the concept of cellular approximation of any group by a given fixed group. We are particularly interested in properties of M that are inherited by G, and in some cases by properties of the kernel of the map c.     

Equivariant homotopical homology with coefficients in a Mackey functor

Let M be a Mackey functor for a finite group G. In this paper, generalizing the Dold-Thom construction, we construct an ordinary equivariant homotopical homology theory with coefficients in M, whose values on the category of finite G-sets realize the bifunctor M, both covariantly and contravariantly. Furthermore, we extend the contravariant functor to define a transfer in the theory for G-equivariant covering maps. This transfer is given by a continuous homomorphism between topological abelian groups.We prove a formula for the composite of the transfer and the projection of a G-equivariant covering map and characterize those Mackey functors M for which that formula has an expression analogous to the classical one.     

Iterated homotopy fixed points for the Lubin-Tate spectrum

When G is a profinite group and H and K are closed subgroups, with H normal in K, it is not known, in general, how to form the iterated homotopy fixed point spectrum (ZhH)^hK/H, where Z is a continuous G-spectrum and all group actions are to be continuous. However, we show that, if G=Gn, the extended Morava stabilizer group, and , where is Bousfield localization with respect to Morava K-theory, En is the Lubin-Tate spectrum, and X is any spectrum with trivial Gn-action, then the iterated homotopy fixed point spectrum can always be constructed. Also, we show that is just , extending a result of Devinatz and Hopkins.     

Universal factorization property of certain polycyclic groups

Let H be a torsion-free strongly polycyclic (torsion-free virtually polycyclic, resp.) group. Let G be any group with maximal condition. We show that there exists a torsion-free strongly polycyclic (torsion-free virtually polycyclic, resp.) group and an epimorphism such that for any homomorphism ?:G→H, it factors through , i.e., there exists a homomorphism such that . We show that this factorization property cannot be extended to any finitely generated group G. As an application of factorization, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for N(f,g)=R(f,g) to hold for maps f,g:X→Y between closed orientable n-manifolds where π₁(X) has the maximal condition, Y is an infra-solvmanifold, N(f,g) and R(f,g) denote the Nielsen and Reidemeister coincidence numbers, respectively.     

Splitting off rational parts in homotopy types

It is known algebraically that any abelian group is a direct sum of a divisible group and a reduced group (see Theorem 21.3 of [L. Fuchs, Infinite Abelian Groups, vol. I, Academic Press, New York-London, 1970]). In this paper, conditions to split off rational parts in homotopy types from a given space are studied in terms of a variant of Hurewicz map, say and generalised Gottlieb groups. This yields decomposition theorems on rational homotopy types of Hopf spaces, T-spaces and Gottlieb spaces, which has been known in various situations, especially for spaces with finiteness conditions.     

Classifying spaces with virtually cyclic stabilisers for certain infinite cyclic extensions

Let G?B?Z be an infinite cyclic extension of a group B where the action of Z on the set of conjugacy classes of non-trivial elements of B is free. This class of groups includes certain strictly descending HNN-extensions with abelian or free base groups, certain wreath products by Z and the soluble Baumslag-Solitar groups BS(1,m) with |m|≥2. We construct a model for , the classifying space of G for the family of virtually cyclic subgroups of G, and give bounds for the minimal dimension of . Finally we determine the geometric dimension when G is a soluble Baumslag-Solitar group.     

Localization and duality in topology and modular representation theory

We develop a duality theory for localizations in the context of ring spectra in algebraic topology. We apply this to prove a theorem in the modular representation theory of finite groups.Let G be a finite group and k be an algebraically closed field of characteristic p. If p is a homogeneous nonmaximal prime ideal in H^∗(G,k), then there is an idempotent module κ_p which picks out the layer of the stable module category corresponding to p, and which was used by Benson, Carlson and Rickard [D.J. Benson, J.F. Carlson, J. Rickard, Thick subcategories of the stable module category, Fund. Math. 153 (1997) 59-80] in their development of varieties for infinitely generated kG-modules. Our main theorem states that the Tate cohomology is a shift of the injective hull of H^∗(G,k)/p as a graded H^∗(G,k)-module. Since κ_p can be constructed using a version of the stable Koszul complex, this can be viewed as a statement of localized Gorenstein duality in modular representation theory. Various consequences of this theorem are given, including the statement that the stable endomorphism ring of the module κ_p is the p-completion of cohomology , and the statement that κ_p is a pure injective kG-module.In the course of proving the theorem, we further develop the framework introduced by Dwyer, Greenlees and Iyengar [W.G. Dwyer, J.P.C. Greenlees, S. Iyengar, Duality in algebra and topology, Adv. Math. 200 (2006) 357-402] for translating between the unbounded derived categories and . We also construct a functor to the full stable module category, which extends the usual functor and which preserves Tate cohomology. The main theorem is formulated and proved in , and then translated to and finally to .The main theorem in can be viewed as stating that a version of Gorenstein duality holds after localizing at a prime ideal in H^∗(BG;k). This version of the theorem holds more generally for a compact Lie group satisfying a mild orientation condition. This duality lies behind the local cohomology spectral sequence of Greenlees and Lyubeznik for localizations of H^∗(BG;k).In a companion paper [D.J. Benson, Idempotent kG-modules with injective cohomology, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 212 (7) (2008) 1744-1746], a more recent and shorter proof of the main theorem is given. The more recent proof seems less natural, and does not say anything about localization of the Gorenstein condition for compact Lie groups.     

The coarse shape groups

The (pointed) coarse shape category Sh^* (), having (pointed) topological spaces as objects and having the (pointed) shape category as a subcategory, was recently constructed. Its isomorphisms classify (pointed) topological spaces strictly coarser than the (pointed) shape type classification. In this paper we introduce a new algebraic coarse shape invariant which is an invariant of shape and homotopy, as well. For every pointed space (X,?) and for every k∈N₀, the coarse shape group , having the standard shape group for its subgroup, is defined. Furthermore, a functor is constructed. The coarse shape and shape groups already differ on the class of polyhedra. An explicit formula for computing coarse shape groups of polyhedra is given. The coarse shape groups give us more information than the shape groups. Generally, does not imply (e.g. for solenoids), but from pro-πk(X,?)=0 follows . Moreover, for pointed metric compacta (X,?), the n-shape connectedness is characterized by , for every k?n.     

On Wohlfahrt series and wreath products

Suppose that a group A contains only a finite number of subgroups of index d for each positive integer d. Let G?Sn be the wreath product of a finite group G with the symmetric group Sn on {1,…,n}. For each positive integer n, let Kn be a subgroup of G?Sn containing the commutator subgroup of G?Sn. If the sequence satisfies a certain compatible condition, then the exponential generating function of the sequence takes the form of a sum of exponential functions.     

Extensions for finite Chevalley groups I

Let G be a connected semisimple algebraic group defined and split over the field with p elements, and k be the algebraic closure of . Assume further that G is almost simple and simply connected and let be the finite Chevalley group consisting of -rational points of G where q=p^r for a non-negative integer r. In this paper, formulas are found relating extensions between simple -modules and extensions over G (considered as an algebraic group over k). One of these formulas, which only holds for primes p?3(h−1) (where h is the Coxeter number of G), is then used to show the vanishing of self-extensions between simple -modules except for certain simple modules when r=1 and the underlying root system is of type A₁ or C_n.     

Rational torus-equivariant stable homotopy I: Calculating groups of stable maps

We construct an abelian category A(G) of sheaves over a category of closed subgroups of the r-torus G and show that it is of finite injective dimension. It can be used as a model for rational G-spectra in the sense that there is a homology theory

     

On cohomology rings of infinite groups

Let R be any ring (with 1), G a torsion free group and RG the corresponding group ring. Let be the cohomology ring associated with the RG-module M. Let H be a subgroup of finite index of G. The following is a special version of our main Theorem: Assume the profinite completion of G is torsion free. Then an element is nilpotent (under Yoneda’s product) if and only if its restriction to is nilpotent. In particular this holds for the Thompson group.There are torsion free groups for which the analogous statement is false.     

Cohomology rings of multiplicative fibrations

Let p be an odd prime. Let be the fibre space induced from an H-map where K is a generalized Eilenberg MacLane space and X is a simply connected H-space. Such spaces occur frequently in Postnikov towers and connective covers. In this paper, we compute the mod p cohomology of as a ring. The ring depends on the structure of imf^* and the structure of subkerf^* as modules over the Steenrod algebra.