The circle-equivariant spectrum MString_C is the equivariant analogue of the cobordism spectrum MU<6> of stably almost complex manifolds with c_1=c_2=0. Given a rational elliptic curve C, the second author has defined a ring T-spectrum EC representing the associated T-equivariant elliptic cohomology. The core of the present paper is the construction, when C is a complex elliptic curve, of a map of ring T-spectra
MString_C --> EC which is the rational equivariant analogue of the sigma orientation of Ando-Hopkins-Strickland. We support this by a theory of characteristic classes for calculation, and a conceptual description in terms of algebraic geometry. In particular, we prove a conjecture of the first author.
We show that the cohomology group of the equivariant simplicial de Rham complex is isomorphic to the cohomology group of the classifying space of a semi-direct product group.
The category of rational O(2)-equivariant spectra splits as a product of cyclic and dihedral parts. Using the classification of rational G-equivariant spectra for finite groups G, we classify the dihedral part of rational O(2)-equivariant spectra in terms of an algebraic model.
Starting categorically, we give simple and precise models of equivariant classifying spaces. We need these models for work in progress in equivariant infinite loop space theory and equivariant algebraic K-theory, but the models are of independent interest in equivariant bundle theory and especially equivariant covering space theory.
We construct a Thom class in complex equivariant elliptic cohomology extending the equivariant Witten genus. This gives a new proof of the rigidity of the Witten genus, which exhibits a close relationship to recent work on non-equivariant orientations of elliptic spectra.
This thesis consists of two main parts. In the second part, we recall how a description of local coefficients that Eilenberg introduced in the 1940s leads to spectral sequences for the computation of homology and cohomology with local coefficients. We then show how to construct new equivariant analogues of these spectral sequences for RO(G)-graded Bredon homology and cohomology. Finally, we use these spectral sequences to complete a sample calculation, in which we use the equivariant Serre spectral sequence and the equivariant cohomology of complex projective spaces to compute the cohomology o…
The first purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between equivariant elliptic genera and orbifold elliptic genera. We apply the character theory of Hopkins et. al. to the Borel-equivariant genus associated to the sigma orientation of Ando-Hopkins-Strickland to define an orbifold genus for certain total quotient orbifolds and supersingular elliptic curves. We show that our orbifold genus is given by the same sort of formula as the orbifold ``two-variable'' genus of Dijkgraaf et al. In the case of a finite cyclic orbifold group, we use the characteristic series for the two-variable…
We consider Γ-equivariant principal G-bundles over proper Γ-CW-complexes with prescribed family of local representations. We construct and analyze their classifying spaces for locally compact, second countable topological groups with finite covering dimension Γand G such that G is almost connected.
We define the orbit category for transitive topological groupoids and their equivariant CW-complexes. By using these constructions we define equivariant Bredon homology and cohomology for actions of transitive topological groupoids. We show how these theories can be obtained by looking at the action of a single isotropy group on a fiber of the anchor map, extending equivariant results for compact group actions. We also show how this extension from a single isotropy group to the entire groupoid action can be applied to the structure of principal bundles and classifying spaces.
We compute the homology of the space of equivariant loops on the classifying space of a simplicial monoid $M$ with anti-involution, provided $π_0 (M)$ is central in the homology ring of $M$. The proof is similar to McDuff and Segal's proof of the group completion theorem. Then we compute the homology of the $C_2$-fixed points of a Segal-type model of the algebraic $K$-theory of an additive category with duality. As an application we show that this fixed point space is sometimes group complete, but not in general.
The results of a previous paper on the equivariant homotopy theory of crossed complexes are generalised from the case of a discrete group to general topological groups. The principal new ingredient necessary for this is an analysis of homotopy coherence theory for crossed complexes, using detailed results on the appropriate Eilenberg-Zilber theory from Tonks' thesis, and of its relation to simplicial homotopy coherence. Again, our results give information not just on the homotopy classification of certain equivariant maps, but also on the weak equivariant homotopy type of the corresponding equ…
We compute the additive structure of the $\mathrm{RO}(C_n)$-graded Bredon equivariant cohomology of the equivariant classifying space $B_{C_n}\mathrm{SU}(2)$, for any $n$ that is either prime or a product of distinct odd primes, and we also compute its multiplicative structure for $n=2$. In particular, as an algebra over the cohomology of a point, we show that the cohomology of $B_{C_2}\mathrm{SU}(2)$ is generated by two elements subject to a single relation: writing $σ$ for the sign representation of $C_2$ in $\mathrm{RO}(C_2)$, the generators are an element $c$ in dimension $4σ$ and an eleme…
In a previous paper, we have constructed, for an arbitrary Lie group G and any of the fields F=R or C, a good equivariant cohomology theory KF_G^*(-) on the category of proper $G$-CW-complex and have justified why it deserved the label ``equivariant K-theory". It was shown in particular how this theory was a logical extension of the construction of Lück and Oliver for discrete groups and coincided with Segal's classical K-theory when G is a compact group and only finite G-CW-complexes are considered. Here, we compare our new equivariant K-theory with that of N.C. Phillips: it is shown how a na…
Let $G$ be an infinite discrete group and let $\underline{E}G$ be a classifying space for proper actions of $G$. Every $G$-equivariant vector bundle over $\underline{E}G$ gives rise to a compatible collection of representations of the finite subgroups of $G$. We give the first examples of groups $G$ with a cocompact classifying space for proper actions $\underline{E}G$ admitting a compatible collection of representations of the finite subgroups of $G$ that does not come from a $G$-equivariant (virtual) vector bundle over $\underline{E}G$. This implies that the Atiyah-Hirzeburch spectral sequen…
Equivariant elliptic cohomology with complex coefficients was defined axiomatically by Ginzburg, Kapranov and Vasserot and constructed by Grojnowski. We give an invariant definition of S^1-equivariant elliptic cohomology, and use it to give an entirely cohomological proof of the rigidity theorem of Witten for the elliptic genus. We also state and prove a rigidity theorem for families of elliptic genera.
This paper presents a commutative complex-oriented cohomology theory that realizes the Buchstaber formal group law localized away from 2. Also, the restriction of the classifying map of FB on special unitary cobordism ring localized away from 2 defines a four parameter genus, studied by Hoehn and Totaro.
Let $G$ be a finite $p$-group. The Eilenberg-Maclane spectrum of the constant Mackey functor $\underline{\mathbb{F}}_p$, denoted $H\underline{\mathbb{F}}_p$, is modeled by the free $\mathbb{F}_p$-module on the $G$-equivariant sphere spectrum. With this construction, one has a `word length' filtration $\{(H\underline{\mathbb{F}}_p)_n\}_{n\ge 1}$. Our main theorem is that the $k$-th layer $(H\underline{\mathbb{F}}_p)_{p^k}/(H\underline{\mathbb{F}}_p)_{p^{k-1}}$ is $p$-locally equivalent to the $k$-fold suspension of the Steinberg summand of the $G$-equivariant classifying space of $(\mathbb{Z}/p…
We give minimal presentations for the $RO(C_2)$-graded Bredon cohomology of the equivariant classifying spaces $B_{C_2}U(n), B_{C_2}SO(n)$ and $B_{C_2}Sp(n)$ with coefficients in the rational Burnside Green functor $A_{\mathbf Q}$. This results in an efficient description of rational $C_2$ equivariant Chern, Pontryagin and symplectic characteristic classes. These classes are then related to each other using the inclusions of maximal tori.
In this paper configuration spaces of smooth manifolds are considered. The accent is made on actions of certain groups (mostly $p$-tori) on this spaces by permuting their points. For such spaces the cohomological index, the genus in the sense of Krasnosel'skii-Schwarz, and the equivariant Lyusternik-Schnirelmann category are estimated from below, and some corollaries for functions on configuration spaces are deduced.
We generalize two classical homotopy theory results, the Blakers-Massey Theorem and Quillen's Theorem B, to G-equivariant cubical diagrams of spaces, for a discrete group G. We show that the equivariant Freudenthal suspension Theorem for permutation representations is a direct consequence of the equivariant Blakers-Massey Theorem. We also apply this theorem to generalize to G-manifolds a result about cubes of configuration spaces from embedding calculus. Our proof of the equivariant Theorem B involves a generalization of the classical Theorem B to higher dimensional cubes, as well as a categor…
We define and discuss G-formality for certain spaces endowed with an action by a compact Lie group. This concept is essentially formality of the Borel construction of the space in a category of commutative differential graded algebras over R, where R is the cohomology of the classifying space BG. These results may be applied in computing the equivariant cohomology of their loop spaces.
We give a new proof that for a finite group G, the category of rational G-equivariant spectra is Quillen equivalent to the product of the model categories of chain complexes of modules over the rational group ring of the Weyl group of H in G, as H runs over the conjugacy classes of subgroups of G. Furthermore the Quillen equivalences of our proof are all symmetric monoidal. Thus we can understand categories of algebras or modules over a ring spectrum in terms of the algebraic model.
We study the classifying space of a twisted loop group $L_σG$ where $G$ is a compact Lie group and $σ$ is an automorphism of $G$ of finite order modulo inner automorphisms. Equivalently, we study the $σ$-twisted adjoint action of $G$ on itself. We derive a formula for the cohomology ring $H^*(BL_σG)$ and explicitly carry out the calculation for all automorphisms of simple Lie groups. More generally, we derive a formula for the equivariant cohomology of compact Lie group actions with constant rank stabilizers.
We define algebraic cobordism of classifying spaces, Ω^*(BG) and G-equivariant algebraic cobordism Ω^*_G(-) for a linear algebraic group G. We prove some properties of the coniveau filtration on algebraic cobordism, denoted F^j(Ω^*(-)), which are required for the definition to work. We show that G-equivariant cobordism satisfies the localization exact sequence. We calculate Ω^*(BG) for algebraic groups over the complex numbers corresponding to classical Lie groups GL(n), SL(n), Sp(n), O(n) and SO(2n+1). We also calculate Ω^*(BG) when G is a finite abelian group. A finite non-abelian group for …
We compute the equivariant $KO$-homology of the classifying space for proper actions of $\textrm{SL}_3(\mathbb{Z})$ and $\textrm{GL}_3(\mathbb{Z})$. We also compute the Bredon homology and equivariant $K$-homology of the classifying spaces for proper actions of $\textrm{PSL}_2(\mathbb{Z}[\frac{1}{p}])$ and $\textrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{Z}[\frac{1}{p}])$ for each prime $p$. Finally, we prove the Unstable Gromov-Lawson-Rosenberg Conjecture for a large class of groups whose maximal finite subgroups are odd order and have periodic cohomology.
Atiyah's classical work on circular symmetry and stationary phase shows how the $\hat{A}$-genus is obtained by formally applying the equivariant cohomology localization formula to the loop space of a simply connected spin manifold. The same technique, applied to a suitable ''antiholomorphic sector'' in the $\mathbb{C}/Λ$-equivariant cohomology of the conformal double loop space $\mathrm{Maps}(\mathbb{C}/Λ,X)$ of a rationally string manifold $X$ produces the Witten genus of $X$. This can be seen as an equivariant localization counterpart to Berwick-Evans supersymmetric localization derivation o…
In this short note, we compute the rational $C_{2^n}$-equivariant stable stems and give minimal presentations for the $RO(C_{2^n})$-graded Bredon cohomology of the equivariant classifying spaces $B_{C_{2^n}}S^1$ and $B_{C_{2^n}}Σ_2$ over the rational Burnside functor $A_{\mathbf Q}$. We also examine for which compact Lie groups $L$ the maximal torus inclusion $T\to L$ induces an isomorphism from $H^*_{C_{2^n}}(B_{C_{2^n}}L;A_{\mathbf Q})$ onto the fixed points of $H^*_{C_{2^n}}(B_{C_{2^n}}T;A_{\mathbf Q})$ under the Weyl group action. We prove that this holds for $L=U(m)$ and any $n,m\ge 1$ bu…
The equivariant cohomology of a space with a group action is not only a ring but also an algebra over the cohomology ring of the classifying space of the acting group. We prove that toric manifolds (i.e. compact smooth toric varieties) are isomorphic as varieties if and only if their equivariant cohomology algebras are weakly isomorphic. We also prove that quasitoric manifolds, which can be thought of as a topological counterpart to toric manifolds, are equivariantly homeomorphic if and only if their equivariant cohomology algebras are isomorphic.
For a finite group $G$, we define an equivariant cobordism category $\mathcal{C}_d^G$. Objects of the category are $(d-1)$-dimensional closed smooth $G$-manifolds and morphisms are smooth $d$-dimensional equivariant cobordisms. We identify the homotopy type of its classifying space (i.e. geometric realization of its simplicial nerve) as the fixed points of the infinite loop space of an equivariant spectrum.
Using equivariant obstruction theory we construct equivariant maps from certain classifying spaces to representation spheres for cyclic groups, product of elementary Abelian groups and dihedral groups. Restricting them to finite skeleta constructs equivariant maps between spaces which are related to the topological Tverberg conjecture. This answers negatively a question of Özaydin posed in relation to weaker versions of the same conjecture. Further, it also has consequences for Borsuk-Ulam properties of representations of cyclic and dihedral groups.
The aim of this paper is to study further the universal toric genus of compact homogeneous spaces and their homogeneous fibrations. We consider the homogeneous spaces with positive Euler characteristic. It is well known that such spaces carry many stable complex structures equivariant under the canonical action of the maximal torus $T^k$. As the torus action in this case has only isolated fixed points it is possible to effectively apply localization formula for the universal toric genus. Using this we prove that the famous topological results related to rigidity and multiplicativity of a Hirze…
We obtain the equivariant K-homology of the classifying space \underline{E}W for W a right-angled or, more generally, an even Coxeter group. The key result is a formula for the relative Bredon homology of \underline{E}W in terms of Coxeter cells. Our calculations amount to the K-theory of the reduced C^*-algebra of W, via the Baum-Connes assembly map.
We obtain the equivariant K-homology of the classifying space \underline{E}SL(3,Z) from the computation of its Bredon homology with respect to finite subgroups and coefficients in the representation ring. We also obtain the corresponding results for GL(3,Z). Our calculations give therefore the topological side of the Baum-Connes conjecture for these groups.
Generalizing a construction of Wolfgang Lück and Bob Oliver, we define a good equivariant cohomology theory on the category of proper G-CW complexes when G is an arbitrary Lie group (possibly non-compact). This is done by constructing an appropriate classifying space that arises from a Gamma-G-space. It is proven that this theory effectively generalizes Segal's equivariant K-theory when G is compact.
We construct geometric models for classifying spaces of linear algebraic groups in G-equivariant motivic homotopy theory, where G is a tame group scheme. As a consequence, we show that the equivariant motivic spectrum representing the homotopy K-theory of G-schemes (which we construct as an E-infinity-ring) is stable under arbitrary base change, and we deduce that homotopy K-theory of G-schemes satisfies cdh descent.
We initiate the study of higher dimensional topological finiteness properties of monoids. This is done by developing the theory of monoids acting on CW complexes. For this we establish the foundations of $M$-equivariant homotopy theory where $M$ is a discrete monoid. For projective $M$-CW complexes we prove several fundamental results such as the homotopy extension and lifting property, which we use to prove the $M$-equivariant Whitehead theorems. We define a left equivariant classifying space as a contractible projective $M$-CW complex. We prove that such a space is unique up to $M$-homotopy …
Equivariant localization techniques give a rigorous interpretation of the Witten genus as an integral over the double loop space. This provides a geometric explanation for its modularity properties. It also reveals an interplay between the geometry of double loop spaces and complex analytic elliptic cohomology. In particular, we identify a candidate target for the elliptic Bismut-Chern character.
We explain the relationship between the sigma orientation and Witten genus on the one hand and the two-variable elliptic genus on the other. We show that if E is an elliptic spectrum, then the Theorem of the Cube implies the existence of canonical SU-orientation of the associated spectrum of Jacobi forms. In the case of the elliptic spectrum associated to the Tate curve, this gives the two-variable elliptic genus. We also show that the two-variable genus arises as an instance of the circle-equivariant sigma orientation.
We consider groups G which have a cocompact, 3-manifold model for the classifying space \underline{E}G. We provide an algorithm for computing the rationalized equivariant K-homology of \underline{E}G. Under the additional hypothesis that the quotient 3-orbifold \underline{E}G/G is geometrizable, the rationalized K-homology groups coincide with the rationalized K-theory of the reduced C*-algebra of G. We illustrate our algorithm on some concrete examples.
There is the problem, whether for a given virtually torsionfree discrete group $Γ$ there exists a cocompact proper topological $Γ$-manifold, which is equivariantly homotopy equivalent to the classifying space for proper actions. It is related to Nielsen's Realization and to the problem of Brown, whether there is a d-dimensional model for the classifying space for proper actions, if the underlying group has virtually cohomological dimension d. Assuming that the expected manifold model has a zero-dimensional singular set, we solve the problem in the Poincaré category and obtain new results about…
In this note, we study equivariant versions of Stolz' $R$-groups, the positive scalar curvature structure groups $R^{\rm spin}_n(X)^G$, for proper actions of discrete groups $G$. We define the concept of a fundamental groupoid functor for a $G$-space, encapsulating all the fundamental group information of all the fixed point sets and their relations. We construct classifying spaces for fundamental groupoid functors. As a geometric result, we show that Stolz' equivariant $R$-group $R^{\rm spin}_n(X)^G$ depends only on the fundamental groupoid functor of the reference space $X$. The proof covers…
Let G be a discrete group. We give methods to compute for a generalized (co-)homology theory its values on the Borel construction (EG x X)/G of a proper G-CW-complex X satisfying certain finiteness conditions. In particular we give formulas computing the topological K-(co)homology of the classifying space BG up to finite abelian torsion groups. They apply for instance to arithmetic groups, word hyperbolic groups, mapping class groups and discrete cocompact subgroups of almost connected Lie groups. For finite groups G these formulas are sharp. The main new tools we use for the K-theory calculat…
For $G$ a topological group, existence theorems by Milnor (1956), Gelfand-Fuks (1968), and Segal (1975) of classifying spaces for principal $G$-bundles are generalized to $G$-spaces with torsion. Namely, any $G$-space approximately covered by tubes (a generalization of local trivialization) is the pullback of a universal space indexed by the orbit types of tubes and cardinality of the cover. For $G$ a Lie group, via a metric model we generalize the corresponding uniqueness theorem by Palais (1960) and Bredon (1972) for compact $G$. Namely, the $G$-homeomorphism types of proper $G$-spaces over …
We compute the equivariant $K$-homology of the classifying space for proper actions, for compact 3-dimensional hyperbolic reflection groups. This coincides with the topological $K$-theory of the reduced $C^\ast$-algebra associated to the group, via the Baum-Connes conjecture. We show that, for any such reflection group, the associated $K$-theory groups are torsion-free. As a result we can promote previous rational computations to integral compu- tations. Our proof relies on a new efficient algebraic criterion for checking torsion-freeness of K-theory groups, which could be applied to many othe…
