We give a combinatorial description of homotopy groups of $ΣK(π,1)$. In particular, all of the homotopy groups of the $3$-sphere are combinatorially given.
A model category is called combinatorial if it is cofibrantly generated and its underlying category is locally presentable. As shown in recent years, homotopy categories of combinatorial model categories share useful properties, such as being well generated and satisfying a very general form of Ohkawa's theorem.
We give a combinatorial description of general homotopy groups of $k$-dimensional spheres with $k\geq3$ as well as those of Moore spaces. For $n>k\geq 3,$ we construct a finitely generated group defined by explicit generators and relations, whose center is exactly $π_n(S^k)$.
We prove that the homotopy theory of $N_\infty$ operads is equivalent to a homotopy theory of discrete operads, and we construct free and associative operadic realizations of every indexing system. This resolves a conjecture of Blumberg and Hill in the affirmative.
We introduce an explicit combinatorial characterization of the minimal model ${\cal O}_{\infty}$ of the coloured operad ${\cal O}$ encoding non-symmetric operads. In our description of ${\cal O}_{\infty}$, the spaces of operations are defined in terms of hypergraph polytopes and the composition structure generalizes the one of the $A_{\infty}$-operad. As further generalizations of this construction, we present a combinatorial description of the $W$-construction applied on ${\cal O}$, as well as of the minimal model of the coloured operad ${\cal C}$ encoding non-symmetric cyclic operads.
We describe generators of universal Lefschetz groups consisting of self-maps of equivariant 1-spheres. This allows to formulate a normalization axiom which, together with the usual axioms, determines an equivariant Lefschetz number uniquely. We apply this technique to identify the fixed orbit detecting equivariant Lefschetz number of Chorny with the fixed orbit index of Dzedzej.
Natural linear and coalgebra transformations of tensor algebras are studied. The representations of certain combinatorial groups are given. These representations are connected to natural transformations of tensor algebras and to the groups of the homotopy classes of maps from the James construction to loop spaces. Applications to homotopy theory appear in a sequel.
In this master thesis, we extend results from classical simple homotopy theory to the world of stratified homotopy theory. To obtain a well-established framework to work in, we prove a series of results on two model categories of simplicial sets and topological spaces, both equipped with a notion of filtration, introduced by Sylvain Douteau in his PHD thesis. In particular, we show that there is a fully faithful embedding of homotopy categories from the (finite) filtered simplicial into the filtered topological setting. We also use these results to characterize the morphisms in the topological…
We characterize the Hurewicz cofibrations between finite topological spaces, that is, the continuous functions between finite topological spaces that have the homotopy extension property with respect to all topological spaces. In particular, we show that cofibrations between connected non-empty finite topological spaces are homotopy equivalences. As a consequence of our characterization, we obtain a simple algorithm capable of determining whether a given continuous function between finite topological spaces is a cofibration.
Combinatorial groups together with the groups of natural coalgebra transformations of tensor algebras are linked to the groups of homotopy classes of maps from the James construction to a loop space. This connection gives rise to applications to homotopy theory. The Hopf invariants of the Whitehead products are studied and a rate of exponent growth for the strong version of the Barratt Conjecture is given.
We give combinatorial models for the homotopy type of complements of elliptic arrangements (i.e., certain sets of abelian subvarieties in a product of elliptic curves). We give a presentation of the fundamental group of such spaces and, as an application, we treat the case of ordered configuration spaces of elliptic curves. Our models are finite polyhedral CW complexes, and our combinatorial tools of choice are acyclic categories (small categories without loops). As a stepping stone, we give a characterization of which acyclic categories arise as face categories of polyhedral CW complexes.
Chas and Sullivan proved the existence of a Batalin-Vilkovisky algebra structure in the homology of free loop spaces on closed finite dimensional smooth manifolds using chains and chain homotopies. This algebraic structure involves an associative product called the loop product, a Lie bracket called the loop bracket, and a square 0 operator called the BV operator. Cohen and Jones gave a homotopy theoretic description of the loop product in terms of spectra. In this paper, we give an explicit homotopy theoretic description of the loop bracket and, using this description, we give a homological p…
With a view toward studying the homotopy type of spaces of Boolean formulae, we introduce a simplicial complex, called the theta complex, associated to any hypergraph, which is the Alexander dual of the more well-known independence complex. In particular, the set of satisfiable formulae in k-conjunctive normal form with less than or equal to n variables has the homotopy type of Theta(Cube(n,n-k)), where Cube(n,n-k) is a hypergraph associated to the (n-k)-skeleton of an n-cube. We make partial progress in calculating the homotopy type of theta for these cubical hypergraphs, and we also give cal…
We develop a homotopy theory of categories enriched in a monoidal model category V. In particular, we deal with homotopy weighted limits and colimits, and homotopy local presentability. The main result, which was known for simplicially-enriched categories, links homotopy locally presentable V-categories with combinatorial model V-categories, in the case where has all objects of V are cofibrant.
It is possible to translate a modified version of K. Worytkiewicz's combinatorial semantics of CCS (Milner's Calculus of Communicating Systems) in terms of labelled precubical sets into a categorical semantics of CCS in terms of labelled flows using a geometric realization functor. It turns out that a satisfactory semantics in terms of flows requires to work directly in their homotopy category since such a semantics requires non-canonical choices for constructing cofibrant replacements, homotopy limits and homotopy colimits. No geometric information is lost since two precubical sets are isomor…
We investigate the combinatorial data arising from the classification of equivariant homotopy commutativity for cyclic groups of order $G=C_{p_1 \cdots p_n}$ for $p_i$ distinct primes. In particular, we will prove a structural result which allows us to enumerate the number of $N_\infty$-operads for $C_{pqr}$, verifying a computational result.
In the stable homotopy groups $π_{q(p^n+p^m+1)-3}(S)$ of the sphere spectrum $S$ localized at the prime $p$ greater than three, J. Lin constructed an essential family $ξ_{m,n}$ for $n \geq m + 2 >5$. In this paper, the authors show that the composite $ξ_{m,n}β_{s}\in π_{q(p^n+p^m+sp+s)-5}(S)$ for $2 \leq s < p$ is non-trivial, where $q=2(p-1)$ and $β_s \in π_{q(sp+s-1)-2}(S)$ is the known $β$-family. We show our result by explicit combinatorial analysis of the (modified) May spectral sequence.
The purpose of this note is to give a description of the stable homotopy group of some $2$-stage Postnikov systems for a range of dimensions. The considered $2$-stage Postnikov systems has the (weak) homotopy type of a generalized Eilenberg-Mac lane space, then their stable homotopy groups can be calculated by the stable homotopy groups of generalized Eilenberg-Mac lane spaces.
We construct a q-model structure, a h-model structure and a m-model structure on multipointed $d$-spaces and on flows. The two q-model structures are combinatorial and coincide with the combinatorial model structures already known on these categories. The four other model structures (the two m-model structures and the two h-model structures) are accessible. We give an example of multipointed $d$-space and of flow which are not cofibrant in any of the model structures. We explain why the m-model structures, Quillen equivalent to the q-model structure of the same category, are better behaved tha…
We study the homotopy types of moment-angle complexes, or equivalently, of complements of coordinate subspace arrangements. The overall aim is to identify the simplicial complexes K for which the corresponding moment-angle complex Z_K has the homotopy type of a wedge of spheres or a connected sum of sphere products. When K is flag, we identify in algebraic and combinatorial terms those K for which Z_K is homotopy equivalent to a wedge of spheres, and give a combinatorial formula for the number of spheres in the wedge. This extends results of Berglund and Joellenbeck on Golod rings and homotopy…
We use methods of combinatorial number theory to prove that, for each $n>1$ and any prime $p$, some homotopy group $π_i(SU(n))$ contains an element of order $p^{n-1+ord_p([n/p]!)}$, where $ord_p(m)$ denotes the largest integer $α$ such that $p^α$ divides $m$.
In this article we consider the homotopy theory of stratified spaces through a simplicial point of view. We first consider a model category of filtered simplicial sets over some fixed poset $P$, and show that it is a simplicial combinatorial model category. We then define a generalization of the homotopy groups for any fibrant filtered simplicial set $X$ : the filtered homotopy groups $sπ_n(X)$. They are diagrams of groups built from the homotopy groups of the different pieces of $X$. We then show that the weak equivalences are exactly the morphisms that induce isomorphisms on those filtered h…
The aim of this paper is to explain how, through the work of a number of people, some algebraic structures related to groupoids have yielded algebraic descriptions of homotopy n-types. Further, these descriptions are explicit, and in some cases completely computable, in a way not possible with the traditional Postnikov systems, or with other models, such as simplicial groups.
We generalize results of Hattori on the topology of complements of hyperplane arrangements, from the class of generic arrangements, to the much broader class of hypersolvable arrangements. We show that the higher homotopy groups of the complement vanish in a certain combinatorially determined range, and we give an explicit Zπ_1-module presentation of π_p, the first non-vanishing higher homotopy group. We also give a combinatorial formula for the π_1-coinvariants of π_p. For affine line arrangements whose cones are hypersolvable, we provide a minimal resolution of π_2, and study some of the pro…
Combinatorially and stochastically defined simplicial complexes often have the homotopy type of a wedge of spheres. A prominent conjecture of Kahle quantifies this precisely for the case of random flag complexes. We explore whether such properties might extend to graphs arising from nature. We consider the brain network (as reconstructed by Varshney & al.) of the Caenorhabditis elegans nematode, an important model organism in biology. Using an iterative computational procedure based on elementary methods of algebraic topology, namely homology, simplicial collapses and coning operations, we sho…
The covering type of a space $X$ is defined as the minimal cardinality of a good cover of a space that is homotopy equivalent to $X$. We derive estimates for the covering type of $X$ in terms of other invariants of $X$, namely the ranks of the homology groups, the multiplicative structure of the cohomology ring and the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of $X$. By relating the covering type to the number of vertices of minimal triangulations of complexes and combinatorial manifolds, we obtain, within a unified framework, several estimates which are either new or extensions of results that have be…
We establish certain smash operations on spaces over operads which are general analogues of the Samelson product on single loop spaces, and obtain a conceptual description of the structure of the homotopy groups of spaces $Y$ over a symmetric $K(π,1)$ operad: $π_*Y$ is a module over the free algebraic symmetric operad generated by operations on homotopy groups induced by these smash operations. In particular the homotopy groups of double loop spaces is a module over the free algebraic symmetric operad generated by the conjugacy classes of Brunnian braids modulo the conjugation action of pure b…
Let $M$ be a topological monoid with homotopy group completion $ΩBM$. Under a strong homotopy commutativity hypothesis on $M$, we show that $π_k (ΩBM)$ is the quotient of the monoid of free homotopy classes $[S^k, M]$ by its submonoid of nullhomotopic maps. We give two applications. First, this result gives a concrete description of the Lawson homology of a complex projective variety in terms of point-wise addition of spherical families of effective algebraic cycles. Second, we apply this result to monoids built from the unitary, or general linear, representation spaces of discrete groups, lea…
This paper studies the homotopy theory of algebras and homotopy algebras over an operad. It provides an exhaustive description of their higher homotopical properties using the more general notion of morphisms called infinity-morphisms. The method consists in using the operadic calculus to endow the category of coalgebras over the Koszul dual cooperad or the bar construction with a new type of model category structure, Quillen equivalent to that of algebras. We provide an explicit homotopy equivalence for infinity-morphisms, which gives a simple description of the homotopy category, and we endo…
Let $\mathscr{M}$ be a monoidal model category that is also combinatorial and left proper. If $\mathscr{O}$ is a monad, operad, properad, or a PROP; following Segal's ideas we develop a theory of Quillen-Segal $\mathscr{O}$-algebras and show that we have a Quillen equivalence between usual $\mathscr{O}$-algebras and Quillen-Segal algebras. We use this theory to get the stable homotopy category by a similar method as Hovey.
We give a particular choice of the higher Eilenberg-MacLane maps by a recursive formula.This choice leads to a simple description of the homotopy operations for simplicial Z/2-algebras.
The homotopy theory of gauge groups has received considerable attention in recent decades. In this work, we study the homotopy theory of gauge groups over some high dimensional manifolds. To be more specific, we study gauge groups of bundles over $(n-1)$-connected closed $2n$-manifolds, the classification of which was determined by Wall and Freedman in the combinatorial category. We also investigate the gauge groups of the total manifolds of sphere bundles based on the classical work of James and Whitehead. Furthermore, other types of $2n$-manifolds are also considered. In all the cases, we sh…
Dendroidal sets have been introduced as a combinatorial model for homotopy coherent operads. We introduce the notion of fully Kan dendroidal sets and show that there is a model structure on the category of dendroidal sets with fibrant objects given by fully Kan dendroidal sets. Moreover we show that the resulting homotopy theory is equivalent to the homotopy theory of connective spectra.
A toric arrangement is a finite set of hypersurfaces in a complex torus, every hypersurface being the kernel of a character. In the present paper we build a CW-complex homotopy equivalent to the arrangement complement, with a combinatorial description similar to that of the well-known Salvetti complex. If the toric arrangement is defined by a Weyl group we also provide an algebraic description, very handy for cohomology computations. In the last part we give a description in terms of tableaux for a toric arrangement appearing in robotics.
We recall a group-theoretic description of the first non-vanishing homotopy group of a certain (n+1)-ad of spaces and show how it yields several formulae for homotopy and homology groups of specific spaces. In particular we obtain an alternative proof of J. Wu's group-theoretic description of the homotopy groups of a 2-sphere.
We give a new description of Rosenthal's generalized homotopy fixed point spaces as homotopy limits over the orbit category. This is achieved using a simple categorical model for classifying spaces with respect to families of subgroups.
We develop a stable analogue to the theory of cosimplicial frames in model cagegories; this is used to enrich all homotopy categories of stable model categories over the usual stable homotopy category and to give a different description of the smash product of spectra which is compared with the known descriptions; in particular, the original smash product of Boardman is identified with the newer smash products coming from a symmetric monoidal model of the stable homotopy category.
This is a survey. The main subject of this survey is the homotopical or homological nature of certain structures which appear in classical problems about groups, Lie rings and group rings. It is well known that the (generalized) dimension subgroups have complicated combinatorial theories. In this paper we show that, in certain cases, the complexity of these theories is based on homotopy theory. The derived functors of non-additive functors, homotopy groups of spheres, group homology etc appear naturally in problems formulated in purely group-theoretical terms. The variety of structures appeari…
We study some properties of A^1-homotopy groups: geometric interpretations of connectivity, excision results, and a re-interpretation of quotients by free actions of connected solvable groups in terms of covering spaces in the sense of A^1-homotopy theory. These concepts and results are well-suited to the study of certain quotients via geometric invariant theory. As a case study in the geometry of solvable group quotients, we investigate A^1-homotopy groups of smooth toric varieties. We give simple combinatorial conditions (in terms of fans) guaranteeing vanishing of low degree A^1-homotopy gr…
This paper presents a combinatorial analog of topological complexity for finite spaces. We demonstrate that this coincides with the genuine topological complexity of the original finite space, and constitutes an upper bound for the topological complexity of its order complex.
In this work, we build a spectral sequence in motivic homotopy that is analogous to both the Serre spectral sequence in algebraic topology and the Leray spectral sequence in algebraic geometry. Here, we focus on laying the foundations necessary to build the spectral sequence and give a convenient description of its $E_2$-page. Our description of the $E_2$-page is in terms of homology of the local system of fibers, which is given using a theory similar to Rost's cycle modules. We close by providing some sample applications of the spectral sequence and some hints at future work.
In this paper homotopical methods for the description of subgroups determined by ideals in group rings are introduced. It is shown that in certain cases the subgroups determined by symmetric product of ideals in group rings can be described with the help of homotopy groups of spheres.
By studying braid group actions on Milnor's construction of the 1-sphere, we show that the general higher homotopy group of the 3-sphere is the fixed set of the pure braid group action on certain combinatorially described group. We also give certain representation of higher differentials in the Adams spectral sequence for the homotopy groups of the 2-sphere.
We study notions of persistent homotopy groups of compact metric spaces together with their stability properties in the Gromov-Hausdorff sense. We pay particular attention to the case of fundamental groups, for which we obtain a more precise description. Under fairly mild assumptions on the spaces, we proved that the classical fundamental group has an underlying tree-like structure (i.e. a dendrogram) and an associated ultra-metric.
We give a combinatorial description of shape theory using finite topological $T_0$-spaces (finite partially ordered sets). This description may lead to a sort of computational shape theory. Then we introduce the notion of core for inverse sequences of finite spaces and prove some properties.