Algebraic aspects of Chen's twisting cochain (Q1825468)

One of Chen's major contributions was a method for computing the homology of the loop space on a manifold in terms of the homology of the manifold. He effected this via a differential on the tensor algebra \(T^ a\) on the desuspension of the reduced homology of X. The analysis used forced the homotopy theory into characteristic zero, whereas, with hindsight, we can see large portions of Chen's methods applying in general characteristic. In addition to extended insights into Chen's work, the present paper provides new perspectives on what has come to be called homological perturbation theory. That theory usually involves one of two methods - one being an obstruction theoretic approach and the other involving direct transfer of structure up to homotopy. Both methods parallel techniques developed originally in the homotopy theory of CW-complexes, especially those carrying the structure of an H-space. Originally, the obstruction method for constructing a twisting cochain, though more cumbersome, seemed to encode the total information efficiently and to have the additional advantage of producing strict derivations, multiplicative maps, etc. The relationship between various perturbation methods was given in some classical cases in work of the first two authors [Ill. J. Math. 33, 566-582 (1989; Zbl 0661.55018)]. The general situation [the authors, ``Perturbation theory in differential homological algebra. II'', Ill. J. Math. (to appear), and \textit{J. Huebschmann} and \textit{T. V. Kadeishvili}, ``Small models for chain algebras'', Math. Z. (to appear)] was much more subtle than originally envisioned, but resulted in an appreciation of previously hidden strengths of the Basic Perturbation Lemma. We make full use of the algebraic consequences of the direct method of the authors in this paper.