\(p\)-universal spaces and rational homotopy types (Q1266444)

Let \(p\) be a prime number or \(0\) and \({\mathbb{F}}_p={\mathbb{Z}}/p{\mathbb{F}}\) or \({\mathbb{F}}_0={\mathbb{Q}}\). A map between simply-connected CW-complexes is called a \(p\)-equivalence if it induces an isomorphism in \(H^*(-;{\mathbb{F}}_p)\). If \(f: X\to Y\) is a \(p\)-equivalence, it is not true in general that there exists a \(p\)-equivalence \(g: Y\to X\) (a counterexample is given in [\textit{M. Mimura} and \textit{H. Toda}, Comment. Math. Helv. 46, 87-97 (1971; Zbl 0211.55401)]). Considering this, \textit{M. Mimura, R. C. O'Neill} and \textit{H. Toda} [Jap. J. Math. 40, 1-10 (1971; Zbl 0222.55007)] have introduced the class of \(p\)-universal spaces among which \(p\)-equivalence is indeed an equivalence relation. For example, finite \(H\)-spaces and co-\(H\)-spaces are \(p\)-universal. In the paper under review the authors prove that, for a finite simply connected CW-complex \(X\), the property for \(X\) to be \(p\)-universal depends only on the rational homotopy type of \(X\). More precisely, \(X\) is \(p\)-universal if and only if its Sullivan rational model admits a ``positive weight decomposition'', like for example formal spaces. This condition does not depend on the prime \(p\). A weaker form of the Eckman-Hilton dual of this result is also proved. The idea of the proofs is that the \(p\)-universality of \(X\) and the existence of a positive weigth decomposition of a Sullivan model of \(X\) are both equivalent to the fact that \(0\) is in the closure of the group of automorphisms of the Sullivan model of any Postnikov section of \(X\). The authors prove also that the hypothesis that \(X\) is a finite CW-complex cannot be removed because the Eilenberg Mac-Lane space \(K({\mathbb{Z}},4)\) is \(p\)-universal for any \(p\) although the infinite quaternionic projective space \({\mathbb{H}}P(\infty)\) is not \(p\)-universal for \(p\not=2\).