\(E_n\)-regularity implies \(E_{n-1}\)-regularity (Q2439229)

Let \(n\in\mathbb Z\), let \(k\) be a base commutative ring, and let \(K_n(A)\) denote the \(n^{\text{th}}\) algebraic \(K\)-theory group of the differential graded \(k\)-algebra \(A\). A commutative ring \(R\) is called \(K_n\)-regular if \(K_n(R)\simeq K_n(R[t_1,\dots,t_m])\) for all \(m\geq 1\). The implication that \(R\) is \(K_n\)-regular implies that \(R\) is \(K_{n-1}\)-regular is well known and proved for all \(n\). This article consider this implication in greater generality, that is for a differential graded category \(\mathcal A\). A differential graded (dg) category, is a category \(\mathcal A\) over \(k\) enriched over complexes of \(k\)-modules, meaning that the morphisms in \(\mathcal A\) are complexes over \(k\). A functor \(E:\mathit{dgcat}\rightarrow\mathcal M\) from the category of (small) dg categories to a stable Quillen model category is called (i) \textit{Morita invariant} if Morita equivalences are sent to weak equivalences, (ii) \textit{Continuous} if it preserves filtered (homotopy) colimits, (iii) \textit{localizing} if it sends short exact sequences of dg categories to distinguished triangles in the triangulated homotopy category \(\mathit{Ho}(\mathcal M)\). The functors \(K\), the nonconnected algebraic \(K\)-theory, Hochschild homology, cyclic homology, topological Hochschild, etc. are functors satisfying the above conditions. Applied to \(\text{Spec}(A)\), respectively \(\text{Perf}(X)\) these functors reduce to the classical dg \(k\)-algebraic invariants and invariants of \(k\)-schemes. Applying the language of Grothendieck derivators, the universal functor with respect to the conditions (i) - (iii) is known, \(U:\mathit{dgcat}\rightarrow\text\textsl{Mot}\). The meaning of this is that any other functor satisfying (i)-(iii) above will factor through \(U\) via a triangulated functor \(\overline E:\mathit{Ho}(\text\textsl{Mot})\rightarrow\text\textsl{Ho}(\mathcal M)\). For this reason, \(\mathit{Ho}(\text\textsl{Mot})\) is called the triangulated category of noncommutative motives. Also, \(U(\text{Spec}(k))\) is a compact object, and for a dg category \(\mathcal A\) there is an isomorphism \(\text{Hom}_{\mathit{Ho}(\text\textsl{Mot})}(\sum^n U(\text{Spec}(k)),U(\mathcal A))\simeq K_n(\mathcal A),\;n\in\mathbb Z.\) For a dg category \(\mathcal A\), \(n\in\mathbb Z\), \(E:\mathit{dgcat}\rightarrow\mathcal M\), \(b\in\mathit{Ho}(\mathcal M)\), \(E^b_n(\mathcal A)\) denotes the abelian group\newline \(\text{Hom}_{\mathit{Ho}(\mathcal M)}(\sum^n b,E(\mathcal A))\). Then a dg category \(\mathcal A\) is called \(E^b_n\)-regular if \(E^b_n(\mathcal A)\simeq E^b_n(\mathcal A[t_1,\dots,t_m])\) for all \(m\geq 1\). The main result, generalizing even from algebraic \(K\)-theory, is that for a \(\mathcal A\) a dg category, \(n\) an integer, \(E:\mathit{dgcat}\rightarrow\mathcal M\) a functor satisfying (i) - (iii), and \(b\) a compact object of \(\mathit{Ho}(\mathcal M)\), if \(\mathcal A\) is \(E^b_n\)-regular, then it is \(E^b_{n-1}\)-regular. The author also studies the preservation of \(E^b_n\) regularity of desuspensions, fibers of morphisms, direct factors, and arbitrary sums. From this follows that the main result can be said to hold for schemes: Let \(X\) be a quasi-compact separated \(k\)-scheme, \(n\) an integer, \(E:\mathit{dgcat}\rightarrow\mathcal M\) a functor satisfying (i)-(iii), and \(b\in\mathit{Ho}(\mathcal M)\) a compact object. Then \(X\) is \(E^b_n\)-regular \(\Rightarrow X\) is \(E^b_{n-1}\)-regular. The author gives most of the needed definitions and preliminaries, but the article is not intended for the \(K\)-theory novice. Thus a great deal of notation is assumed to be well known. It should be easy to overcome this by consulting the long and good reference list following the article. Also, the article gives a very good connection between the algebraic \(K\)-theory and algebraic geometry which is of great value. The techniques used to define regularity and to prove the result are generalized and can be used to similar setups. All in all, this is a high quality article.