Algebraic models for classifying spaces of fibrations

DOI10.2140/GT.2025.29.3567MaRDI QIDQ6917028zbMATH OpenFDO

Publication date 14 October 2025

Published in Geometry \& Topology (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.2140/GT.2025.29.3567

arithmetic groups rational homotopy theory self-homotopy equivalences Sullivan minimal model Sullivan-Wilkerson theorem

Cohomology of arithmetic groups (11F75) Rational homotopy theory (55P62) Classification of fiber spaces or bundles in algebraic topology (55R15) Homology of classifying spaces and characteristic classes in algebraic topology (55R40)

Review text

This work concerns the classifying space, \(\mathrm{Baut}(X)\), of the topological monoid of self-homotopy equivalences of a simply connected finite CW-complex, \(X\), from the point of view of rational homotopy. First, the authors are interested in an extension of a famous theorem by \textit{D. Sullivan} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 47, 269--331 (1977; Zbl 0374.57002)] and \textit{C. W. Wilkerson} [Topology 15, 111--130 (1976; Zbl 0345.55011)] on the fundamental group of \(\mathrm{Baut}(X)\), identified to the group \(\mathcal E(X)\) of homotopy classes of self-homotopy equivalences of \(X\). They prove the following property.\N\NTheorem 1: Let \(\mathcal{E}_{G}(X)\) be the deck transformation group of the cover \(\mathrm{Baut}_{G}(X)\) of \(\mathrm{Baut}(X)\) associated to a subgroup \(G\) of \(\mathcal{E}(X)\). If \(G\) acts nilpotently on the rational homology, \(H_{*}(X;\mathbb Q))\), then \(\mathcal{E}_{G}(X)\) maps onto an arithmetic group with finite kernel. \N\NThe case \(G=\{1\}\) is the Sullivan-Wilkerson theorem. Here, the authors also study the representations of \(\mathcal{E}_{G}(X)\) in the rational homology groups and in the homotopy groups of \(\mathrm{Baut}_{G}(X)\) modulo the action of the fundamental group: they are algebraic representations of the ambient algebraic group. They continue with the research of an algebraic model for \(\mathrm{Baut}(X)\). Some models are already known for the universal cover of \(\mathrm{Baut}(X)\) or for particular nilpotent covers of it, but not in the general case. They change the angle of attack by focusing on a particular cover.\N\NTheorem 2: There is a normal cover \(\mathrm{Baut}_{u}(X)\) of \(\mathrm{Baut}(X)\), with deck transformation group an arithmetic subgroup, \(\Gamma(X)\), of a reductive algebraic group \(R(X)\). Moreover, \(\mathrm{Baut}_{u}(X)\) is \(\Gamma(X)\)-equivariantly rationally equivalent to the nerve of a nilpotent differential graded Lie algebra \(\mathfrak{g}(X)\) of algebraic representations of \(R(X)\).\N\NIn fact, \(\mathrm{Baut}_{u}(X)\) is the classifying space for normal unipotent fibrations with fiber \(X\), in the sense that the image of the fundamental group under the classifying map is included in a normal, algebraic nilpotent subgroup of \(\mathcal{E}(X_{\mathbb Q})\).\N\NThey deduce a ``space-level algebraicity: the rational homotopy type of \(\mathrm{Baut}_{u}(X)\), represented by \(\mathfrak{g}(X)\), is an algebraic representation of \(R(X)\). From it, they obtain an isomorphism of graded \emph{algebras}, between \(H^*(\mathrm{Baut}(X);\mathbb{Q})\)\ and the \(E_{2}\)-page of the Serre spectral sequence of the homotopy fiber sequence \(\mathrm{Baut}_{u}(X)\to \mathrm{Baut}(X)\to \mathrm{B}\Gamma(X)\). In particular, they get the split injectivity of the ring homomorphism \(H^*(\Gamma(X);\mathbb{Q})\to H^*(\mathrm{Baut}(X);\mathbb{Q})\). The authors illustrate their work with the example of an \(n\)-fold product of a \(d\)-dimensional sphere: \(S(d,n)=S^d\times\dots\times S^d\). In particular, they identify \(\Gamma(S(d,n))\) with an explicit subgroup of the group of invertible \(n\times n\) integer matrices. They also bring improvements in some proofs and results of [\textit{A. Berglund} and \textit{I. Madsen}, Acta Math. 224, No. 1, 67--185 (2020; Zbl 1441.57033)].\N\NAs the authors conclude, their results ``suggest that there is a deep connection between characteristic classes of fibrations and cohomology of arithmetic groups. It is worth underlining that this paper is very clearly written with significative examples and well-documented historical reminders.

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