Topological cyclic homology of the integers at two (Q1295681)

Topological cyclic homology is an approximation to algebraic \(K\)-theory assembled from fixed point data of topological Hochschild homology coming from the natural circle action. In this paper the author calculates the topological cyclic homology of the integers with mod two coefficients, amounting to a calculation of the algebraic K-theory of the two-adic integers with mod two coefficients. This result is refined in a later paper [\textit{J. Rognes}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 134, No. 3, 287-326 (1999; Zbl 0929.19004); see the paper below] giving a description of the homotopy type of \(K(\widehat{\mathbb{Z}}_2)_2^\wedge\). In the paper under review, the author calculates the homotopy groups of the \(C_{2^n}\)-fixed point spectra of topological Hochschild homology using variants of techniques found in \textit{M. Bökstedt} and \textit{I. Madsen} [Astérisque 226, 57-143 (1994; Zbl 0816.19001) and Ann. Math. Stud. 138, 28-57 (1995; Zbl 0924.19001)] and \textit{S. Tsalidis} [Am. J. Math. 119, No. 1, 103-125 (1997; Zbl 0864.19002)]. This occupies the main body of the paper. In the end, this information is assembled into a calculation of the topological cyclic homology by comparing with the \(S^1\)-homotopy fixed spectrum, and identifying the so-called restriction map. The two-primary case differs in one important way from the odd-primary case, in that the multiplicative structure used in the spectral sequence arguments has to be replaced by a module action of the mod four homotopy acting on the mod two homotopy. Even with this added difficulty, the current paper makes very good reading, and can be recommended as a detailed exposition of the current technology as initiated by Bökstedt and Madsen for calculating algebraic K-theory by means of topological cyclic homology.