Minimal atomic complexes. (Q1430395)

The ideas of atomic spaces (or spectra; this paper is written so that all the theory applies equally well in both contexts), minimal spaces, and irreducible spaces have been around in homotopy theory for quite some time. The corresponding algebraic concepts play a central role in algebra (Schur's lemma, composition series, etc.); by contrast, they play only a supporting role in homotopy theory. This paper makes a strong argument that one reason for this discrepancy is that the correct notion has not yet been hit upon, and they offer a good candidate, namely the idea of a {minimal atomic complex}. Fix a prime \(p\) and assume that all spaces in sight are \(p\)-local, simply-connected, and of finite type. The {Hurewicz dimension} \(n_0\) of a space \(X\) is the least dimension \(n\) in which \(\pi_{n}(X)\neq 0\). The authors define a {monomorphism} \(f:X\to Y\) to be a map such that \(f_*: \pi_*(X) \to \pi_*(Y)\) is a monomorphism for all \(n\), and in addition, that \(\pi_{n_0}(X)\otimes \mathbb{F}_p \to \pi_{n_0}(Y)\otimes \mathbb{F}_p\) is a monomorphism. They then define an {irreducible complex} to be a space \(Y\) such that every monomorphism \(f:X\to Y\) is actually an equivalence. A space \(Y\) is {minimal atomic} if any monomorphism \(f:X\to Y\) from an atomic space \(X\) is an equivalence. In fact, these two concepts agree: it is proved that \(Y\) is irreducible if and only if \(Y\) is minimal atomic. Furthermore, there is a recognition principle for minimal atomic (i.e., irreducible) complexes: \(Y\) is irreducible if and only if the image of the Hurewicz map is zero above the Hurewicz dimension. The authors point out that this condition can be checked by examining the zero-filtration line of the (unstable) Adams spectral sequence. The next important question is whether there are sufficiently many irreducible complexes. In answer to this question, the authors show that if \(Y\) is a space and \(C\subseteq \pi_{n_0}(Y)\) is a cyclic summand in the Hurewicz dimension, then there is a monomorphism \(f:X\to Y\) where \(\text{Im}(f_*) = C\) in dimension \(n_0\) and where \(X\) is minimal atomic (such a map is called a {core} of \(Y\)). This establishes the theoretical framework necessary to construct composition series for spectra. It is shown that if either \(\Omega Y\) or \(\Sigma Y\) is minimal atomic, then so is \(Y\). The paper concludes with a number of examples, showing, for example, that \(BP\), \(BP\langle n\rangle\), \(ko\) and \(eo_2\) are minimal atomic.