On the homotopy type of \(p\)-completions of infra-nilmanifolds (Q1566422)

Let \(p\) denote a fixed prime number. Given a space \(X\), it is not always true that the \(p\)-localization of \(X\), \(X_{(p)}\), and the \(p\)-completion, \(X_p^\wedge\) agree. A particular and basic case to consider is when \(X = K(G,1)\), relating the localization and completion to the group-theoretic localization and completion of \(G\). In this paper, the case of \(G\) a torsion-free, finitely generated, and virtually nilpotent group is considered. (A group is virtually nilpotent when it contains a nilpotent normal subgroup of finite index.) Such a \(K(G,1)\) represents an infra-nilmanifold. A dichotomy is proved for infra-nilmanifolds: Either \(X = K(G,1)\) has \(p\)-completion \(K(G_p^\wedge,1)\) or \(X\) has infinitely many nonzero homotopy groups. When \(p\) is chosen such that \(X_{(p)}\) is nilpotent, the same conclusion holds for the \(p\)-localization. The authors give explicit infra-nilmanifolds for which this dichotomy is realized by a choice of prime. The analysis focuses on the Fitting subgroup of \(G\). The paper closes with an analysis of the rationalization of such examples. In particular, since \((X_{(p)})_{(0)} \simeq X_{(0)}\), the rational and \(p\)-primary data can be related. The authors give examples for which \(X\) is an infra-nilmanifold and \(X\) may be elliptic or hyperbolic, rationally.