Homotopy theory of \(A_{\infty}\) ring spectra and applications to \(MU\)-modules (Q1598950)

The main purpose of the paper under review is to develop an \(A_{\infty}\)-obstruction theory for ring spectra. This is carried out in the stable homotopy category of \textit{A. D. Elmendorf, I. Kříž, M. A. Mandell}, and \textit{J. P. May} [Rings, modules, and algebras in stable homotopy theory. With an appendix by M. Cole. Math. Surv. Monogr. 47 (1997; Zbl 0894.55001)]. Thus the older (homotopy category) idea of \(A_{\infty}\)-ring spectrum is replaced by the rigidification \(S\)-algebra (and commutative \(S\)-algebra replaces \(E_{\infty}\)-ring spectrum). The obstruction theory developed is for refining an \(R\)-module spectrum to an \(R\)-algebra spectrum. Such a theory (although without units) was described earlier by \textit{A. Robinson} [Lond. Math. Soc. Lect. Note Ser. 139, 143-152 (1989; Zbl 0688.55008)], in a less well-defined category of spectra. Topological derivation (co)homology spectra are constructed functorially; these are related to the topological Hochschild (co)homology spectra by cofibre sequences. They are used to introduce multiplicative structures into Postnikov towers of \(R\)-algebras and generalized Adams towers. Properties of the theory include a transitivity exact sequence and a close relation to singular extensions of \(R\)-algebras. The methods are applied to the example of the Morava \(K\)-theories, \(K(n)\), which are constructed as \(MU\)-algebras. (Products on \(MU\)-modules were also considered by Elmendorf, Kříž, Mandell and May [loc. cit.] and by \textit{N. P. Strickland} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 351, No. 7, 2569-2606 (1999; Zbl 0924.55005)], where the structures were up to homotopy rather than strict.) The methods of this paper have been extended to calculations for many other \(MU\)-spectra by \textit{A. Baker} and \textit{A. Jeanneret} [Brave new Hopf algebroids and extensions of MU-algebras. Homology Homotopy Appl. 4, No. 1, 163-173 (2002) (electronic)]. Unfortunately some notation used in the paper is non-standard, for example, \(I^s\) rather than \(I^{(s)}\) for iterated smash products. There are also a considerable number of typographical errors.