Algebraic \(K\)-theory of topological \(K\)-theory (Q1611555)

As the theory of ring spectra is maturing, many of the same questions that have been successfully raised for ordinary rings, are being addressed in the new context. The introduction to the paper under review opens many interesting avenues, and is well worth a study beyond the results of the underlying article. The Lichtenbaum-Quillen conjecture predicts an étale descent property for algebraic K-theory. Since this conjecture has by now been affirmed in many classical situations, it appears credible that algebraic K-theory satisfies a sort of descent also in the context of commutative ring spectra. But what is the precise analogy to look for, and what are the implications? The second author is currently developing a program addressing these questions. The present paper follows up these ideas, and gives a first start at climbing the tower gotten by applying algebraic K-theory to the tower of chromatic localizations \[ S^0_p\to\dots\to L_nS^0_p\to\dots\to L_1S^0_p\to L_0S^0_p=H\mathbb Q_p, \] where \(S^0_p\) is the \(p\)-complete sphere spectrum and \(L_n\) is the Bousfield localization with respect to the \(n\)th Johnson-Wilson theory. The algebraic K-theory of the sphere spectrum has deep geometric significance, and the second author has identified the homotopy type of the two-primary algebraic K-theory of the sphere spectrum [\textit{J. Rognes}, Topology 41, 873-926 (2002; Zbl 1009.19001)]. By climbing the chromatic tower, one hopes to gain a better understanding from a ring spectrum point of view of what the algebraic K-theory of the sphere spectrum really is. Technically, the paper is summarized by the authors: ``Let \(\ell_p\) be the \(p\)-complete connective Adams summand of topological K-theory, and let \(V(1)\) be the Smith-Toda complex. For \(p\geq 3\) we explicitly compute the \(V(1)\)-homotopy of the algebraic K-theory spectrum of \(\ell_p\). In particular we find that it is a free finitely generated module over the polynomial algebra \(P(v_2)\), except for a sporadic class in degree \(2p-3\). Thus also in this case algebraic K-theory increases chromatic complexity by one. The proof uses the cyclotomic trace map from algebraic K-theory to topological cyclic homology, and the calculation is actually made in the \(V(1)\)-homotopy of the topological cyclic homology of \(\ell_p\).'' The algebraic K-theory of \(\ell_p\) is conjecturally connected to the algebraic K-theory \(K(J_p)\) of the non-connective \(p\)-complete image-of-\(J\) spectrum \(J_p\) through localization and descent.