Finiteness conditions for Hochschild homology algebra and free loop space cohomology algebra (Q1840674)

This paper discusses two closely related conjectures: The first is that for a commutative graded algebra \(A\) over a characteristic zero field \(k\), \(\text{ HH}_*(A)\) is finitely generated if and only if \(A\) is finitely generated and smooth. The second is that for a simply connected space \(E\), the cohomology of the free loop space on \(E\) with coefficients in a characteristic zero field \(k\) is finitely generated if and only if \(E\) has the same rational homotopy type as a finite product of Eilenberg-MacLane spaces. The authors use Sullivan minimal models to prove these conjectures subject to some technical conditions. Specifically, they prove the second conjecture for spaces \(E\) whose homotopy is of finite rank which are telescopic; they also show that if \(\text{ rank}(\pi_*E)=\infty\) then \(H^*(E^{S^1};k)\) cannot be finitely generated as an algebra. From this they deduce the first conjecture for graded algebras which are evenly graded, i.e. of the form \(A\cong\bigoplus_{n=0}^\infty A^{2n}\), with \(A^0\cong k\). A stronger version of the first conjecture, saying that for any flat commutative algebra \(S\) which is essentially of finite type over a commutative Noetherian ring \(k\), \(\text{ HH}_*(S)\) is finitely generated if and only if \(S\) is smooth over \(k\) has been proven, using different methods, by \textit{L. L. Avramov} and \textit{S. Iyengar} [Invent. Math. 140, No. 1, 143-170 (2000; Zbl 0966.13009)].