Homotopy and homology of fibred spaces (Q1877602)

The authors study the homotopy theory of \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred spaces. An \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred space \(X\) is a map \(p_X : X \to \overline{X}\) such that the fibres \(p^{-1}_X(b), b \in \overline{X}\), are objects in a structure category \(\mathfrak{F}\). For example, fibre bundles and stratified fibre bundles (discussed in the authors' preprint [Stratified fibre bundles, Preprint, 2002]) are \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred spaces. Let \(X\) be a space with a proper \(G\)-action where \(G\) is a topological group. Then the canonical projection \(X \to X/G\) with the usual orbit category of \(G\) gives a particularly good model of \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred spaces which can be used as a guideline to understand the present paper well. The authors start with the construction of \(\mathfrak{F}\)-complexes. For brevity let \(\mathfrak{F}\) be assumed here to be a subcategory of the category of compactly generated Hausdorff spaces. Given two \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred spaces \(X\) and \(Y\), an \(\mathfrak{F}\)-map from \(X\) to \(Y\) is a pair of maps \(f : X \to Y\) and \(\overline{f} : \overline{X} \to \overline{Y}\) such that \(p_Yf=\overline{f}p_X\) and the restriction of \(f\) to each fibre is a morphism in \(\mathfrak{F}\). Let \(D^n\) be the unit disc in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) and \(S^{n-1}\) its boundary with base point \(* \in S^{n-1}\). For an object \(V\) in \(\mathfrak{F}\), the product fibre space \(V\times e^n \to e^n\) is called an \(\mathfrak{F}\)-cell where \(e^n=D^n-S^{n-1}\). Given an \(\mathfrak{F}\)-map \(f\) from \(V\times S^{n-1}\) to an \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred space \(A\), one can obtain an attaching space \(A\bigcup_f(V\times D^n)\) in the category of \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred spaces as in the classical case. A relative \(\mathfrak{F}\)-complex \((X, A)\) is defined as an \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred space \(X\) obtained from \(A\) by attaching \(\mathfrak{F}\)-cells. An \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred space \(X\) equipped with a specific \(\mathfrak{F}\)-map \(*_V : V \to X\) is called a pointed \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred space where \(V \in \mathfrak{F}\) is viewed as an \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred space over a singleton. For a pointed \(\mathfrak{F}\)-fibred space \((X, *_V)\) the homotopy group \(\pi^{\mathfrak{F}}_n(X; *_V)\) is defined as the set of homotopy classes of \(\mathfrak{F}\)-maps from \(V\times S^n\) to \(X\) such that its restriction to \(V\times *(=V)\) is equal to \(*_V\). In a similar way the relative homotopy group \(\pi^{\mathfrak{F}}_{n+1}(X, A; *_V)\) can be defined for a pointed pair \((X, A; *_V)\). The authors first show that the Blakers-Massey theorem holds for the \(\mathfrak{F}\)-homotopy theory defined in such a way. This enables one to introduce a chain functor \(C_*\) on the category of \(\mathfrak{F}\)-complexes. Here one deals with only a relative \(\mathfrak{F}\)-complex \((X, A)\) such that \(A\) is the 0-skeleton of \(X\) and all the attaching maps of cells of \(X\) are cellular. Consequently one then obtains the (co-)homology group of \((X, A)\). The method used here is the same as the one developed by the first author in [Combinatorial Foundation of Homology and Homotopy, Springer, Berlin, (1999; Zbl 0920.55001)]. It is also proved that for these two theories the fundamental results like Whitehead theorems, obstructions to the extension of a map, Wall finiteness obstruction and Whitehead torsion for \(\mathfrak{F}\)-complexes hold. The paper closes with two appendices which describe some results needed in order to apply the arguments in the paper of the first author quoted above.