The action of Young subgroups on the partition complex (Q1983147)

Let \(\Pi_n\) be the poset of proper non-trivial partitions of \(\{1, \dotsc, n\}\). The geometric realization \(|\Pi_n|\) is classically known to be homotopy equivalent to \(\bigvee_{(n-1)!} S^{n-3}\), but this equivalence is not compatible with the natural action of the symmetric group \(\Sigma_n\). This article describes the space of fixed points \(|\Pi_n|^G\) for a general subgroup \(G \subseteq \Sigma_n\), the restriction of \(|\Pi_n|\) to Young subgroups \(\Sigma_{n_1} \times \dotsb \times \Sigma_{n_k}\), and the strict Young quotients \(|\Pi_n| / \Sigma_{n_1} \times \dotsb \times \Sigma_{n_k}\). For example (as described in Section 1), if \(\gcd(n_1, \dotsc, n_k) = 1\), then \(|\Pi_n|\) is \(\Sigma_{n_1} \times \dotsb \times \Sigma_{n_k}\)-equivariantly homotopy equivalent to a wedge of copies of \(S^{n-3}\) that are freely permuted by \(\Sigma_{n_1} \times \dotsb \times \Sigma_{n_k}\). This is a consequence of the more general Theorem 5.10. The results for fixed points and restrictions consist in equivariant homotopy equivalences to wedge sums of simpler spaces. These equivalences are obtained through a new ``branching'' technique (Theorem 3.14) which applies generally when there is an order-preserving action of a finite group \(G\) on a finite lattice \(\mathcal P\). Theorem 3.14 is proved using equivariant discrete Morse theory and generalizes results of \textit{A. Bjoerner} and \textit{J. W. Walker} [Eur. J. Comb. 4, 11--19 (1983; Zbl 0508.06005)] and \textit{V. Welker} [Homotopie im Untergruppenverband einer auflösbaren Gruppe. (Homotopy in the subgroup lattice of a soluble group). Erlangen-Nürnberg: Univ. Erlangen-Nürnberg (1990; Zbl 0707.20012)]. Using the previously mentioned results, the authors establish a connection between the homology of strict Young quotients and the algebraic André-Quillen homology of trivial square-zero extensions (Theorem 8.12). This generalizes a result of \textit{P. G. Goerss} [On the André-Quillen cohomology of commutative \(F_ 2\)-algebras. Paris: Société Mathématique de France (1990; Zbl 0742.13008)] over \(\mathbb{F}_2\) to an arbitrary ring \(R\).