Rational homotopy equivalences and singular chains (Q1983550)

The rationalization of simply-connected and nilpotent finite type spaces and simplicial sets is well-understood since the seminal works of Quillen and Sullivan, respectively. Outside the nilpotent case, the theory is more complicated. There are two classical approaches to the ``rational homotopy theory'' of arbitrary spaces and simplicial sets, due to \textit{A. K. Bousfield} and \textit{D. M. Kan} [Homotopy limits, completions and localizations. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer-Verlag (1972; Zbl 0259.55004)]. In the non-nilpotent case, these two approaches are not equivalent and give rise to two different notions of \(\mathbb{Q}\)-completion. The Bousfield-Kan \(\mathbb{Q}\)-completion of a space \(X\) is a naturally associated space \(\mathbb{Q}_\infty(X)\), together with a map \(X\to \mathbb{Q}_\infty(X)\), satisfying the following property. Let \(f:X\to Y\) be a map. Then, \(\widetilde H_*(f;\mathbb{Q})\) is an isomorphism if, and only if, the induced map \(\mathbb{Q}_\infty(f)\) is a weak homotopy equivalence. A map \(f\) with this property is a \textit{Bousfield-Kan \(\mathbb{Q}\)-equivalence}. It is known, see [loc. cit.], that a pointed map \(f:X\to Y\) between path-connected spaces is a Bousfield-Kan \(\mathbb{Q}\)-equivalence if, and only if, the induced map \(C_*(f;\mathbb{Q})\) is a quasi-isomorphism. On the other hand, the fiberwise \(\mathbb{Q}\)-completion of a pointed space \(X\) is a naturally associated space \(\mathbb{Q}_\infty^*(X)\) having the same fundamental group as \(X\) and higher homotopy groups isomorphic to the rationalization of those of \(X\) (i.e., to \(\pi_n\left(X,*\right)\otimes \mathbb{Q}\)). Roughly, it is constructed by taking the fiberwise Bousfield-Kan \(\mathbb{Q}\)-completion of the universal cover fibration \[ \widetilde X \to X \to B\pi_1\left(X,*\right). \] The fiberwise \(\mathbb{Q}\)-completion satisfies the following property. Let \(f:X\to Y\) be a pointed map. Then, the induced maps \(\pi_1(f)\) and \(\pi_n(f)\otimes \mathbb{Q}\) for all \(n\geq 2\) are isomorphisms if, and only if, the induced map \(\mathbb{Q}_\infty^*(f)\) is a weak homotopy equivalence. A map \(f\) with this property is a \textit{\(\pi_1\)-rational equivalence}. The main result of the present paper is the following characterization of the fiberwise \(\mathbb{Q}\)-completion. In what follows, \(C_*(-;\mathbb{Q})\) is the functor of (pointed, normalized) differential graded coalgebra of singular chains. \noindent {\textbf{Theorem:}} Let \(f:X\to Y\) be a pointed map between path-connected spaces. The following assertions are equivalent: \begin{itemize} \item[{(i)}] \(f\) is a \(\pi_1\)-rational equivalence. \item[{(ii)}] The induced map \(\Omega C_*(f;\mathbb{Q})\) is a quasi-isomorphism. \item[{(iii)}] The induced maps \(\pi_1(f)\) and \(\pi_n(f)\otimes \mathbb{Q}\), for \(n\geq 2\), are isomorphisms. \item[{(iv)}] The induced map \(\pi_1(f)\) is an isomorphism, and for every \(\mathbb{Q}\)-representation \(M\) of \(\pi_1(Y)\), the induced map on homology with local coefficients \(H_*(f):H_*(X;f^*M)\to H_*(Y;M)\) is an isomorphism. \end{itemize} Above, \(\Omega:\mathsf{DGC}\to \mathsf{DGA}\) is the cobar functor that produces an augmented dg associative algebra out of a conilpotent dg coalgebra. The morphisms of dg coalgebras that become a quasi-isomorphism after applying the cobar functor have already appeared at several places (related to chain complexes that are not necessarily concentrated in degrees \(\geq 1\)). It is common to refer to these maps as \(\Omega\)-quasi-isomorphisms. See for instance [\textit{V. Hinich}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 162, No. 2--3, 209--250 (2001; Zbl 1020.18007)], and [\textit{B. Vallette}, Ann. Inst. Fourier 70, No. 2, 683--738 (2020; Zbl 07210769)]. The authors prove the following interesting consequences of the main result. \begin{itemize} \item[1.] If \(X\) is not simply-connected, then there does not exist a functorially associated conilpotent dg coalgebra having a \textit{strictly cocommutative} coproduct and which is connected to \(C_*(X;\mathbb{Q})\) through a zig-zag of \(\Omega\)-quasi-isomorphisms. This is a striking difference to the simply-connected case, where the universal enveloping algebra \(U\lambda (X)\) of the Quillen construction \(\lambda(X)\) is a solution to such a problem. Thus, there is no ``coalgebra dual analog'' to Sullivan's PL-forms functor \(A_{\mathrm{PL}}:\mathsf{Top_*}\to \mathsf{CDGA^{aug}_{\mathbb{Q}}},\) aside from the formal dualization of \(A_{\mathrm{PL}}\) in the simply-connected case. \item[2.] The notion of \(\pi_1\)-rational equivalence, given in terms of arbitrary fundamental groups, can be completely recast and characterized in terms of rational algebraic structures over the singular chains with rational coefficients \(C_*(-,\mathbb{Q})\). \end{itemize}