On the Maurer-Cartan simplicial set of a complete curved \(A_{\infty}\)-algebra (Q2063064)

The authors functorially construct the Maurer-Cartan simplicial set \(MC_\bullet(A)\) of a complete (potentially curved) \(A_\infty\)-algebra \(A\). In particular they show that the MC simplicial set of any complete \(A_\infty\)-algebra is a Kan complex. For uncurved \(A_\infty\)-algebras in non-positive degrees strict quasi-isomorphisms induce homotopy equivalences of the MC simplicial sets. (The authors expect this to generalise.) The components of the MC simplicial set define natural equivalence classes of MC elements. The construction is motivated by analogy with the MC simplicial sets of \(L_\infty\) algebras, i.e.\ the Deligne-Getzler-Hinich \(\infty\)-groupoid. However, since the \(A_\infty\)-construction is based on normalized cochains on simplices while the \(L_\infty\)-construction uses the polynomial de Rham algebra it remains an open question if the two constructions are compatible. The main motivation for this paper is to study deformation theory in positive characteristic, which is much more complicated than the case of characteristic 0. (Note however the characterization of formal moduli problems in mixed and positive characteristic by partition Lie algebras in [\textit{L. Brantner} and \textit{A. Mathew}, ``Deformation theory and partition Lie algebras'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1904.07352}].) As a concrete application the authors investigate \(\infty_\alpha\)-morphisms between algebras over a non-symmetric operad \(\mathcal P\). Here \(\alpha: \mathcal P \to \mathcal C\) is an operadic twisting morphism, and the \(\infty_\alpha\)-morphisms between \(\mathcal P\)-algebras \(A\) and \(A'\) are exactly \(\mathcal C\)-coalgebra morphisms between the bar constructions \(B_\alpha A\) and \(B_\alpha A'\). The authors then consider the \(A_\infty\)-convolution algebra \(\operatorname{Hom}^\alpha(B_\alpha A, A'))\) as a deformation complex for \(\infty_\alpha\)-morphisms: The MC elements of this \(A_\infty\) algebra correspond to \(\infty_\alpha\)-morphisms, with gauge equivalence corresponding to homotopy equivalence. A more detailed discussion of these complexes and their relation to moduli problems would have been interesting. The paper ends with a comparison with other approaches and a brief discussion of possible applications and future work.