Up-to-homotopy algebras with strict units (Q2069806)

This well written paper is mainly concerned with operads on the category of vector spaces or of cochain complexes, over a field \(k\) of characteristic zero. In this paradigm, the arity zero plays a special role and the existence of such non-trivial elements brings technical difficulties. The terminology used in the existing literature not being unified, we first specify that of the work under consideration: an operad is called non-unitary if \(P(0)=0\), unitary if \(P(0)=k\), connected if \(P(1)=k\). A significative number of works on operads supposes trivial zero arity. For instance, \textit{M. Markl} [Commun. Algebra 24, No. 4, 1471--1500 (1996; Zbl 0848.18003)] proves the existence of a Sullivan minimal model in the non-unitary case (\(P(0)=0\)). In the work under review, the author extends it for unitary operads. More precisely, he proves that any operad with unitary multiplication, in the category of cochain complexes, cohomologically unitary (\(HP(0)=k\)) and cohomologically connected (\(HP(1)=k\)), has a Sullivan model, which is unitary, connected and has a unitary multiplication. Hence, an up-to-homotopy algebra with a strict unit is an operad algebra over this model. In his construction, the author uses the \(\Lambda\)-sequences introduced by \textit{B. Fresse} [Homotopy of operads and Grothendieck-Teichmüller groups. Part 1: The algebraic theory and its topological background. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2017; Zbl 1373.55014)]. The author also compares his approach with existing ones such as those using curved Koszul duality. The links with the models developed by \textit{J. Cirici} and \textit{A. Roig} [Publ. Mat., Barc. 63, No. 1, 125--154 (2019; Zbl 1408.18015)] and with the work of \textit{J. Burke} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 222, No. 12, 4099--4125 (2018; Zbl 1418.16024)] are also done. As an application, if \(k\subset K\) is an extension of the ground field \(k\), Agusti Roig obtains a formality's descent theorem for certain unitary operads, by using properties of affine group schemes and grading automorphisms as in Sullivan's seminal paper. This infers another proof of the \(\mathbb Q\)-formality of the unitary \(n\)-little disks operad.