A bivariant Yoneda lemma and \((\infty, 2)\)-categories of correspondences (Q2106576)

Bivariant functors from \(D\) into the \((\infty,2)\)-category of \((\infty,1)\)-categories observant of the base change formula themselves form an \((\infty,2)\)-category \(\mathrm{Biv}_{D}\). This paper construts a Yoneda API for \(\mathrm{Biv}_{D}\). To each object \(x\) of \(D\), a bivariant theory \(\mathrm{Corr}_{D}(x,-)\) of correspondences into \(x\) is assigned, which defines a faithful \textit{Yoneda embedding} \[ \mathrm{y}^{\mp}:D\rightarrow\mathrm{Biv}_{D}^{\mathrm{op}} \] It is not full, but its essential image is to be described by use of the bivariant version of the Yoneda lemma. Lemma. Let \(F\) be a bivariant functor of \(D\). The bivariant evaluation mapping \[ \mathrm{ev}:\mathrm{Biv}_{D}[\mathrm{Corr}_{D}(x,-),F(-)]\rightarrow F(x) \] is an equivalence of categories, where \(\mathrm{Biv}_{D}[\ast,\ast]\) denotes bivariant natural transformations. The main result of this paper has already appeared in [\textit{D. Gaitsgory} and \textit{N. Rozenblyum}, A study in derived algebraic geometry. Volume I: Correspondences and duality. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2017; Zbl 1408.14001), Theorem 8.1.1.9]. This paper avoids explicit manipulation of simplices in the Segal space model, developing much of what might be termed the internal logic of \((\infty,2)\)-category theory, in which the arguments are couched. The synopsis of the paper goes as follows. \begin{itemize} \item[\S 2] assembles the basic properties and construction needed in this paper from \((\infty,n)\)-category theory. \item[\S 3] introduces two perspectives on correspondences different from [\textit{D. Gaitsgory} and \textit{N. Rozenblyum}, A study in derived algebraic geometry. Volume I: Correspondences and duality. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2017; Zbl 1408.14001), \S 7.1.2]. \begin{itemize} \item The notion of a \textit{universal bivariant extension}, which by definition has a universal property and is therefore natural, though its existence is not straightforward. \item The notion of a \textit{category of correspondeces}, which is easy to recognize, though its uniqueness or functoriality is not immediate to recognize. \end{itemize} Theorem. Let \(K\) be an \((\infty,2)\)-category. There is an \((\infty,2)\)-functor \[ \mathrm{Spex}:\mathrm{Biv}(D,K)\rightarrow\mathrm{2Fun}(\mathrm{y}^{\mp}(D),K) \] of \textit{span extension} to the Yoneda image, which is, as an \((\infty,1)\)-functor, a section of the functor of restriction along \(D\subseteq\mathrm{y}^{\mp}(D)\). \item[\S 4] applies a \(2\)-dimensional Grothendieck construction to put the extension functor in the above theorem in families, hence recovering a universal property, though the Grothendieck construction the author invokes is not quite justified in the literature at present. The following theorem as well as its monoidal variant is established under the hypothesis. Conjecture. There exists a natural equivalence of the form (Grothendieck construction, \(2\)-categorical) \[ \mathrm{D}:\boldsymbol{Cat}^{\mathrm{op}}\underset{\mathrm{1Cat}}{\mapsto}\int:\mathrm{2PSh}(D)\underset{\mathrm{1Cat}}{\cong}:\mathrm{2Cart}_{\mathrm{D}}\prod \] Theorem. The inclusion functor \[ i:D\rightarrow\mathrm{Corr}_{D} \] is universal among bivariant functors of \ so that we have an equivalence of \((\infty,2)\)-categories \[ \mathrm{Biv}(D,K)\cong\mathrm{2Fun}(\mathrm{Corr}_{D},K) \] which is a natural equivalence of \((\infty,3)\)-functors of \(K\). \item[\S 5] is concerned with some nontrivial examples of bivariant functors, furcating into two subsections. \S 5.1 provides an alternative presentation of a basic construction to higher algebra, while \S 5.2 deals with examples coming from geometry and cohomology theory. \end{itemize}