The rank filtration via a filtered bar construction (Q2133955)

Let \(\Gamma\) and \(\mathrm{Top}_\ast\) denote the categories of pointed finite sets and pointed topological spaces, respectively. A pointed functor \({\mathcal{F}}\colon \Gamma \to \mathrm{Top}_\ast\) is called a \(\Gamma\)-space. A \(\Gamma\)-space \({\mathcal{F}}\) is called special, if the natural linearization map \({\mathcal{F}}(X\vee Y)\to {\mathcal{F}}X\times {\mathcal{F}}Y\) is a weak equivalence. Let \(\mathrm{Sp}^\infty\) denote the infinite symmetric product functor. The authors call a \(\Gamma\)-space \({\mathcal{F}}\) augmented, if there is a natural transformation \(\epsilon\colon {\mathcal{F}}\to \mathrm{Sp}^\infty\) having the property that the preimage of the basepoint of \(\mathrm{Sp}^\infty X\) consists of the basepoint of \({\mathcal{F}}X\). Assume \({\mathcal{F}}\) is an augmented special \(\Gamma\)-space. Segal's group completion associates to \({\mathcal{F}}\) a spectrum \({\mathbf{k}}{\mathcal{F}}\) equipped with a map \({\mathbf{k}}{\mathcal{F}}\to {\mathbf{H}}{\mathbb{Z}}\). In an earlier work [Fundam. Math. 207, No.1, 29--70 (2010; Zbl 1194.55013)], the authors constructed a filtration of \(\mathbf{k}\mathcal{F}\) by a sequence of spectra that they call the stable rank filtration of \({\mathcal{F}}\). In this paper, they give a new model for the stable rank filtration. The new construction is combinatorial and avoids the process of stabilization. It occurs on the level of \(\Gamma\)-spaces, not spectra, producing a filtration of \({\mathcal{F}}\) by a sequence of \(\Gamma\)-spaces that also are special. Applying the group completion and infinite delooping to the new sequence then yields the stable rank filtration.