Models of Lubin-Tate spectra via real bordism theory (Q2237398)

This article is an exciting development in the application of equivariant methods in stable homotopy theory. Let \(k\) be a finite field of characteristic \(2\), \(\Gamma_h\) a formal group law over \(k\) of height \(h\), \(\mathbb{G}(k,\Gamma_h)\) the group of automorphisms of \((k,\Gamma_h)\), and \(R(k,\Gamma_h)\) the associated Lubin-Tate ring. The Goerss-Hopkins-Miller Theorem (cf. [\textit{C. Rezk}, Contemp. Math. 220, 313--366 (1998; Zbl 0910.55004)]) implies that there is an \(E_\infty\)-ring spectrum \(E:= E(k,\Gamma_h)\) with \(\pi_*E(k,\Gamma_h) \cong R(k,\Gamma_h)\), the \textit{Lubin-Tate spectrum}, on which \(\mathbb{G}(k,\Gamma_h)\) acts by \(E_\infty\)-ring maps. Computing \(\pi_*(E^{h\mathbb{G}(k,\Gamma_h)})\) is one of the central problems in stable homotopy theory, since these groups capture the \(v_h\)-periodic phenomena in the stable homotopy groups of spheres. One major difficulty in understanding \(\pi_*(E^{h\mathbb{G}(k,\Gamma_h)})\) is that \(E(k,\Gamma_h)\) with its \(\mathbb{G}(k,\Gamma_h)\)-action is built using obstruction theory, so it is hard to explicitly describe the action of \(\mathbb{G}(k,\Gamma_h)\) on \(\pi_*(E(k,\Gamma_h))\). The main result of this paper (Theorem 1.5) is the construction of a form of \(E(k,\Gamma_h)\) for \(h=2^{n-1}m\), \(m \geq 1\), where the action of the finite subgroup \[G(k,m) = C_{2^n} \times \operatorname{Gal}(k/\mathbb{F}_2) \rtimes k^\times[2^m-1]\] of \(\mathbb{G}(k,\Gamma_h)\) can be described explicitly. This paves the way for applying techniques from equivariant stable homotopy theory, such as the slice spectral sequence, to understand \(\pi_*E(k,\Gamma_h)^{hG(k,m)}\). The construction of this form of \(E(k,\Gamma_h)\) requires a substantial amount of algebra, which is developed in Sections 2--4. In particular, the authors develop the theory of formal group laws with group actions and prove the main results (Theorems 1.1--1.4) needed for their homotopical applications. Theorem 1.5 follows quickly from those algebraic results, together with the Landweber Exact Functor Theorem and the Goerss-Hopkins-Miller Theorem. In Sections 5--7, the authors investigate \(E(k,\Gamma_h)\) and related constructions further. For instance, they show (Theorem 1.7) that \(E(k,\Gamma_h)\) can be promoted to a genuine \(C_{2^n}\)-spectrum which comes equipped with a \(C_{2^n}\)-equivariant commutative ring map from the \(C_{2^n}\)-spectrum \(N_{C_2}^{C_{2^n}} M\mathbb{R}\) which featured prominently in the seminal work of \textit{M. A. Hill} et al. [Ann. Math. (2) 184, No. 1, 1--262 (2016; Zbl 1366.55007)]. There are a lot of fascinating results in this paper. It will be very interesting to see how they inform our understanding of the stable homotopy groups of spheres at higher chromatic heights in the coming years.