The norm map of Witt vectors (Q2346875)

Let \(k\) be a commutative ring and let \(W(k)\) be the ring of big Witt vectors over \(k\). The paper under review offers an explicit formula for a norm map \(N_p : W(k) \to W(k)\), \(p\) a prime, that builds on an idea in [\textit{M. Brun}, Adv. Math. 193, No. 2, 233--256 (2005; Zbl 1078.19001)]. Let \(F_p : W(k) \to W(k)\) be the Frobenius map and define \(\theta_p : W(k) \to W(k)\) by \[ F_p(a) = a^p + p \theta_p(a). \] The norm map \(N_p : W(k) \to W(k)\) is given by \[ N_p (a) = a - V_p \theta_p (a), \] where \(V_p\) is the Verschiebung. For a composite integer \(d\), the norm \(N_d\) is defined inductively by factoring \(d = d_1 \cdot d_2\) and using \(N_d = N_{d_1} \circ N_{d_2}\). Proven is that \(N_d\) is independent of this factorization. Let \(S\) be a subset of the positive integers \(\mathbb{N}\) that is a truncation set, i.e., \(S\) is closed under division. For \(d \in \mathbb{N}\),let \(\langle d \rangle\) be the set of divisors of \(d\) and let \(\langle d \rangle S\) be the set of all \(t \in \mathbb{N}\) with \(t = es\), where \(e \in \langle d \rangle\), \(s \in S\). From \textit{L. Hesselholt} and \textit{I. Madsen} [Topology 36, No. 1, 29--101 (1997; Zbl 0866.55002)], the ring of Witt vectors \(W_S(k)\) is defined as \(k^S\) so that the ghost map \(W_S(k) \to k^S\) is a ring homomorphism, functorial in \(k\). Proven in the note under review is that \(N_d\) is multiplicative. Additionally if \(S\) is any truncation set, then \[ N_d : W_S(k) \to W_{\langle d \rangle S}(k) \] is multiplicative and \(F_d \circ N_d\) is the \(d\)th power map. The above properties characterize the map \(N_d\) uniquely. A formula for \(N_d\) in terms of ghost is given, and it follows that \(N_d\) commutes with restriction maps for \(T \subset S\). As an application, let \(THH(k)\) denote the topological Hochschild homology spectrum, \(k\) commutative. From [loc. cit.] there is an isomorphism of rings \[ \alpha_n : \pi_0 ( THH(k)^{C_n}) \to W_{\langle n \rangle}(k) . \] There is also a known norm map \[ N_d^{\mathrm{top}} : \pi_0 ( THH(k)^{C_n}) \to \pi_0 ( THH(k)^{C_{\mathrm{dn}}}). \] Proven is that \(N_d\) commutes with \(N_d^{\mathrm{top}}\) under the isomorphism \(\alpha_*\).