Uniqueness of the multiplicative cyclotomic trace (Q2452072)

The authors characterize the topological Dennis trace map and the cyclotomic trace map. The techniques are from the noncommutative theory of motives and the homotopy theory of \(E_\infty\) categories and exact functors. More precisely, let \(Cat_\infty^{perf}\) denote the \(\infty\)-category of small idempotent-complete stable \(\infty\)-categories and exact functors. Let \(\mathcal{S}_\infty\) denote the stable \(\infty\)-category of spectra. As applications of their techniques, they have the following Theorem 7.3. The space of maps of \(E_\infty\) algebras from \(K\) to \(THH\) in \(Fun_{add}(Cat_\infty^{perf},\mathcal{S}_\infty)^\otimes\) is contractible. Equivalently, the space of natural transformations of lax symmetric monodical functors from \(K\to THH\) in \(Fun_{add}^{lax}(Cat_\infty^{perf},\mathcal{S}_\infty)\) is contractible. The unique element of this space is the topological Dennis trace map. Here \(K\) denotes the non-connective algebraic \(K\)-theory spectrum and \(THH\) topological Hochschild homology. The next case is that of the cyclotomic trace: Theorem 7.4. The space of maps of \(E_\infty\) algebras from \(K\to TC^n\) in \(Fun_{add}(Cat_\infty^{perf},\mathcal{S}_\infty)^\otimes\) is contractible. The unique homotopy class of maps of \(E_\infty\) algebras in \(Fun_{add}(Cat_\infty^{perf},\mathcal{S}_\infty)^\otimes\) from \(K\) to \(TC\) that restricts to maps of \(E_\infty\) algebras \(K\to TC^n\) is the cyclotomic trace.