Infinitesimal thickenings of Morava \(K\)-theories (Q2456386)

The Morava \(K\)-theories and the closely related Johnson-Wilson \(E\)-theories are amongst the most important homology theories currently used in stable homotopy theory. While each Morava \(K(n)\) is known to be a ring spectrum (homotopy commutative if \(p>2\)), it is not a commutative \(S\)-algebra although it is an \(S\)-algebra in infinitely many different ways. In [Q. J. Math., Oxf. II. Ser. 42, No. 168, 403--419 (1991; Zbl 0772.55003)], the reviewer showed that there was an \(I_n\)-adic tower of spectra \[ K(n)=E(n)/I_n \leftarrow E(n)/I_n^2 \leftarrow \cdots \leftarrow E(n)/I_n \leftarrow \cdots \] whose homotopy limit \(\widehat{E(n)}\) coincides with the Bousfield localization \(L_{K(n)}E(n)\) and admits an essentially unique \(S\)-algebra structure (this required obstruction theory developed by \textit{A. Robinson} [Math. Soc. Lect. Note Ser. 139, 143--152 (1989; Zbl 0688.55008)]). This observation led to much subsequent work by the reviewer et al., and the present author, most of which revolves around generalisation to situations associated to localised regular quotients of commutative \(S\)-algebras, and refining the algebraic machinery involved. In fact, \(\widehat{E(n)}\) is now known to admit an essentially unique \textit{commutative} \(S\)-algebra structure, but this requires obstruction theory for \(E_\infty\) structures developed by Goerss-Hopkins and Robinson. The present well-written paper returns to multiplicative issues for generalised \(I\)-adic towers associated with a regular quotient of a commutative \(S\)-algebra~\(R\). Its main result shows that such a tower can be refined to a tower of \(R\)-algebras. The proofs require deft work with a considerable amount of algebraic machinery, including the author's earlier work and obstruction theory based on Hochschild cohomology, and possibly having connections with calculations of \textit{V. Angeltveit} [Geom. Topol. 12, No. 2, 987--1032 (2008; Zbl 1149.55006)]. In the reviewer's opinion, it seems plausible that there may be further results accessible to this approach in the context of pro-objects in the category of \(R\)-modules and this may be the most appropriate place to investigate commutative structures.