Triangulated categories without models (Q2458875)

A triangulated category is called algebraic if it is the stable category of a Frobenius category, and is called topological if it is a full triangulated subcategory of the homotopy category of a Quillen stable model category. The present article gives the first series of examples of a triangulated category which is neither algebraic nor topological. The example is very easily described: Let \(R\) be a commutative local ring with non zero maximal ideal \(m\) generated by \(2\) and with \(m^2=0\). Then the authors show that there is a unique triangulated structure with identity translation functor on the category of finitely generated free \(R\)-modules such that \(R{\rightarrow}R{\rightarrow}R{\rightarrow}R\) is an exact triangle, where all mappings are just multiplication by \(2\). This structure cannot be algebraic since by an observation due to Keller multiplication by \(2\) would then annihilate the identity on the cone of the multiplication by \(2\) mapping. The fact that this structure cannot be topological is more delicate. The proof passes through the construction of so-called hopfian objects. An object \(A\) in a triangulated category \(T\) with translation functor \(\Sigma\) is called hopfian if there is a morphism \(\eta:\Sigma A\rightarrow A\) which satisfies \(2\eta=0\). The authors prove then that every object of a topological triangulated category is hopfian. An object \(E\) so that \(E{\rightarrow}E{\rightarrow}E{\rightarrow}\Sigma E\) is an exact triangle, where the first two morphisms are multiplication by \(2\), is called exotic. Then the authors conclude by proving that exotic hopfian objects are \(0\).