A function space model approach to the rational evaluation subgroups (Q2471025)

Let \(f: U\to X\) be a map from a connected nilpotent space \(U\) to a connected rational space \(X\). Denote by \({\mathcal F}(U, X; f)\) the function space of maps freely homotopic to \(f\) and by \(\text{ev}: {\mathcal F}(U, X; f) \to X\) the evaluation map. The \(n\)th evaluation subgroup of \(f\) is the subgroup of \(\pi_n(X)\) defined by \(G_n(U, X; f) = \text{ev}_{*}(\pi_n({\mathcal F}(U, X; f)))\), introduced by D. H. Gottlieb in a paper of 1969. Taking \(X= U\) and \(f=1_X\) gives the \(n\)th Gottlieb group \(G_n(X)\). In the introduction, the authors provide a nice outline of the comprehensive knowledge about Gottlieb groups in rational homotopy theory relevant for their study of rationalized evaluation subgroups. The authors apply an explicit Sullivan model for the function space \({\mathcal F}(U, X; f)\) due to \textit{E. H. Brown, jun.} and \textit{R. H. Szczarba} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 349, No. 12, 4931--4951 (1997; Zbl 0927.55012)] . When \(U\) is nilpotent and \(X\) is rational, the authors show that the Brown-Sczarba construction provides a minimal model for \(\text{ev}: {\mathcal F}(U, X; f) \to X\) in the sense of Sullivan, which is not generally the case. They use this minimal model to obtain a variety of strong applications, among which we shall only mention a criterion, in terms of higher-order Whitehead products in \(U\) and \(X\), for \(G_{*}(U, X; f)\) to be a proper subgroup of \(\pi_{*}(X)\). As another main application, the authors give the complete calculation of the (non-rationalized) Gottlieb group \(G_1(X)\) where \(X\) is the total space of any \(S^1\)-bundle over an \(n\)-torus.