A counter-example to the \(\mathbb A^1\)-connectivity conjecture of F. Morel. (Q2499706)

Let \(X\) be a noetherian scheme and let \(\text{DM}_{\text{eff}}(X)\) be the subcategory of \(D(\text{Sh}\,{\nu}^{\text{tr}}_{\text{Nis}}(\text{Sm}/X))\) consisting of \({\mathbb A}^{1}\)-local complexes of Nisnevich sheaves with transfers. The inclusion functor has a left adjoint [cf. \textit{F. Morel, V. Voevodsky}, Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 90, 45--143 (1999; Zbl 0983.14007)] -- the \({\mathbb A}^{1}\)-localization functor: \[ \text{Loc}_{{\mathbb A}^{1}} : D(\text{Sh}\,{\nu}^{\text{tr}}_{\text{Nis}} (\text{Sm}/X))\rightarrow \text{DM}_{\text{eff}}(X). \] The following \({\mathbb A}^{1}\)-connectivity conjecture was formulated by \textit{F. Morel} [\(K\)-Theory 35, No. 1-2, 1--68 (2005; Zbl 1117.14023)]. Conjecture. If \(X\) is regular, the functor \(\text{Loc}_{{\mathbb A}^{1}}\) preserves \((-1)\)-connected complexes. The author constructs a normal surface \(X\), which is an object of \(\text{DM}_{\text{eff}}(X)\) whose homology sheaves are not strictly \({\mathbb A}^{1}\)-invariant. This disproves the conjecture in general, although it might be (as the author points out) still true for curves.