Segal-type algebraic models of \(n\)-types (Q488573)

As groupoids model all \(1\)-types, some kind of \(n\)-fold groupoids should model \(n\)-types, i.e. spaces with vanishing homotopy groups in dimension \(>n\). The first candidate is the category \(n\)-\(\mathrm{Gpd}\) of strict \(n\)-groupoids. This is a full subcategory of multisimplicial groupoids \(\Delta^{{n-1}^{op}} \rightarrow \mathrm{Gpd}\) satisfying a so-called globular condition (the multisimplicial groupoid is discrete, or constant, in certain simplicial directions), a Segal type condition asserting that the groupoid of \(k\)-simplices is isomorphic to the \(k\)-fold composable arrows, in all simplicial directions, and a last condition that \(\pi_0\) produces a strict \((n-1)\)-groupoid. This category is too rigid and one needs to relax some of the strict structure. \textit{Z. Tamsamani} [\(K\)-Theory 16, No. 1, 51--99 (1999; Zbl 0934.18008)] chose to work with the strict globular condition, but relaxed the Segal condition. His category \(\mathrm{Tam}^n\) of weak \(n\)-groupoids is described in the article under review in a different but equivalent way. The authors describe also a different approach, keeping a strict Segal condition, but relaxing the globularity. This yields a new category \(\mathrm{Gpd}^n_{\mathrm{wg}}\) of weakly globular \(n\)-fold groupoids. Both categories provide a good setup for algebraic models of \(n\)-types, but there is still a more general framework, that of weakly globular pseudo \(n\)-fold groupoids, in which both conditions are relaxed. This yields a category \(\mathrm{PsGpd}^n_{\mathrm{wg}}\) containing both \(\mathrm{Gpd}^n_{\mathrm{wg}}\) and \(\mathrm{Tam}^n\), which intersect at \(n\)-\(\mathrm{Gpd}\). The homotopy category \(\mathrm{hoPsGpd}^n_{\mathrm{wg}}\) is proven to be equivalent to the homotopy category of \(n\)-types (but no model theoretic argument is employed here). The functor \(\pi_0\) lifts to algebraic analogues \(\mathrm{PsGpd}^n_{\mathrm{wg}} \rightarrow \mathrm{PsGpd}^{n-1}_{\mathrm{wg}}\) of the \((n-1)\)-st Postnikov section and models for \(k\)-connected \(n\)-types are also discussed. The main technical tool is a detailed analysis of the classifying space functor \(B\) and the fundamental \(n\)-fold groupoid functor. A Bousfield-Friedlander spectral sequence argument shows that the classifying space of a weakly globular \(n\)-fold groupoid is indeed an \(n\)-type, that is, all higher homotopy groups vanish, and this provides a left inverse to the fundamental \(n\)-fold groupoid functor. Other functors, such as discretization functors to Tamsamani's model, are constructed and relate the different categories with each other.