Moduli spaces of tropical curves of higher genus with marked points and homotopy colimits (Q532612)

Moduli spaces \(TM_{g,n}\) of tropical curves of genus g with n marked points were introduced by \textit{A.~Gathmann} and \textit{H.~Markwig} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 602, 155--177 (2007; Zbl 1115.14049)] and \textit{G.~Mikhalkin} [in: Proceedings of the 13th Gökova geometry-topology conference, Gökova, Turkey, May 28--June 2, 2006. Cambridge, MA: International Press. 39--51 (2007; Zbl 1203.14027)], motivated by the correspondence theorem of \textit{G. Mikhalkin} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 18, 313--377 (2005; Zbl 1092.14068)]. Although their geometry is extensively studied, few is known about topology of tropical moduli spaces. The author explicitly constructs a certain \((2g-3)\)-dimensional ``generalized'' simplicial complex \(\Delta_g\), such that \(TM_{g,0}\) is homotopy equivalent to \(\Delta_g\) and, more generally, \(TM_{g,n}\) for every \(n\) is homotopy equivalent to a certain ``generalized fibration'' (homotopy colimit) over \(\Delta_g\). By means of this tool, the author constructs a CW-complex with a controllable number of cells that is homotopy equivalent to \(TM_{g,n}\) for all \(n\) and \(g\), describes topology of \(TM_{g,n}\) for small \(n\) and \(g\), conjectures asymptotics of the Euler characteristic of \(TM_{g,n}\) for large \(n\).