Homotopical algebraic geometry. I: Topos theory (Q555892)

This article is the first one of a series of papers devoted to the foundations of algebraic geometry in homotopical and higher categorical contexts. The authors first define the notion of an \textit{S-topology} \(\tau\) on a simplicially enriched category (an \textit{S-category}) \(T\). They show how each S-topology \(\tau\) yields a model structure on the category of simplicial presheaves on \(T\); the resulting model category is denoted by \(\roman{SPr}_\tau(T)\). This model category is the homotopical equivalent to the category of ordinary sheaves over an ordinary site. The first main result of the article gives then an analogue of the usual adjoint pair of sheafification and the forgetful functor between the category of presheaves and sheaves on a site to this homotopical context: the authors construct an adjoint pair between the homotopy category of simplicial presheaves and the homotopy category of \(\roman{SPr}_\tau\), the homotopy category of \textit{stacks over \((T, \tau)\)}. The image of the forgetful functor is described by a hyperdescent condition. The next main result shows which model categories are Quillen equivalent to model categories of the form \(\roman{SPr}_\tau(T)\) for fixed \(T\). It follows that \(\roman{SPr}_\tau(T)\) defines the S-topology \(\tau\) on \(T\) uniquely. This is a direct generalisation of the classical result about the reconstruction of a topology from a Grothendieck topos of sheaves on a category. Instead of starting with an S-category \(T\), one could have also started with a model category \(M\). The authors define the notion of a \textit{model pre-topology \(\tau\) on \(M\)}. Using this they define a model category \(M^{\sim, \tau}\) of \textit{stacks over \((M, \tau)\)}, which is the analogue of \(\roman{SPr}_\tau(T)\) defined earlier. They prove that the simplicial localisation \(LM\) of \(M\) carries a natural \(S\)-topology \(\tau\) and that the categories \(M^{\sim, \tau}\) and \(\roman{SPr}_\tau(LM)\) are naturally Quillen equivalent. This means that the two approaches --- stacks over a model site and stacks over an S-site --- are equivalent in a certain sense. For the approach with \textit{model sites \((M, \tau)\)}, the authors prove a homotopical analogue of Giraud's theorem thereby completely identifying the combinatorial model categories that are of the form \(M^{\sim, \tau}\). Finally, the authors apply their ideas to give a solution of the problem of defining a notion of an étale \(K\)-theory of a commutative \(\mathbb S\)-algebra, i.e.\ of a commutative monoid in Elmendorf-Kriz-Mandell-May's category of \(\mathbb S\)-modules. Further applications of the general theory to algebraic geometry (e.g.\ derived moduli spaces) are not covered in this article. The \(\infty\)-topoi of \textit{J.~Lurie} [\texttt{math.CT/0306109}] may be seen complementary to this article's approach to model topoi.