On invertible \(2\)-dimensional framed and \(r\)-spin topological field theories (Q6039224)

A natural quest in category theory is an algebraic interpretation for the homotopy groups of a (small) category \(\mathcal{C}\). The connected components \(\pi_0(\mathcal{C})\) are straightforward, while for the fundamental group \(\pi_1(\mathcal{C})\), Daniel Quillen [\textit{D. Quillen}, Lect. Notes Math. 341, 85--147 (1973; Zbl 0292.18004)] provided an algebraic interpretation as the automorphism group in the category of fractions \(\mathcal{C}[\mathcal{C}^{-1}]\). The category \(\mathcal{C}\) should be enriched in the higher category setting to interpret the higher homotopy groups. An importance of this construction is that invertible functors that start at \(\mathcal{C}\) factories through the category of fractions. The paper's main result is the classification of invertible 2-dimensional framed and \(r\)-spin topological field theories. The work of Sính, and Joyal-Street gives the classification of Picard groupoids (category of fractions for symmetric monoidal categories) by the first homotopy groups \(\pi_0\) and \(\pi_1\) and the \(k\)-invariant \(k:\pi_0\otimes\mathbb{Z}_2\rightarrow \pi_1\); and the set of isomorphism class of functors \(\mathcal{C}\rightarrow\mathcal{D}\) of Picard groupoids is in bijection with the set of triples \((f_0,f_1,\alpha)\) with \(f_i\in \mathrm{Hom}(\pi_i(\mathcal{C},\mathcal{D})\), \(i=0,1\), and \(\alpha\in\mathrm{Ext}(\pi_0(\mathcal{C}),\pi_1(\mathcal{D}))\) satisfying the corresponding commutative squares for the \(k\)-invariants. For the \(d\)-dimensional bordism category with \(G\)-tangential structure \(\mathcal{B}ord_d^G\), it is included a result of Kreck-Stolz-Teichner relating the groupoid structure with what is called ``chimera relations'' showing for the groupoid completion \(\|\mathcal{B}ord_d^G\|\), the following \[\pi_0(\|\mathcal{B}ord_d^G\|)=\Omega_{d-1}^G\textrm{ and }\pi_1(\|\mathcal{B}ord_d^G\|)=\mathrm{SKK}_d^G\,,\] where \(\mathrm{SKK}\) refers to the SKK groups (Schneiden Kleben und Kontrolliert). Using a combinatorial model of framed and \(r\)-spin surfaces, it is determined the kernel of the (rescaled) Euler characteristic, an SKK invariant. An implication of this is the following values for the first homotopy groups and the \(k\)-invariants of \(\|\mathcal{B}ord_d^G\|\) by \[ \begin{array}{ c|c|c|c } r & \pi_0 & \pi_1 & k:\pi_0\rightarrow\pi_1\\ \hline 0 & \mathbb{Z}_2 & \mathbb{Z}_2 &\mathrm{id}\\ >0,\text{ even} & \mathbb{Z}_2 & \mathbb{Z}\times\mathbb{Z}_2 & x\mapsto(0,x)\\ >0,\text{ odd} & 0 & \mathbb{Z} & 0\\ \end{array} \] Consequently, the group of invertible \(r\)-spin TFTs with values in \(\mathcal{C}\) is given by \[ \begin{array}{ c|c } r & \pi_0(\mathrm{Fun}^{inv}_\otimes(\mathcal{B}ord_2^{\mathrm{Spin_2^r}},\mathcal{C})) \\ \hline 0 & \mathrm{Hom}(\mathbb{Z}_2,\pi_0(\mathcal{C}^\times))\times \mathrm{Ext}(\mathbb{Z}_2,\pi_1(\mathcal{C}^\times))\\ >0,\text{ even} & \mathrm{Hom}(\mathbb{Z}_2,\pi_0(\mathcal{C}^\times))\times\pi_1(\mathcal{C}^\times)\times\mathrm{Ext}(\mathbb{Z}_2,\pi_1(\mathcal{C}^\times))\\ >0,\text{ odd} & \pi_1(\mathcal{C}^\times) \\ \end{array} \] where \(\mathcal{C}^\times\) is the full subgroupoid of invertible objects. Interestingly, for \(\mathcal{C}=\mathcal{SV}ect\), the framed and \(r\)-spin structures are generated by the Arf invariant and the Euler characteristic.