Rings and modules in Kan spectra (Q6159706)

This paper is motivated by the authors' project to set up the foundations of spectral algebra in categories of sheaves of spectra. In [\textit{R. Chen} et al., Theory Appl. Categ. 32, 1363--1396 (2017; Zbl 1405.55020)], they argue that the only theory of spectra currently suitable is that of Kan spectra, which benefit from their combinatorial nature. Hitherto the difficulty had been to set up a smash product that is commutative, associative and unital; this paper addresses this. The authors' construction of the smash product uses their category \(\mathscr{A}''\) of \textit{slackened Adams data}. Objects are defined in terms of an Adams datum (used in defining a form of \textit{handicrafted smash product}) and a slackening datum (that allows \textit{insertion of suspension coordinates} for Kan spectra). (To be concrete, an Adams datum can be defined as a monotone bijection \(\mathbb{N}_0 \stackrel{\cong}{\hookrightarrow} \mathbb{N}_0 \amalg \mathbb{N}_0\) and a slackening datum as an inclusion \(C \hookrightarrow \mathbb{N}_0\) with infinite complement.) By construction, the category \(\mathscr{A}''\) controls the formation of the smash product of Kan spectra. They prove that the category \(\mathscr{A}''\) is contractible. Generalizing the construction of \(\mathscr{A}''\), for each \(n \geq 2\), one has a category \(\mathscr{A}^{(n)}\) controlling the formation of \(n\)-fold smash products. The authors state that, passing to the nerve, these yield a partial operad in simplicial sets, denoted \(\mathscr{A}\), with the property that \(\mathscr{A}(T)\) is contractible, for any tree \(T\). Using \(\mathscr{A}\), they construct a monad \(\mathcal{A}\) on simplicial Kan spectra. \(\mathcal{A}\)-algebras are their model for `Kan \(E_\infty\)-ring spectra'. To illustrate this, they construct a functor from \(S^1\)-functors with smash products in based simplicial sets to \(\mathcal{A}\)-algebras that preserves the weak homotopy type. The authors then define the derived category \(D\) of \(\mathcal{A}\)-algebras; this has as objects \(\mathcal{A}\)-algebras and morphisms \(D(X,Y)\) given by maps in the strong homotopy category of simplicial Kan spectra represented by maps \(X_L \rightarrow Y_R\), where \(X_L\) is a cell approximation of \(X\) and \(Y_R\) a suitable localization (this uses their previous work, \textit{loc. cit.}). Likewise, for an \(\mathcal{A}\)-algebra \(R\), based on ideas from a precursor to [\textit{A. D. Elmendorf} et al., Rings, modules, and algebras in stable homotopy theory. With an appendix by M. Cole. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (1997; Zbl 0894.55001)], they define a derived category of pairs \((R,M)\), where \(M\) is an \((\mathcal{A}, R)\)-module. They assert that this is tensor triangulated. In the penultimate section, they discuss rectification of partial operads into operads. They show that the rectification of \(\mathscr{A}\) is an \(E_\infty\)-operad; this further justifies their assertion that \(\mathcal{A}\)-algebras give a good model for Kan \(E_\infty\)-ring spectra.