Higher cohomology operations and \(R\)-completion (Q679785)

The paper under review is about a classification problem in algebraic topology: classifying the spaces that have some prescribed cohomology. Let \(R\) be the field \(\mathbb{F}_p\) or a field of characteristic zero. Let \(A\) be a graded commutative \(R\)-algebra equipped with primary \(R\)-cohomology operations. For \(R = \mathbb{F}_p\), this is an unstable algebra over the Steenrod algebra; for \(R = \mathbb{Q}\), it is a graded commutative \(\mathbb{Q}\)-algebra, without additional structure. The \textit{realization problem} asks whether \(A\) can be realized topologically, i.e., if there is a space \(Y\) satisfying \(A \cong H^*(Y;R)\). The \textit{classification problem} asks to classify all such realizations \(Y\), up to \(R\)-equivalence. Given an \(R\)-good space \(Y\) of finite \(R\)-type, the authors construct a sequence of higher order \(R\)-cohomology operations. The main result (Theorem~C) is that two spaces with isomorphic \(R\)-cohomology \(H^*(Y;R) \cong H^*(Z;R)\) are \(R\)-equivalent if and only if the higher cohomology operations constructed from \(Y\) vanish for \(Z\). In other words, \(H^*(Y;R)\) together with these higher cohomology operations determines the \(R\)-homotopy type of \(Y\). A similar construction determines when two maps \(f_0, f_1 : Z \to Y\) which induce the same morphism on \(R\)-cohomology \[ f_0^* = f_1^* : H^*(Y;R) \to H^*(Z;R) \] are \(R\)-equivalent (Theorem~D). The authors work out some rational examples, using commutative differential graded algebra (CDGA) models for rational homotopy theory (Sections~4.24 and 5.32). The paper is related to previous work of the first author [Topology 40, No. 5, 993--1016 (2001; Zbl 1002.55016)] and of \textit{G. Biedermann} et al. [The realization space of an unstable coalgebra. Paris: Société Mathématique de France (SMF) (2017; Zbl 1394.55001)]. One main difference is that these papers produce obstruction classes in André-Quillen cohomology, whereas the current paper produces obstructions in the form of higher homotopy operations, i.e., obstructions to rectifying certain homotopy commutative diagrams. The two kinds of obstructions were compared in [\textit{D. Blanc} et al., Adv. Math. 230, No. 2, 777--817 (2012; Zbl 1246.55013)].