The surface category and tropical curves

arXiv2111.14757MaRDI QIDQ6384263FDOQ6384263

Authors: Jan Steinebrunner 

Publication date: 29 November 2021

Abstract: We compute the classifying space of the surface category $mathrm{Cob}_2$ whose objects are closed $1$-manifolds and whose morphisms are diffeomorphism classes of surface bordisms, and show that it is rationally equivalent to a circle. It is hence much smaller than the classifying space of the topologically enriched surface category $mathcal{C}_2$ studied by Galatius-Madsen-Tillmann-Weiss. However, we also show that for the wide subcategory $mathrm{Cob}_2^{chile0}subsetmathrm{Cob}_2$ that contains all morphisms without disks or spheres, the classifying space $Bmathrm{Cob}_2^{chile0}$ is surprisingly large. Its rational homotopy groups contain the homology of all moduli spaces of tropical curves $Delt{a}_g$ as a summand. The technical key result shows that a version of positive boundary surgery applies to a large class of discrete symmetric monoidal categories, which we call labelled cospan categories. We also use this to show that the $(2,1)$-category of cospans of finite sets has a contractible classifying space.

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Geometric aspects of tropical varieties (14T20) Homology of classifying spaces and characteristic classes in algebraic topology (55R40) Other types of cobordism (57R90)

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