A rational model for the fiberwise THH transfer II: $A_\infty$-algebras

Abstract

In Part I, we proved that a rational model for the fiberwise THH transfer of a map $f$ of fibrations over a base space is given by the Hochschild homology transfer of a cdga model of $f$. In this paper, we provide an explicit description of this Hochschild homology transfer in terms of $A_\infty$-algebras, generalizing work of Bouc. Using a result of Lind-Malkiewich, we deduce a rational model for the Becker-Gottlieb transfer. We furthermore use our results for the following applications to manifold topology. Firstly, we consider the rational characteristic classes constructed by Berglund for fibrations with fiber a Poincar\'e complex (which generalize classes found by Berglund-Madsen); they are defined via the Lie graph complex, and we prove that the classes corresponding to non-trivalent graphs with exactly one loop vanish when evaluated on fiber bundles with fiber a compact simply connected topological manifold. Secondly, we provide a rational model for the space of fiberwise THH-simple structures, which is a step towards obtaining rational models for the classifying spaces of diffeomorphisms and homeomorphisms of a compact simply connected manifold in the rational concordance stable range.