The topological period-index conjecture
We prove the topological analogue of the period-index conjecture in each dimension away from a small set of primes.
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arXiv subjects
Ben Williams
Publications and source records attributed to Ben Williams.
Involutions of Azumaya algebras
We consider the general circumstance of an Azumaya algebra $A$ of degree $n$ over a locally ringed topos $(\mathbf{X}, {\mathcal{O}}_{\mathbf{ X}})$ where the latter carries a (possibly trivial) involution, denoted $λ$. This generalizes the usual notion of involutions of Azumaya algebras over schemes with involution, which in turn generalizes the notion of involutions of central simple algebras. We provide a criterion to determine whether two Azumaya algebras with involutions extending $λ$ are locally isomorphic, describe the equivalence classes obtained by this relation, and settle the question of when an Azumaya algebra $A$ is Brauer equivalent to an algebra carrying an involution extending $λ$, by giving a cohomological condition. We remark that these results are novel even in the case of schemes, since we allow ramified, nontrivial involutions of the base object. We observe that, if the cohomological condition is satisfied, then $A$ is Brauer equivalent to an Azumaya algebra of degree $2n$ carrying an involution. By comparison with the case of topological spaces, we show that the integer $2n$ is minimal, even in the case of a nonsingular affine variety $X$ with a fixed-point free involution. As an incidental step, we show that if $R$ is a commutative ring with involution for which the fixed ring $S$ is local, then either $R$ is local or $R/S$ is a quadratic étale extension of rings.
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Motivic spheres and the image of the Suslin--Hurewicz map
We show that an old conjecture of A.A. Suslin characterizing the image of a Hurewicz map from Quillen K-theory in degree $n$ to Milnor K-theory in degree $n$ admits an interpretation in terms of unstable ${\mathbb A}^1$-homotopy sheaves of the general linear group. Using this identification, we establish Suslin's conjecture in degree $5$ for infinite fields having characteristic unequal to $2$ or $3$. We do this by linking the relevant unstable ${\mathbb A}^1$-homotopy sheaf of the general linear group to the stable ${\mathbb A}^1$-homotopy of motivic spheres.
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Azumaya Algebras Without Involution
Generalizing a theorem of Albert, Saltman showed that an Azumaya algebra $A$ over a ring represents a $2$-torsion class in the Brauer group if and only if there is an algebra $A'$ in the Brauer class of $A$ admitting an involution of the first kind. Knus, Parimala, and Srinivas later showed that one can choose $A'$ such that $\mathrm{deg}\, A'=2\mathrm{deg}\, A$. We show that $2\mathrm{deg}\, A$ is the lowest degree one can expect in general. Specifically, we construct an Azumaya algebra $A$ of degree $4$ and period $2$ such that the degree of any algebra $A'$ in the Brauer class of $A$ admitting an involution is divisible by $8$. Separately, we provide examples of split and non-split Azumaya algebras of degree $2$ admitting symplectic involutions, but no orthogonal involutions. These stand in contrast to the case of central simple algebras of even degree over fields, where the presence of a symplectic involution implies the existence of an orthogonal involution and vice versa.
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Unstable Motivic Homotopy Theory
We give an introduction to unstable motivic homotopy theory of Morel and Voevodsky, and survey some results.
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The Simplicial EHP Sequence in A1-Algebraic Topology
We give a tool for understanding simplicial desuspension in A1-algebraic topology: we show that $X \to Ω(S^1 \wedge X)\to Ω(S^1 \wedge X \wedge X)$ is a fiber sequence up to homotopy in 2-localized A1-algebraic topology for $X = (S^1)^m \wedge G_m^{\wedge q}$ with $m>1$. It follows that there is an EHP sequence spectral sequence $$Z_{(2)} \otimes π_{n+1+i}^{A1} (S^{2n+2m+1} \wedge (G_m)^{\wedge 2q}) \Rightarrow Z_{(2)} \otimes π_{i}^{A1, s} (S^{m} \wedge (G_m)^{\wedge q}).$$
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The simplicial suspension sequence in A^1-homotopy
We study a version of the James model for the loop space of a suspension in unstable ${\mathbb A}^1$-homotopy theory. We use this model to establish an analog of G.W. Whitehead's classical refinement of the Freudenthal suspension theorem in ${\mathbb A}^1$-homotopy theory: our result refines F. Morel's ${\mathbb A}^1$-simplicial suspension theorem. We then describe some $E_1$-differentials in the EHP sequence in ${\mathbb A}^1$-homotopy theory. These results are analogous to classical results of G.W. Whitehead's. Using these tools, we deduce some new results about unstable ${\mathbb A}^1$-homotopy sheaves of motivic spheres, including the counterpart of a classical rational non-vanishing result.
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Prime decomposition for the index of a Brauer class
We prove that the index of a Brauer class satisfies prime decomposition over a general base scheme. This contrasts with our previous result that there is no general prime decomposition of Azumaya algebras.
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Topology and purity for torsors
We study the homotopy theory of the classifying space of the complex projective linear groups to prove that purity fails for $PGL_p$-torsors on regular noetherian schemes when $p$ is a prime. Extending our previous work when $p=2$, we obtain a negative answer to a question of Colliot-Thélène and Sansuc, for all $PGL_p$. We also give a new example of the failure of purity for the cohomological filtration on the Witt group, which is the first example of this kind of a variety over an algebraically closed field.
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The prime divisors of the period and index of a Brauer class
We show that in locally-ringed connected topoi the primes dividing the period and index of a Brauer class coincide. The result applies in particular to Brauer classes on connected schemes, algebraic stacks, topological spaces and to the projective representation theory of profinite groups.
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The period-index problem for twisted topological K-theory
We introduce and solve a period-index problem for the Brauer group of a topological space. The period-index problem is to relate the order of a class in the Brauer group to the degrees of Azumaya algebras representing it. For any space of dimension d, we give upper bounds on the index depending only on d and the order of the class. By the Oka principle, this also solves the period-index problem for the analytic Brauer group of any Stein space that has the homotopy type of a finite CW-complex. Our methods use twisted topological K-theory, which was first introduced by Donovan and Karoubi. We also study the cohomology of the projective unitary groups to give cohomological obstructions to a class being represented by an Azumaya algebra of degree n. Applying this to the finite skeleta of the Eilenberg-MacLane space K(Z/l,2), where l is a prime, we construct a sequence of spaces with an order l class in Br, but whose indices tend to infinity.
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On the classification of oriented 3-plane bundles over a 6-complex
In this short note, we complete the description of low-degree characteristic classes of oriented 3-plane bundles over a 6-complex. Our goal is to point out and correct an error in L. M. Woodward's 1982 paper "The classification of principal PU_n-bundles over a 4-complex."
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The topological period-index problem over 6-complexes
By comparing the Postnikov towers of the classifying spaces of projective unitary groups and the differentials in a twisted Atiyah-Hirzebruch spectral sequence, we deduce a lower bound on the topological index in terms of the period, and solve the topological version of the period-index problem in full for finite CW complexes of dimension at most 6. Conditions are established that, if they were met in the cohomology of a smooth complex 3-fold variety, would disprove the ordinary period-index conjecture. Examples of higher-dimensional varieties meeting these conditions are provided. We use our results to furnish an obstruction to realizing a period-2 Brauer class as the class associated to a sheaf of Clifford algebras, and varieties are constructed for which the total Clifford invariant map is not surjective. No such examples were previously known.
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Unramified division algebras do not always contain Azumaya maximal orders
We show that, in general, over a regular integral noetherian affine scheme X of dimension at least 6, there exist Brauer classes on X for which the associated division algebras over the generic point have no Azumaya maximal orders over X. Despite the algebraic nature of the result, our proof relies on the topology of classifying spaces of algebraic groups.
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The Gm-equivariant Motivic Cohomology of Stiefel Varieties
We derive a version of the Rothenberg-Steenrod, fiber-to-base, spectral sequence for cohomology theories represented in model categories of simplicial presheaves. We then apply this spectral sequence to calculate the equivariant motivic cohomology of the general linear group with a general Gm-action, this coincides with the equivariant higher Chow groups. Some of the equivariant motivic cohomology of a Stiefel variety with a general Gm-action is deduced as a corollary.
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Serre-Godeaux varieties and the etale index
We use the Serre-Godeaux varieties of finite groups, projective representation theory, the twisted Atiyah-Segal completion theorem, and our previous work on the topological period-index problem to compute the etale index of Brauer classes alpha in some specific examples. In particular, these computations show that the etale index of alpha differs from the period of alpha in general. As an application, we compute the index of unramified classes in the function fields of high-dimensional Serre-Godeaux varieties in terms of projective representation theory.
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The Motivic Cohomology of Stiefel Varieties
The main result of this paper is a computation of the motivic cohomology of varieties of n \times m-matrices of of rank m, including both the ring structure and the action of the reduced power operations. The argument proceeds by a comparison of the general linear group-scheme with a Tate suspension of a space which is A1-equivalent to projective n - 1-space with a disjoint basepoint.
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X-ray and Radio Variability of M31*, The Andromeda Galaxy Nuclear Supermassive Black Hole
We confirm our earlier tentative detection of M31* in X-rays and measure its light-curve and spectrum. Observations in 2004-2005 find M31* rather quiescent in the X-ray and radio. However, X-ray observations in 2006-2007 and radio observations in 2002 show M31* to be highly variable at times. A separate variable X-ray source is found near P1, the brighter of the two optical nuclei. The apparent angular Bondi radius of M31* is the largest of any black hole, and large enough to be well resolved with Chandra. The diffuse emission within this Bondi radius is found to have an X-ray temperature ~0.3 keV and density 0.1 cm-3, indistinguishable from the hot gas in the surrounding regions of the bulge given the statistics allowed by the current observations. The X-ray source at the location of M31* is consistent with a point source and a power law spectrum with energy slope 0.9+/-0.2. Our identification of this X-ray source with M31* is based solely on positional coincidence.
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