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David Gepner

Publications and source records attributed to David Gepner.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Differential function spectra, the differential Becker-Gottlieb transfer, and applications to differential algebraic K-theory

We develop differential algebraic K-theory for rings of integers in number fields and we construct a cycle map from geometrized bundles of modules over such a ring to the differential algebraic K-theory. We also treat some of the foundational aspects of differential cohomology, including differential function spectra and the differential Becker-Gottlieb transfer. We then state a transfer index conjecture about the equality of the Becker-Gottlieb transfer and the analytic transfer defined by Lott. In support of this conjecture, we derive some non-trivial consequences which are provable by independent means.

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Parametrized spectra, multiplicative Thom spectra, and the twisted Umkehr map

We introduce a general theory of parametrized objects in the setting of infinity categories. Although spaces and spectra parametrized over spaces are the most familiar examples, we establish our theory in the generality of objects of a presentable infinity category parametrized over objects of an infinity topos. We obtain a coherent functor formalism describing the relationship of the various adjoint functors associated to base-change and symmetric monoidal structures. Our main applications are to the study of generalized Thom spectra. We obtain fiberwise constructions of twisted Umkehr maps for twisted generalized cohomology theories using a geometric fiberwise construction of Atiyah duality. In order to characterize the algebraic structures on generalized Thom spectra and twisted (co)homology, we characterize the generalized Thom spectrum as a categorification of the well-known adjunction between units and group rings.

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Uniqueness of the multiplicative cyclotomic trace

Making use of the theory of noncommutative motives, we characterize the topological Dennis trace map as the unique multiplicative natural transformation from algebraic K-theory to topological Hochschild homology (THH) and the cyclotomic trace map as the unique multiplicative lift through topological cyclic homology (TC). Moreover, we prove that the space of all multiplicative structures on algebraic K-theory is contractible. We also show that the algebraic K-theory functor from small stable infinity categories to spectra is lax symmetric monoidal, which in particular implies that E_n ring spectra give rise to E_{n-1} ring algebraic K-theory spectra. Along the way, we develop a "multiplicative Morita theory", establishing a symmetric monoidal equivalence between the infinity category of small idempotent-complete stable infinity categories and the Morita localization of the infinity category of spectral categories.

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An $\infty$-categorical approach to $R$-line bundles, $R$-module Thom spectra, and twisted $R$-homology

We develop a generalization of the theory of Thom spectra using the language of infinity categories. This treatment exposes the conceptual underpinnings of the Thom spectrum functor: we use a new model of parametrized spectra, and our definition is motivated by the geometric definition of Thom spectra of May-Sigurdsson. For an associative ring spectrum $R$, we associate a Thom spectrum to a map of infinity categories from the infinity groupoid of a space $X$ to the infinity category of free rank one $R$-modules, which we show is a model for $BGL_1 R$; we show that $BGL_1 R$ classifies homotopy sheaves of rank one $R$-modules, which we call $R$-line bundles. We use our $R$-module Thom spectrum to define the twisted $R$-homology and cohomology of an $R$-line bundle over a space $X$, classified by a map from $X$ to $BGL_1 R$, and we recover the generalized theory of orientations in this context. In order to compare this approach to the classical theory, we characterize the Thom spectrum functor axiomatically, from the perspective of Morita theory. An earlier version of this paper was part of arXiv:0810.4535.

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Units of ring spectra, orientations, and Thom spectra via rigid infinite loop space theory

We extend the theory of Thom spectra and the associated obstruction theory for orientations in order to support the construction of the string orientation of tmf, the spectrum of topological modular forms. We also develop the analogous theory of Thom spectra and orientations for associative ring spectra. Our work is based on a new model of the Thom spectrum as a derived smash product. An earlier version of this paper was part of arXiv:0810.4535.

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Universality of multiplicative infinite loop space machines

We establish a canonical and unique tensor product for commutative monoids and groups in an infinity-category C which generalizes the ordinary tensor product of abelian groups. Using this tensor product we show that E_n-(semi)ring objects in C give rise to E_n-ring spectrum objects in C. In the case that C is the infinity-category of spaces this produces a multiplicative infinite loop space machine which can be applied to the algebraic K-theory of rings and ring spectra. The main tool we use to establish these results is the theory of smashing localizations of presentable infinity-categories. In particular, we identify preadditive and additive infinity-categories as the local objects for certain smashing localizations. A central theme is the stability of algebraic structures under basechange; for example, we show Ring(D \otimes C) = Ring(D) \otimes C. Lastly, we also consider these algebraic structures from the perspective of Lawvere algebraic theories in infinity-categories.

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K-theory of endomorphisms via noncommutative motives

In this article we study the K-theory of endomorphisms using noncommutative motives. We start by extending the K-theory of endomorphisms functor from ordinary rings to (stable) infinity categories. We then prove that this extended functor KEnd(-) not only descends to the category of noncommutative motives but moreover becomes co-represented by the noncommutative motive associated to the tensor algebra S[t] of the sphere spectrum S. Using this co-representability result, we then classify all the natural transformations of KEnd(-) in terms of an integer plus a fraction between polynomials with constant term 1; this solves a problem raised by Almkvist in the seventies. Finally, making use of the multiplicative co-algebra structure of S[t], we explain how the (rational) Witt vectors can also be recovered from the symmetric monoidal category of noncommutative motives. Along the way we show that the K_0-theory of endomorphisms of a connective ring spectrum R equals the K_0-theory of endomorphisms of the underlying ordinary ring π_0(R).

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A universal characterization of higher algebraic K-theory

In this paper we establish a universal characterization of higher algebraic K-theory in the setting of small stable infinity categories. Specifically, we prove that connective algebraic K-theory is the universal additive invariant, i.e., the universal functor with values in spectra which inverts Morita equivalences, preserves filtered colimits, and satisfies Waldhausen's additivity theorem. Similarly, we prove that non-connective algebraic K-theory is the universal localizing invariant, i.e., the universal functor that moreover satisfies the "Thomason-Trobaugh-Neeman" localization theorem. To prove these results, we construct and study two stable infinity categories of "noncommutative motives"; one associated to additivity and another to localization. In these stable infinity categories, Waldhausen's S. construction corresponds to the suspension functor and connective and non-connective algebraic K-theory spectra become corepresentable by the noncommutative motive of the sphere spectrum. In particular, the algebraic K-theory of every scheme, stack, and ring spectrum can be recovered from these categories of noncommutative motives. In order to work with these categories of noncommutative motives, we establish comparison theorems between the category of spectral categories localized at the Morita equivalences and the category of small idempotent-complete stable infinity categories. We also explain in detail the comparison between the infinity categorical version of Waldhausen K-theory and the classical definition. As an application of our theory, we obtain a complete classification of the natural transformations from higher algebraic K-theory to topological Hochschild homology (THH) and topological cyclic homology (TC). Notably, we obtain an elegant conceptual description of the cyclotomic trace map.

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Brauer groups and étale cohomology in derived algebraic geometry

In this paper, we study Azumaya algebras and Brauer groups in derived algebraic geometry. We establish various fundamental facts about Brauer groups in this setting, and we provide a computational tool, which we use to compute the Brauer group in several examples. In particular, we show that the Brauer group of the sphere spectrum vanishes, and we use this to prove two uniqueness theorems for the stable homotopy category. Our key technical results include the local geometricity, in the sense of Artin n-stacks, of the moduli space of perfect modules over a smooth and proper algebra, the étale local triviality of Azumaya algebras over connective derived schemes, and a local to global principle for the algebraicity of stacks of stable categories.

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On the motivic spectra representing algebraic cobordism and algebraic K-theory

We show that the motivic spectrum representing algebraic $K$-theory is a localization of the suspension spectrum of $\mathbb{P}^\infty$, and similarly that the motivic spectrum representing periodic algebraic cobordism is a localization of the suspension spectrum of $BGL$. In particular, working over $\mathbb{C}$ and passing to spaces of $\mathbb{C}$-valued points, we obtain new proofs of the topological versions of these theorems, originally due to the second author. We conclude with a couple of applications: first, we give a short proof of the motivic Conner-Floyd theorem, and second, we show that algebraic $K$-theory and periodic algebraic cobordism are $E_\infty$ motivic spectra.

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Twists of K-theory and TMF

We explore an approach to twisted generalized cohomology from the point of view of stable homotopy theory and quasicategory theory provided by arXiv:0810.4535. We explain the relationship to the twisted K-theory provided by Fredholm bundles. We show how our approach allows us to twist elliptic cohomology by degree four classes, and more generally by maps to the four-stage Postnikov system BO<0...4>. We also discuss Poincare duality and umkehr maps in this setting.

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Homotopy Theory of Orbispaces

Given a topological group G, its orbit category Orb_G has the transitive G-spaces G/H as objects and the G-equivariant maps between them as morphisms. A well known theorem of Elmendorf then states that the category of G-spaces and the category of contravariant functors Func(Orb_G,Spaces) have equivalent homotopy theories. We extend this result to the context of orbispaces, with the role of Orb_G now played by a category whose objects are topological groups and whose morphisms are given by Hom(H,G) = Mono(H,G) x_G EG. On our way, we endow the category of topological groupoids with notions of weak equivalence, fibrant objects, and cofibrant objects, and show that it then shares many of the properties of a Quillen model category.

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