arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Florian Naef.
We show that the category of lax involutive $n$-Frobenius algebras is Quillen equivalent to the category of right comodules of the $n$-Poisson cooperad. It follows in particular, that the cohomology of a parallelized $n$-manifold is naturally endowed with a homotopy involutive $n$-Frobenius structure extending the rational homotopy type of $M$, solving a long-standing question.
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.
Given a map $f$ of fibrations over a space $B$ such that the fiber of $f$ is simply connected and finitely dominated, we prove that its fiberwise THH transfer, considered as a map of parametrized spectra over $B$, is rationally modeled by the Hochschild homology transfer of a Sullivan model of $f$. The proof goes in two steps. Firstly, we use the machinery of higher categorical traces to show that the fiberwise THH transfer can be computed internally to parametrized spectra. Secondly, we model the resulting description rationally using work of Braunack-Mayer, who proved that parametrized spectra can be modeled by modules over Sullivan algebras. In Part II, we will use our result to obtain a rational model of the Becker-Gottlieb transfer, and for applications to manifold topology.
We explain how the Johnson homomorphism and the Enomoto-Satoh trace, as well as higher-loop-order generalizations, can be obtained from graph complexes originating in the Goodwillie-Weiss calculus. This paper can be seen as an addendum to our earlier work. It contains little new mathematical content, but is intended to give an overview of a different viewpoint on the Johnson homomorphism, for experts working mainly in the latter area.
Polylogarithmic functions (polylogs) in $n$ variables can be viewed as elements of $(U\mathfrak{p}_{m})^*$, the dual of the universal enveloping algebra of the Lie algebra $\mathfrak{p}_{m}$ of infinitesimal spherical pure braids with $m=n+3$ strands. Polylogs with $m=4,5$ are used in the theory relating double shuffle relations and Drinfeld associators \cite{furusho_double_2011}. We give explicit formulas for elements of $(U\mathfrak{p}_{m})^*$ representing polylogs, and compute the left ideal $J_{m} \subset U\mathfrak{p}_{m}$ given by their joint kernel. We introduce Lie subalgebras $\mathfrak{k}_{m}=\mathfrak{p}_{m} \cap J_{m}$, and we compute them for $m=4, 5$.
We compute numerically the dimensions of the graded quotients of the linearized Kashiwara-Vergne Lie algebra lkv in low weight, confirming a conjecture of Raphael-Schneps in those weights. The Lie algebra lkv appears in a chain of inclusions of Lie algebras, including also the linearized double shuffle Lie algebra and the (depth associated graded of the) Grothendieck-Teichm\"uller Lie algebra. Hence our computations also allow us to check the validity of the Deligne-Drinfeld conjecture on the structure of the Grothendieck-Teichm\"uller group up to weight 29, and (a version of) the the Broadhurst-Kreimer conjecture on the number of multiple zeta values for a range of weight-depth pairs significantly exceeding the previous bounds. Our computations also verify a conjecture by Alekseev-Torossian on the Kashiwara-Vergne Lie algebra up to weight 29.
We derive explicit closed formulas for the Kirillov-Kostant-Souriau (KKS) coaction maps of open path regularized holonomies of the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov (KZ) equation, and the corresponding Poisson brackets for the Lie algebra ${\rm gl}(N, \mathbb{C})$. Our main technical tool is a certain projection of the generalized pentagon equation of \cite{AFR2024}.
We prove a transformation formula for the Goresky-Hingston loop coproduct in string topology under homotopy equivalences of manifolds. The formula involves the trace of the Whitehead torsion of the homotopy equivalence. In particular, it implies that the loop coproduct is invariant under simple homotopy equivalences. In a sense, our results determine the Dennis trace of the simple homotopy type of a closed manifold from its framed configuration spaces of $\leq 2$ points. We also explain how the loop coproduct arises as a secondary operation in a 2-dimensional TQFT which elucidates a topological origin of the transformation formula.
We show that the $E_1$-equivalence $C^\bullet(S^2) \simeq H^\bullet(S^2)$ does not intertwine the inclusion of constant loops into the free loop space $S^2 \to LS^2$. That is, the isomorphism $HH_\bullet(H^\bullet(S^2)) \cong H^\bullet(LS^2)$ does not preserve the obvious maps to $H^\bullet(S^2)$ that exist on both sides. We give an explicit computation of the defect in terms of the $E_\infty$-structure on $C^\bullet(S^2)$. Finally, we relate our calculation to recent work of Poirier-Tradler on the string topology of $S^2$.
Drinfeld defined the Knizhinik--Zamolodchikov (KZ) associator $Φ_{\rm KZ}$ by considering the regularized holonomy of the KZ connection along the {\em droit chemin} $[0,1]$. The KZ associator is a group-like element of the free associative algebra with two generators, and it satisfies the pentagon equation. In this paper, we consider paths on $\mathbb{C}\backslash \{ z_1, \dots, z_n\}$ which start and end at tangential base points. These paths are not necessarily straight, and they may have a finite number of transversal self-intersections. We show that the regularized holonomy $H$ of the KZ connection associated to such a path satisfies a generalization of Drinfeld's pentagon equation. In this equation, we encounter $H$, $Φ_{\rm KZ}$, and new factors associated to self-intersections, to tangential base points, and to the rotation number of the path.
For a compact oriented surface $Σ$ of genus $g$ with $n+1$ boundary components, the space $\mathfrak{g}(Σ)$ spanned by free homotopy classes of loops in $Σ$ carries the structure of a Lie bialgebra equipped with a natural decreasing filtration, whose structure morphisms are called the Goldman bracket and the (framed) Turaev cobracket. We address the following Goldman-Turaev (GT) formality problem: construct a Lie bialgebra homomorphism $θ$ from $\mathfrak{g}(Σ)$ to its associated graded ${\rm gr}\, \mathfrak{g}(Σ)$ such that ${\rm gr} \, θ= {\rm id}$. In order to solve it, we define a family of higher genus Kashiwara-Vergne (KV) problems for an element $F\in {\rm Aut}(L)$, where $L$ is a free Lie algebra. In the case of $g=0$ and $n=2$, it is the classical KV problem from Lie theory. For $g>0$, these KV problems are new. We show that an element $F$ induces a GT formality map if and only if it is a solution of the KV problem. A crucial step in solving the higher genus KV problem is to construct solutions for the case of $g=1$ and $n=1$ in terms of certain elliptic associators following Enriquez. By solving the KV problem, we establish the GT formality for every $g$ and $n$, with the exception of some framings for $g=1$ in which case the GT formality actually does not hold. Furthermore, we introduce pro-unipotent groups ${\rm KV}$ and ${\rm KRV}$ which act on the space of solutions of the KV problem freely and transitively. There are injective maps ${\rm GT}_1\to {\rm KV}, {\rm GRT}_1\to {\rm KRV}$ from Grothendieck-Teichmüller groups. As an application, we show that the Johnson obstruction given by the Turaev cobracket coincides with the one given by the Enomoto-Satoh trace. As part of our study, we prove a uniqueness theorem for non-commutative divergence cocycles on the group algebra of a free group which is of independent value.
We introduce volume forms on mapping stacks in derived algebraic geometry using a parametrized version of the Reidemeister-Turaev torsion. In the case of derived loop stacks we describe this volume form in terms of the Todd class. In the case of mapping stacks from surfaces, we compare it to the symplectic volume form. As an application of these ideas, we construct canonical orientation data for cohomological DT invariants of closed oriented 3-manifolds.
Let $\Sigma$ be a compact oriented 2-manifold (possibly with boundary), and let $\mathcal G_{\Sigma}$ be the linear span of free homotopy classes of closed oriented curves on $\Sigma$ equipped with the Goldman Lie bracket $[\cdot, \cdot]_\mathrm{Goldman}$ defined in terms of intersections of curves. A theorem of Goldman gives rise to a Lie homomorphism $\Phi^\mathrm{even}$ from $(\mathcal G_{\Sigma}, [\cdot, \cdot]_\text{Goldman})$ to functions on the moduli space of flat connections $\mathcal{M}_{\Sigma}(G)$ for $G=U(N), GL(N)$, equipped with the Atiyah-Bott Poisson bracket. The space $\mathcal{G}_{\Sigma}$ also carries the Turaev Lie cobracket $\delta_\mathrm{Turaev}$ defined in terms of self-intersections of curves. In this paper, we address the following natural question: which geometric structure on moduli spaces of flat connections corresponds to the Turaev cobracket? We give a constructive answer to this question in the following context: for $G$ a Lie supergroup with an odd invariant scalar product on its Lie superalgebra, and for nonempty $\partial\Sigma$, we show that the moduli space of flat connections $\mathcal{M}_{\Sigma}(G)$ carries a natural Batalin-Vilkovisky (BV) structure, given by an explicit combinatorial Fock-Rosly formula. Furthermore, for the queer Lie supergroup $G=Q(N)$, we define a BV-morphism $\Phi^\mathrm{odd}\colon \wedge \mathcal{G}_{\Sigma} \to \mathrm{Fun}(\mathcal{M}_{\Sigma}(Q(N)))$ which replaces the Goldman map, and which captures the information both on the Goldman bracket and on the Turaev cobracket. The map $\Phi^\mathrm{odd}$ is constructed using the "odd trace" function on $Q(N)$.
For a finitely dominated Poincar\'e duality space $M$, we show how the author's total obstruction to the existence of a Poincar\'e embedding of the diagonal map $M \to M \times M$ relates to the Reidemeister trace of the identity map of $M$. We also show that if the dimension of $M$ is even and at least four, and if $\pi_1(M)$ is a finite direct product of cyclic groups of order two, then the diagonal map admits a Poincar\'e embedding.
We describe two major string topology operations, the Chas-Sullivan product and the Goresky-Hingston coproduct, from geometric and algebraic perspectives. The geometric construction uses Thom-Pontrjagin intersection theory while the algebraic construction is phrased in terms of Hochschild homology. We give computations of products and coproducts on lens spaces via geometric intersection, and deduce that the coproduct distinguishes 3-dimensional lens spaces. Algebraically, we describe the structure these operations define together on the Tate-Hochschild complex. We use rational homotopy theory methods to sketch the equivalence between the geometric and algebraic definitions for simply connected manifolds and real coefficients, emphasizing the role of configuration spaces. Finally, we study invariance properties of the operations, both algebraically and geometrically.
We study three graph complexes related to the higher genus Grothendieck-Teichmüller Lie algebra and diffeomorphism groups of manifolds. We show how the cohomology of these graph complexes is related, and we compute the cohomology as the genus $g$ tends to $\infty$. As a byproduct, we find that the Malcev completion of the genus $g$ mapping class group relative to the symplectic group is Koszul in the stable limit (partially answering a question of Hain). Moreover, we obtain that any elliptic associator gives a solution to the elliptic Kashiwara-Vergne problem.
We show that the string coproduct is not homotopy invariant. More precisely, we show that the (reduced) coproducts are different on $L(1,7)$ and $L(2,7)$. Moreover, the coproduct on $L(k,7)$ can be expressed in terms of the Reidemeister torsion and hence transforms with respect to the Whitehead torsion of a homotopy equivalence. The string coproduct can thereby be used to compute the image of the Whitehead torsion under the Dennis trace map.
Given a closed manifold $M$. We give an algebraic model for the Chas-Sullivan product and the Goresky-Hingston coproduct. In the simply-connected case, this admits a particularly nice description in terms of a Poincaré duality model of the manifold, and involves the configuration space of two points on $M$. We moreover, construct an $IBL_\infty$-structure on (a model of) cyclic chains on the cochain algebra of $M$, such that the natural comparison map to the $S^1$-equivariant loop space homology intertwines the Lie bialgebra structure on homology. The construction of the coproduct/cobracket depends on the perturbative partition function of a Chern-Simons type topological field theory. Furthermore, we give a construction for these string topology operations on the absolute loop space (not relative to constant loops) in case that $M$ carries a non-vanishing vector field and obtain a similar description. Finally, we show that the cobracket is sensitive to the manifold structure of $M$ beyond its homotopy type. More precisely, the action of ${\rm Diff}(M)$ does not (in general) factor through ${\rm aut}(M)$.