m a n u s c r i p t a m a t h .

9 3 , 5 9 - 6 6 ( 1 9 9 7 ) ma n u s c r i p t a
ma t ha ma t i c a
Spdn@cr-Vcdag 1997
A Ba s e d Federer Spe c t r al Se que nc e and t he
Ra t i o na l Ho mo t o p y of Func t i on Spaces
Samuel B. Smith
Department of Mathematics
Saint Joseph' s University
Philadelphia, PA 19131
Received September 11, 1996;
in revised form November 18, 1996
We study the rational homotopy of function spaces within the con-
text of Quillen's minimal models. Our method is to consider a spec-
tral sequence with E~ 'q = Hq(X, lr~+q(Y) ~) converging to the
rational homotopy groups of components of the based function space
M(X, Y). . Our results include calculations of rational homotopy
groups as well as general contributions to the rational classification
problem for components of function spaces.
1. An Exact Coupl e. Let M( X, Y) and M( X, Y) . de-
note, respectively, the spaces of free and based continuous func-
tions between two spaces X and Y. As an overriding assumption,
all spaces are taken to be simply connected CW complexes. We
denote the path components corresponding to a map f : X --~ Y
by Mf ( X, Y) and Mf ( X, Y) . .
The based Federer spectral sequence for a map f : X --* Y
arises, like the original [1], from an exact couple of the form
A i . A
\ /
0
Suppose X comes equipped with a fixed CW decomposition so
so Smith: Rational Homotopy of Function Spaces
t hat for each q > 1 t here is a cofibration sequence
V sq--1 hq ~, x q _ l --... x q '
Ol
where X q is t he q-skeleton of X and hq is t he wedge of t he
at t achi ng maps for t he q-cells of X. Let fq : X q ~ Y denot e t he
rest ri ct i on of f and let W q-1 = V= S~ -1. We obt ai n a long exact
sequence on homot opy of which a port i on is
7rp+l(Mo(Wq_~,y).) o , %(Mi , (Xq, y ) . ) (p,);
~rp(U/,_, ( X ~-~, Y) . ) (~); %(Mo(W q-~ , Y). ).
Set A~,q = rp(Mf, (Xq, Y) . ) , Cp,q = %+~(Uo(Wq-~,Y).), and
let i = (p, ). , j = (h-~q)2 and k = 0,. By adjointness, C ~ ,,q
=~r , +l ( f l ' - ~( Y) ) u C' ( X, ~, +, ( Y) ) , t he reduced c e l l u l a r q-
cochains of X. When X is a finite complex, by [6, Theorem
2.3] we may replace X by any rat i onal l y equivalent space with-
out affecting t he rat i onal homot opy of Mf ( X , Y). . In partic-
ular, we may assume X comes equipped wi t h a mi ni mal CW
decomposi t i on wi t h respect to its rat i onal homot opy type. In
t hi s case, for degree reasons t here are no nont ri vi al coboundary
rel at i ons in t he cellular cochain complex for X and so Cp,q =
H' ( X, ~' ,+,(Y)). Thus we have
Th e o r e m 1.1 Let X be finite and f : X ---* Y a based map.
Then there is a spectral sequence with Z~,q = gq( x , r ~, +q( r ) o)
converging to 75,(Mf(X, Y) . ) 2. []
2. Nul l Co mp o n e n t s . We prove t hat the spect ral se-
quence collapses on null components. The key l emma here is
Le mma 2.1 Let X have dimension n and suppose a E 7r,~(X)
for,, > n. Then i s o/f i ni te order i n
Proof. Let f : 5' '~ --~ X represent a and let Tf denote t he map-
pi ng cone of f . Since IC(Tf) __ Tr 4 it foUows t hat P.(T/) admi t s a
rni ni mal CW decomposition for which l~f is t he at t achi ng map
for t he t op ceil. But ~( Tj ) is rat i onal l y equivalent to a wedge
Smi t h: Rat i onal Homot opy of Function Spaces 61
o f spheres a nd s o t he Qui l l en m i n i m a l m o d e l for 5](Tf) has t ri v-
ial di fferent i al . By [3, Pr oposi t i on 8.12] t he di fferent i al in t he
Qui l l en model of 5](Tf) is det er mi ned by t he at t achi ng maps in
a mi ni mal CW decomposi t i on. Thus 5] f is r at i onal l y t ri vi al . []
T h e o r e m. 2. 2 Let X be a finite complex and Y any space. Then
Oo
r ) . ) --- x ,
k=2
and
~%(M0(X, Y) ) ~ ~ ~ Hk - q ( X, ~rk(Y) ~) .
k=2
Proof. Since ~r.(Mo(X, Y) ) ~- ~r. (M0(X, Y) , ) @~r. ( Y) , t he second
line is a consequence of t he first. For t he first line, we not e t h a t
when f is t ri vi al , t he map j = (hq). Ap.q_, + Cp_,,~ is given
by j ( f l ) ( ~i ) = ~ o 5]P(ai), f o r / 3 e Ap,q_l -~ r l , wher e
here t he cri denot e t he q-ceils of X a nd t he ai E ~rq-l(X q-l )
denot e t he cor r espondi ng homot opy el ement s. Thus t he r at i onal
spect r al sequence collapses by Lemma 2.1. []
The ori gi nal Federer spect r al sequence r ar el y collapses for
nont r i vi al component s. In f act we have
T h e o r e m 2. 3 Given f : X --+ Y with either X f i ni t e or Y
rationally finite-dimensional, i f there exists a E Try(X) 2 and
fi E ~r,~(Y) ~ with [ f . ( a) , / 3] ~ ~ 0 in v~+, ~-l (Y) ~ then
Mf ( X , Y ) ~a~ Mo ( X, Y ) .
Proof. By Theor em 2.2 (or [5, Le mma 3.2 ] when Y is finite-
di mensi onal ) it suffices to show t h a t / 3 p. (~r, , ~(Mf(Z, Y ) ) 2)
wher e p : Mr ( X, Y) --+ Y is t he eval uat i on f i br at i on. Let Y0
denot e t he r at i onal i zat i on of Y. Then Ms ( X , Y ) is ( we a k l y ) r a -
t i onal l y equi val ent t o Mr ( X, Yo). I f / 3 E p. ( ~r , ~( Mf ( X, Y) ) 2)
t hen t her e exi st s a ma p F : ST,, X --~ Y0 wi t h F( s , *) = g(s)
and F ( , , z ) = f ( z ) where g : S " --* Y0 represent s ft. Let
h : S'* ~ X r epr esent a and define H : S"* ,5" ~ Y0 by
H( s , t ) = F( s , h ( t ) ) . Not e t h a t H ext ends g y ( f o h ) : S' ~V S " -*
Y0. Thus [f . ( a) , f l ]~ = 0 in ~r,+,~-l(Y0) cont r adi ct i ng our hypot h-
esis. [ ]
62 Smi t h: Rat i onal Homot opy of Function Spaces
3. T h e F i r s t Di f f e r e n t i a l s . Suppose X has a mi ni mal r a-
t i onal CW decomposi t i on wi t h first nont r i vi al a t t a c hi ng ma ps in
degr ee rn + 1. Let W ~ h,% X" ~ X re+l, be t he cor r espondi ng
cof i br at i on sequence wi t h W "~ = V~I S"~ and X "~ = V t S~J
j----1
wher e each nj < m. The first pot ent i al l y zionzero di fferent i al s
for f : X- - - , Y ar e t hen t he d(,,,-,,j+l) : Cp,,~j ~ Cp-l,,,,+~ for
j = 1 , . . . , t . Let a l , . . . , a~ E z' , , , (X '~) be t he homot opy classes
r epr es ent ed by h,,~ and let a i , . . . , a0 E z' , ~(X' ?) ~ be t he cor-
r es pondi ng r at i onal homot opy classes. Let x E z'~,(S j') ~ a nd
yj E z-,~j(S"#) ~ for j = 1 , . . . ,~ be nont r i vi al el ement s. By
Hi l t on' s Theor em, each a~ is decomposabl e i nt o Whi t e he a d pr od-
uct s i nvol vi ng t he yj. Use t he Jacobi i dent i t y in t he Whi t e he a d
al gebr a ~r.(S p V X"~) ~ t o wr i t e
t
( 1 ) = ] E [ [ = , y J ] = , g , A = ,
i = 1
for each i a nd some g~i E ~r,~_,~j+l(X") ~ . Recal l i ng t h a t
Cp,,~ ~ CnJ ( X, Trp+n~(Y0)), given b i e 7rp+,,i(Y0 ) wr i t e b~ for t he
cochai n whi ch t akes t he val ue b i on t he cell cor r espondi ng t o
S '~i a n d vani shes on t he ot her cells of X. Wi t h t hi s not a t i on we
pr ove
T h e o r e m 3. 1 The differentials
:
are given, f or j = 1 , . . . , t , by
= [ b i , h ( g , j ) b ,
where o' 1, . . . , as are the m + 1-cells of X.
Proof. I f a E lr,~(X) ~ t hen ~ will denot e a r epr es ent at i ve in
t he Qui l l en model ( Lx , a x ) of X for t he cor r espondi ng el ement
of ~r,~_l(~tX) ~. If V is a gr aded vect or s pace t hen F( V) will
denot e t he free gr aded Lie al gebr a gener at ed by V. The differ-,
ent i al d(,,,_,~i+l ) = ( ~ ) . o ((p, ~). o . . . o ( p, , i +l ) . ) -~ o 0,,~. The
pr oof consi st s in unravel l i ng t hi s composi t i on.
S m i t h : R a t i o n a l H o m o t o p y o f F u n c t i o n Spaces ~a
Wr i t e t h e Qui l l e n mo d e l for S p x X,,, as
( L s , x , , , , C 3 s , x x , , , ) = ( F ( ~ ( ~ ) @ V~m) @ s ~ ' ( V ( , , , ) ) ) , O s , x , , , )
whe r e V(,~) is t h e g r a d e d ve c t or s pa c e g e n e r a t e d by t h e ele-
me n t s Yi a n d sP(V(,,,)) is t h e p t h s u s p e n s i o n of ~, ~) . T h e di ffer-
e n t i a l Ospxx,~ vani s hes on a n d V(,,) a n d is gi ven on sP(V(,,O) as
O s p x X , , . ( s P ( Y i ) ) = [~,Yi]" T h e e l e me nt ( ( p, ~) , o ..o ( p, ~j +l ) . ) -1 o
0,~j(b~) E A~,,~ is r e pr e s e nt e d b y t h e ma p F,,, : S p x X " ---, Yo
gi ve n on Qui l l e n model s by ( F, , , ) . ( 7) = 0, (F, , , ). (y~) = ( f , , , ) . ( y~)
a n d ( F ~ ) . ( s ' ( ~ , ) ) = 6,~. ~ , .
No t e t h a t F,~ o (1 x h a ) : S p x W" ~ Yo is nul l on t h e sub-
s pa c e S ~' V W m a n d so i nduces G : EP ( W ' ~) ---* II0. T h e e l e me n t
d,~_,,~+x(b~)(czi) E 7rp+,~(Y0) is r e p r e s e n t e d b y t h e r e s t r i c t i o n of
G t o t h e i t h s pher e of t h e wedge EP ( W ' ' ) = V~=I S'~+P. Wr i t e
t h e Qui l l e n mo d e l for S ~' x W '~ as
( L ~, x w , , , , a s , x w , , , ) = ( F ( ~ ( ~ ) v , , , _ , s " ( v , , , _ ~) ) , o s , , , w , , , )
wh e r e he r e V,~-I is c o n c e n t r a t e d i n degr ee r n - 1 a n d g e n e r a t e d
b y e l e me n t s ~ f or k = 1 , . . . , s. T h e Qui l l e n mo d e l f or EP ( W ' ' ) is
j u s t (F(@' (V, , , _~)), 0), t h e g r a d e d Li e a l g e b r a wi t h t r i v i a l b o u n d -
dry. Th u s ( F . , ) . o ( i x ( h, , , ) . ) ( s P( ~, ) ) E ( L y , 0 y ) is a Qui l l e n
mo d e l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e f or d,~-,~j+l(b~)(~ri).
Now 1 x ( h, ~) . : ( L s ~ w . . , O s ~ w - , ) ~ ( L s ~ x , , , , Os~x,~) sat -
isfies ( h , , , ) . ( ~ , ) = a'~ a n d so
O s , x , ~ ( 1 x ( h , . , ) . ) ( s ~ ' ( ~ ; , ) ) = ( 1 x ( h , . n ) , ) ( O s , x w . , , , ( s P ( ~ i ) )
= ( 1 x ( h , , , ) . ) ( [ ~ , ~ ] )
= E ~ = I ( - 1 ) P + " ' [ [ ~ , ~ , ] , ~ ' , , ] ,
whe r e i n t h e l as t l i ne we h a v e ha ve us e d (1) t r a n s l a t e d t o Qui l l e n
mode l s wi t h a p p r o p r i a t e si gn change. I n t h e Qui l l e n mo d e l f or
s~ x x' , Os.xx..([sp(~),~,~]) = [ [ ~ , ~ , ] , y . ] a n d , f o r d e g r e e r e a -
s o n s , [sP(~l), giz] is t h e u n i q u e e l e me n t wi t h t hi s p r o p e r t y . Th u s
t h e e l e me n t d~_, ~i +l ( b~) ( ai ) E 7rp+=(Yo) is t h e h o mo t o p y cl ass
r e p r e s e n t e d i n t h e Qui l l e n mo d e l of Y b y
( G , l ' , ' + - , ' s , ' = , ) [~ ,,
( F , , , ) . t , , _ _ z i ~ - j t ~ , , , , ~ , , ] = ( - 1 ) " + ' , ( . f , , , ) . ( ~ , A ] .
Smith: Rational Homotopy of Function Spaces
The result follows by converting back to Whi t ehead products. []
4. Co n s e q u e n c e s a n d Ca l c ul a t i ons . We deduce some
consequences of Theorem 3.1. The first is a version of Theor em
2.3 for based funct i on spaces. Let art (X, ~) equal t he dimension
of t he first nontriviaUy at t ached cell in a mi ni mal r at i onal CW
decomposition for X. (We set ar t ( X, ~) = 0 if all at t achi ng maps
of X are of finite order.) Also let P.(Y.) = ker{ad~ : 7r.(X) ---,
(Der~,).(Tr.(X)) } t he kernel of Whi t ehead adjoint represent at i on.
We prove
Th e o r e m 4.1 Let X be a finite complex with att(X, ~) > 0 and
Y a space with P,,(Yo) = 0 f or n <_ at t (X, ~). I f f : X --. r in-
duces an injection on rational homotopy through degree art(X, ~ ),
then My ( X, r ) . ~ Mo( X, Y) . .
Proof. We show t hat t he rat i onal based Federer spect ral se-
quence does not collapse for f. Wi t h not at i on as in 3, write
= E j = l [ [ x , f o r s o m e
~. Since, by hypothesis, a~ ~ 0 for some i we know g~y ~ 0
for some j . Since f induces an injection on r at i onal homot opy
t hr ough degree a t t ( X, ~) , f.(gii) is nont ri vi al in 7r , ( Y) ~,
as well. Since P,,(Y0) vanishes for n < a t t ( Z, ~ ) t here exists
b i e l r k( Y) ~ such t hat ad~,(f.(g,y))(by) ~ O. Thus by Theor em
3 . 1 , # 0 [ ]
Co r o l l a r y 4. 2 Let X be a finite complex with P,,(Xo) = 0 for
n < att(X,g~). Then the path components of M( X, X) . are all
of the same rational homotopy type i f and only i f X is a rational
co-H-space. []
We remark t hat t he hypotheses of Theorem 4.1 and CoroUay
4.2 are not superfluous. For example, one proves directly t hat
t he component s of M( CP", CP'~). are all rat i onal l y equivalent.
Theorem 3.1 offers a pract i cal met hod for comput i ng ratio-
nal homot opy groups of nont ri vi al components. To illustrate, we
cal cul at e t he rat i onal homot opy groups of t he space My( X, Y) .
when X is a formal space of rat i onal L.S. cat egory two. By
t he mai n result of [2], X t hen occurs as t he cofibre of a ra-
t i onal l y nont ri vi al map h : W0 ~ W1 where W0 = Vi~l Sm and
Smith: Rational Homotopy of Function Spaces 65
W1 t
= Vj=I S'~J. Wri t e P H. ( X ) for t he pri mi t i ve reduced r at i onal
homology of X and let P~H, ( X) denote a vector space comple-
ment in H, ( X, ~) . Then PH", (X) ~- H, ( W1) and P~H".(Z) ~-
s ( H. ( Wo, ~) ) . Let y.~E ~' .(S ' ~) ~ be nonzero~ elements and let
c l , . . . , c, be t he corresponding basis for P H, ( X ) . If A : X --*
X X is ' the diagonal map, given c P~H, ( X, ~) we can write
~ . ( c ) = 1 c + c 1 + E j . , ~ , , ( ~ , c , + ( - ~ ) - ~ - ~ c k c , ) , w h e r e
q3~ ~ and qi~ = ( - 1) ' ~"~q~ Given f : X ~ Y define
D( f ) p" Hom( PH, ( X) , %+,~Y0)) ~ Hom(PCH, (X), %+,-~(Y0))
by set t i ng D( f ) , ( b; ) ( c) = ( - 1 ) p+I E~=I 2qjk[bj,f,(y~)]~,. Here,
as before, b; Hom( PH. ( X, ~, ) , %+, (Y0))denot es t he map which
takes t he value bj 7q,+,(Y0) on cj and vanishes on t he ot her
ck. We prove
Th e o r e m 4. 3 Let X be a finite formal complez of rational L. S.
category two. Let f : X --* Y be a given map. Then
%( Mf ( X , Y ) . ) ~. ~- coker( D(f)p+~ ) ker( D( f ) p) .
Proof. We identify h, : 7rp(Mfiwl(W1,Yo). ) --* ~rp(M0(W0, Y0).)
wi t h D( f ) p. Since X is formal, [3, Proposi t i on 8.8] implies t he
qui l l en model of X is given explicitly as Lx = F( s - I H, ( X, ~ . ) )
wi t h Ox(S-l (c)) = --~j.k(--1)"~qjk[s-l(cj),s-~(ck)]. Let c
PCH. ( X, ~,). By linearity, we may suppose t hat c corresponds to
a nonzero element in 7r, , (S"' )O. If a, r,~(W1) ~ r e p r e s e n t s
hIS TM t hen by [3, Proposi t i on 8.12] a~ = Ei,kqj~[Yj,Yk],,. Let
x ~'p(S 1') ~ be nonzero and use t he Jacobi i dent i t y to obt ai n
[ ~ , a ~ ] ~ = E i . ~ [ ~ , [ Y i , Y ~ ] ~ ] ~
= ( - 1 ) p + 1 E ~ . k qjk ( [ [ x , y j ] ~ y ~ ] ~ + ( - 1 ) n ~ - ~ [ [ x , y ~ ] ~ y j ] ~ ) .
Thus, in t he not at i on of 3, g~j ( _l ) p+l t 2
= ~k=l qjkYk and so
(~).(b;) = ( - ~ ) " + ~ E 2q,~[bj, f . ( y ~ ) ] ~ = D ( f ) , ( b ; ) .
k=l
[]
c~ Smith: Rational Homotopy of Function Spaces
Ezample 4.4. (a) Gi ven f : C P 2 ~ IF, we det er mi ne t he ra-
t i onal homot opy groups of Mf(CP2, Y). . Let ~2 e ~r2(CF 2) be
nont r i vi al . By Theor em 4.3 we have
7rp(Mf(CP~,Y).) ~ ~ c o k e r { a d ~ f . ( ~ ) : rp+~(Yo) --* 7rp+2(Yo)}
k e r { a d . A ( , ~ ) : ~ ( Y o ) - ~ ~ + l ( Y o ) } .
(b) Next l et f : S"* S" ~ .Y and let ~,, E rr,~(S T M ) a nd ~,, E
x,~(S '~) be nont r i vi al . Here Theor em 4.3 i mpl i es
~( Ms ( S "~ S" , Y) . ) ~ -~
coker{ad~fo(L,~) + a d ~ f . ( ~ ) : 7rp+,~+l(Yo) @ r~+,~+l(Yo)--~ 7rp+,~+n(Yo)}
k e r { a d j . ( , . ) + a d . f . ( , . ) : ~ +. ( Yo ) ~+. ( Yo) -~ ~, +. +. - l ( Yo) }.
Re f e r e n c e s
[1] H. Federer, A study of function spaces by spectral sequences,
Tr ans. Amer . Mat h. Soc. 82 (1956), 340-361.
[2] Y. Fel i x, J. -C. Thomas , Sur la structure des espaces de L.S.
catdgorie deuz, Illinois J. Mat h. 30 (1986), 574-593.
[3] J. Nei sendorfer, Lie algebras, coalgebras and rational homo-
topy theory for nilpotent spaces, Paci fi c J. of Mat h. (2) 74
( 1 9 7 s ) , 4 2 9 - 4 s 0 .
[4] D. QuiUen, Rational homotopy theory, Ann. Mat h. (2) O0
( 1 9 6 9 ) , 2 0 5 - 2 9 5 .
[5] S. Smi t h, Rational homotopy of the space of self- maps
of complezes with finitely many homotopy groups, Trans.
Amer . Mat h. Soc. 342 (1994), 895-915.
[6] _ _ , Rational evaluation subgroups, Ma t h. Z. 221 (1996),
387-400.