Cofiber of spectra 2026-10-14
The homotopy cofiber of spectra of is the derived pushout . It fits into a cofiber sequence of spectra.
Cofiber sequence of spectra 2026-10-14
A cofiber sequence of spectra induces exact sequences after either mapping into or out of a fixed topological spectrum, and on stable homotopy groups. In particular the second map is zero precisely when the first map admits a right inverse in the stable homotopy category.
Milnor exact sequence for maps of spectra 2026-10-14
For , applying to the telescope cofiber sequence of spectra givesHere is the cokernel of on the product of the inverse tower, where uses its bonding maps. This records the obstruction to uniqueness when compatible stage maps are realized.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 iii Paper 22 4 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Choose basepoints and replace the spaces and map by CW complex models. If the hypothesis is stated for unreduced represented homology theory, the basepoint coefficient summands split naturally, so it also gives an isomorphism in reduced represented homology theory. Let be the homotopy mapping cone of . Its reduced represented homology theory is zero in every degree, by the exact sequence of the corresponding cofiber sequence of spectra.
The mapping cone is a simply connected space: the mapping cylinder retracts onto , and coning off the path-connected space adds no fundamental-group generators; the van Kampen calculation gives the quotient of by the image of , which is trivial. Suppose some positive-degree integral homology group of were nonzero, and let be the least such degree. Then . Starting with , the Hurewicz theorem shows inductively that for : at each first possible degree , its homotopy group is identified with the zero group . It then identifiesApplying the result of part (a) to the -connected based space gives , contradicting the vanishing of its represented homology theory.
Thus is integrally acyclic, and the ordinary homology exact sequence says that is an integral homology isomorphism. The allowed homological Whitehead theorem for simply connected spaces makes the map of CW complex models a homotopy equivalence. Returning to the original spaces therefore givesThe simply connected hypothesis is used both in the first-nonzero-degree Hurewicz theorem argument and in the final homological Whitehead theorem.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 iii Paper 22 5 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Choose a small skeleton of the finite spectra, including every integer suspension. There is such a set of representatives: a finite list of stable cells and their attaching maps specifies a finite cell model, and the possible attaching maps form sets. For every and every stable map , take one copy of and formDefine the evaluation map by taking its restriction to the summand to be . Complete it to the cofiber sequence of spectraThis is the universal evaluation phantom map construction.
First, is nonzero. If , applying to the cofiber sequence of spectra gives the exact portionSince , exactness supplies with . Thus is a retract of . This is also a wedge summand: complete to a cofiber sequence of spectra . The left inverse makes this triangle split, giving in the stable homotopy category. One can see the splitting directly from exactness: the connecting map is zero because extends across , and consequently the quotient map admits a section. This contradicts the assumption on . Hence .
For any finite spectrum and any , its chosen representative has a summand inclusion with , after transferring along the representative isomorphism. Consecutive maps of a cofiber sequence of spectra compose to zero, soThus is a phantom map of spectra. To establish the requested conclusion on all spaces, rather than just coefficient groups, let first be a finite based CW complex. Put . The Spanier-Whitehead dual is a finite spectrum. The evaluation and coevaluation adjunction of Spanier-Whitehead duality identifiesUnder this identification is postcomposition with . Its source is a finite spectrum, including when is negative, so the calculation proves that is zero on for every .
Now let be an arbitrary based CW complex. It is the filtered union, or filtered homotopy colimit of spaces, of its finite based subcomplexes . The suspension spectrum functor and smash product of spectra preserve that homotopy colimit. The shifted sphere spectrum is compact, so taking stable homotopy groups givesEvery element of the first group therefore comes from a finite , where has just been proved zero. Consequently is zero on as well. A based CW complex replacement extends the conclusion to arbitrary based spaces in the homotopy category. We have constructedThis uses continuity of represented homology theory, not a continuity assertion for represented cohomology theory; the latter need not hold.