Spectrum (topology, $E$)

A sequential model of a topological spectrum consists of based spaces $E_j$ and structure maps $S^1\wedge E_j\to E_{j+1}$. Indexed models use finite-dimensional subspaces of a universe for spectra and structure maps $S^{W\ominus V}\wedge E(V)\to E(W)$. Different standard models present the same stable homotopy category.

A connective spectrum has ${\pi }_{q}E=0$ for $q<0$. This makes the homological Atiyah-Hirzebruch spectral sequence first quadrant for a based space, and prevents negative coefficient degrees from affecting its first nonzero represented homology theory.

If $E$ is connective spectrum in the sense of a connective spectrum, ${\pi }_{0}E\cong \mathbb{Z}$, and $X$ is $(n-1)$-connected with $n\ge 2$, then ${\tilde{E}}_n(X)\cong {\pi }_n(X)$. In the homological Atiyah-Hirzebruch spectral sequence, the only nonzero term in total degree $n$ is ${\tilde{H}}_n(X;{\pi }_{0}E)$. Incoming differentials have negative coefficient degree, and outgoing differentials have spatial degree below $n$. The Hurewicz theorem identifies this term with ${\pi }_{n}X$.

For a connective spectrum with ${\pi }_{0}E\cong \mathbb{Z}$, an $E$-homology isomorphism of simply connected spaces is a weak homotopy equivalence. Its simply connected homotopy mapping cone is $E$-acyclic. If it had a first nonzero integral homology group, the Hurewicz theorem and the bottom-degree generalized Hurewicz isomorphism would produce a nonzero $E$-homology group. Thus the cone is integrally acyclic and the homological Whitehead theorem applies.

A ring spectrum is a unital associative monoid object of the stable homotopy category under the smash product of spectra. It has $\mu :E\wedge E\to E$ and $\eta :\mathbb{S}\to E$, satisfying the associative and two unit identities. Structured ring spectra additionally specify coherent point-set or higher homotopies; a ring object alone does not assert those enhancements.

A commutative ring spectrum, in the homotopy-category convention, satisfies $\mu \tau =\mu$, where $\tau$ interchanges the factors of the smash product of spectra. This condition alone does not assert an $E_{\infty }$ refinement.

An indexed prespectrum over $U$ consists of based spaces $E(V)$ indexed by finite-dimensional $V\subset U$, with unital associative maps $S^{W\ominus V}\wedge E(V)\to E(W)$ for inclusions $V\subset W$. The orthogonal differences make iterated suspension coordinates compose consistently.

For compact $X$ over the space of linear isometries $U\to U\prime$, choose a subordinate flag for a family of linear isometries $V_i,W_i$. The vector bundle ${\xi }_i$ has fiber $W_i\ominus f_x(V_i)$. Form $P(W_i)=\mathrm{Th}({\xi }_i)\wedge E(V_i)$. Its structure maps use the orthogonal decompositionand the structure map of $E$. The twisted half-smash product is the spectrification $LP$, after extending from the cofinal flag. Unlike an arbitrary replacement by $X_{+}\wedge E$, this definition retains the specified isometry family at the point-set level.

For isometry families $f_x:U\to U\prime$ and $g_y:U\prime \to U\prime \prime$, the complement of $g_y{f}_x(V)$ decomposes orthogonally as the complement of $g_y(W)$ plus the image under $g_y$ of the complement of $f_x(V)$ in $W$. Their fiberwise one-point compactifications therefore give the same Thom space as the external direct sum. The resulting stage isomorphisms respect structure maps and give $Y{⋉}_g(X{⋉}_{f}E)\cong (Y\times X){⋉}_{g\circ f}E$ in the stable homotopy category.

In the genuine indexed point-set model, spectrification $L$ is the left adjoint to the forgetful functor from indexed spectra to indexed prespectra. An indexed spectrum has adjoint structure maps $E(V)\to {\Omega }^{W\ominus V}E(W)$ that are homeomorphisms. Applying $L$ to a cellular indexed prespectrum supplies the associated genuine topological spectrum.

The $k$th stable homotopy group of $E$ is ${\pi }_{k}E=[{\Sigma }^k\mathbb{S},E{]}_{\mathrm{st}}$, equivalently ${\mathrm{colim}}_j{\pi }_{k+j}{E}_j$ in a sequential model.

Suspension of spectra shifts the stable degree. Unlike reduced suspension of based spaces, it is invertible in the stable homotopy category, with inverse denoted ${\Sigma }^{-1}$.

For a based space $X$, its suspension spectrum has level $j$ equal to $S^j\wedge X$. Its derived adjunction with the infinite loop space is $[{\Sigma }^{\infty }X,E{]}_{\mathrm{st}}=[X,{\Omega }^{\infty }E{]}_{\ast }$.

The sphere spectrum is $\mathbb{S}={\Sigma }^{\infty }{S}^0$. It is the unit of the smash product of spectra. Its integer suspensions of spectra represent stable homotopy groups.

A cell spectrum is obtained by attaching stable cells, with successive cofibers of spectra wedges of suspensions of spectra of the sphere spectrum. Cellular models provide the cofibrant objects needed to compute derived maps of topological spectra. Stable cells may occur in arbitrary integer degrees.

A finite spectrum is a topological spectrum equivalent to a cell spectrum with finitely many cells. Such an object is compact in the stable homotopy category and has a Spanier-Whitehead dual. Compactness means maps out of it commute with filtered homotopy colimits of spectra.

The Spanier-Whitehead dual of a finite spectrum $A$ is $A^{\vee }=F(A,\mathbb{S})$. It is finite, and evaluation and coevaluation give the natural Spanier-Whitehead duality adjunction.

For a finite spectrum $A$, evaluation and coevaluation identify $[B,D\wedge A{]}_{\mathrm{st}}$ with $[B\wedge A^{\vee },D{]}_{\mathrm{st}}$. Cellular induction constructs the dual from the duals of stable cells and verifies these identities across cofiber sequences of spectra. In particular ${\pi }_k(D\wedge A)=[{\Sigma }^k{A}^{\vee },D{]}_{\mathrm{st}}$.

An Omega-spectrum has structure adjoints $E_j\to \Omega E_{j+1}$ that are weak homotopy equivalences. For such a model the level spaces represent the degrees of its represented cohomology theory.

A map of topological spectra is a compatible family of based maps of the level spaces: $u_{j+1}{\sigma }_j^D={\sigma }_j^E(1\wedge u_j)$. It is distinct from its class in the stable homotopy category.

A phantom map of spectra is a stable map $p:D\to E$ with $pu=0$ for every map $u:F\to D$ from a finite spectrum. Such a map can be nonzero even though it induces zero on all represented homology theories on based spaces.

For a phantom map of spectra $p:D\to E$ and a finite CW complex $K$, Spanier-Whitehead duality identifies $D_k(K)$ with maps from the finite spectrum ${\Sigma }^k({\Sigma }^{\infty }K{)}^{\vee }$. Hence $p_{\ast }=0$ there. An arbitrary CW complex is the filtered union of its finite subcomplexes, and represented homology theory commutes with that filtered union because spheres are compact. Thus $p$ induces zero on the entire represented homology theory.

Choose one representative of each finite spectrum and form $X={\bigvee }_{(F,u:F\to D)}F$. Let $e:X\to D$ evaluate each summand and let $p:D\to \mathrm{cofib}(e)$. Every map from a finite spectrum factors through its corresponding summand, so $p$ is a phantom map of spectra. If $p=0$, exactness supplies a section of $e$, making $D$ a retract of $X$. Consequently a spectrum that is not a retract of any wedge of finite spectra has a nonzero such phantom.

A hyperphantom map of spectra is a stable map $p:D\to E$ such that $pu=0$ for every $u:{\Sigma }^{-j}{\Sigma }^{\infty }X\to D$, for arbitrary based spaces $X$ and all nonnegative $j$. Equivalently it induces zero on the entire represented cohomology theory. This is a stronger condition than being a phantom map of spectra, which tests only finite spectra.

A spectrum homotopy between compatible maps $D\to E$ is a map from the cylinder spectrum $D\wedge [0,1{]}_{+}$ restricting to them at the endpoints. Thus the homotopies at all levels must themselves respect the structure maps.