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     2 
       
     3 \section{Commutative algebras as $n$-categories}
       
     4 
       
     5 \nn{this should probably not be a section by itself.  i'm just trying to write down the outline 
       
     6 while it's still fresh in my mind.}
       
     7 
       
     8 If $C$ is a commutative algebra it
       
     9 can (and will) also be thought of as an $n$-category whose $j$-morphisms are trivial for
       
    10 $j<n$ and whose $n$-morphisms are $C$. 
       
    11 The goal of this \nn{subsection?} is to compute
       
    12 $\bc_*(M^n, C)$ for various commutative algebras $C$.
       
    13 
       
    14 Let $k[t]$ denote the ring of polynomials in $t$ with coefficients in $k$.
       
    15 
       
    16 Let $\Sigma^i(M)$ denote the $i$-th symmetric power of $M$, the configuration space of $i$
       
    17 unlabeled points in $M$.
       
    18 Note that $\Sigma^0(M)$ is a point.
       
    19 Let $\Sigma^\infty(M) = \coprod_{i=0}^\infty \Sigma^i(M)$.
       
    20 
       
    21 Let $C_*(X, k)$ denote the singular chain complex of the space $X$ with coefficients in $k$.
       
    22 
       
    23 \begin{prop} \label{sympowerprop}
       
    24 $\bc_*(M, k[t])$ is homotopy equivalent to $C_*(\Sigma^\infty(M), k)$.
       
    25 \end{prop}
       
    26 
       
    27 \begin{proof}
       
    28 To define the chain maps between the two complexes we will use the following lemma:
       
    29 
       
    30 \begin{lemma}
       
    31 Let $A_*$ and $B_*$ be chain complexes, and assume $A_*$ is equipped with
       
    32 a basis (e.g.\ blob diagrams or singular simplices).
       
    33 For each basis element $c \in A_*$ assume given a contractible subcomplex $R(c)_* \sub B_*$
       
    34 such that $R(c')_* \sub R(c)_*$ whenever $c'$ is a basis element which is part of $\bd c$.
       
    35 Then the complex of chain maps (and (iterated) homotopies) $f:A_*\to B_*$ such that
       
    36 $f(c) \in R(c)_*$ for all $c$ is contractible (and in particular non-empty).
       
    37 \end{lemma}
       
    38 
       
    39 \begin{proof}
       
    40 \nn{easy, but should probably write the details eventually}
       
    41 \end{proof}
       
    42 
       
    43 Our first task: For each blob diagram $b$ define a subcomplex $R(b)_* \sub C_*(\Sigma^\infty(M))$
       
    44 satisfying the conditions of the above lemma.
       
    45 If $b$ is a 0-blob diagram, then it is just a $k[t]$ field on $M$, which is a 
       
    46 finite unordered collection of points of $M$ with multiplicities, which is
       
    47 a point in $\Sigma^\infty(M)$.
       
    48 Define $R(b)_*$ to be the singular chain complex of this point.
       
    49 If $(B, u, r)$ is an $i$-blob diagram, let $D\sub M$ be its support (the union of the blobs).
       
    50 The path components of $\Sigma^\infty(D)$ are contractible, and these components are indexed 
       
    51 by the numbers of points in each component of $D$.
       
    52 We may assume that the blob labels $u$ have homogeneous $t$ degree in $k[t]$, and so
       
    53 $u$ picks out a component $X \sub \Sigma^\infty(D)$.
       
    54 The field $r$ on $M\setminus D$ can be thought of as a point in $\Sigma^\infty(M\setminus D)$,
       
    55 and using this point we can embed $X$ in $\Sigma^\infty(M)$.
       
    56 Define $R(B, u, r)_*$ to be the singular chain complex of $X$, thought of as a 
       
    57 subspace of $\Sigma^\infty(M)$.
       
    58 It is easy to see that $R(\cdot)_*$ satisfies the condition on boundaries from the above lemma.
       
    59 Thus we have defined (up to homotopy) a map from 
       
    60 $\bc_*(M^n, k[t])$ to $C_*(\Sigma^\infty(M))$.
       
    61 
       
    62 Next we define, for each simplex $c$ of $C_*(\Sigma^\infty(M))$, a contractible subspace
       
    63 $R(c)_* \sub \bc_*(M^n, k[t])$.
       
    64 If $c$ is a 0-simplex we use the identification of the fields $\cC(M)$ and 
       
    65 $\Sigma^\infty(M)$ described above.
       
    66 Now let $c$ be an $i$-simplex of $\Sigma^j(M)$.
       
    67 Choose a metric on $M$, which induces a metric on $\Sigma^j(M)$.
       
    68 We may assume that the diameter of $c$ is small --- that is, $C_*(\Sigma^j(M))$
       
    69 is homotopy equivalent to the subcomplex of small simplices.
       
    70 How small?  $(2r)/3j$, where $r$ is the radius of injectivity of the metric.
       
    71 Let $T\sub M$ be the ``track" of $c$ in $M$.
       
    72 \nn{do we need to define this precisely?}
       
    73 Choose a neighborhood $D$ of $T$ which is a disjoint union of balls of small diameter.
       
    74 \nn{need to say more precisely how small}
       
    75 Define $R(c)_*$ to be $\bc_*(D, k[t]) \sub \bc_*(M^n, k[t])$.
       
    76 This is contractible by \ref{bcontract}.
       
    77 We can arrange that the boundary/inclusion condition is satisfied if we start with
       
    78 low-dimensional simplices and work our way up.
       
    79 \nn{need to be more precise}
       
    80 
       
    81 \nn{still to do: show indep of choice of metric; show compositions are homotopic to the identity
       
    82 (for this, might need a lemma that says we can assume that blob diameters are small)}
       
    83 \end{proof}
       
    84 
       
    85 
       
    86 \begin{prop} \label{ktcdprop}
       
    87 The above maps are compatible with the evaluation map actions of $C_*(\Diff(M))$.
       
    88 \end{prop}
       
    89 
       
    90 \begin{proof}
       
    91 The actions agree in degree 0, and both are compatible with gluing.
       
    92 (cf. uniqueness statement in \ref{CDprop}.)
       
    93 \end{proof}
       
    94 
       
    95 \medskip
       
    96 
       
    97 In view of \ref{hochthm}, we have proved that $HH_*(k[t]) \cong C_*(\Sigma^\infty(S^1), k)$,
       
    98 and that the cyclic homology of $k[t]$ is related to the action of rotations
       
    99 on $C_*(\Sigma^\infty(S^1), k)$.
       
   100 \nn{probably should put a more precise statement about cyclic homology and $S^1$ actions in the Hochschild section}
       
   101 Let us check this directly.
       
   102 
       
   103 According to \nn{Loday, 3.2.2}, $HH_i(k[t]) \cong k[t]$ for $i=0,1$ and is zero for $i\ge 2$.
       
   104 \nn{say something about $t$-degree?  is this in [Loday]?}
       
   105 
       
   106 We can define a flow on $\Sigma^j(S^1)$ by having the points repel each other.
       
   107 The fixed points of this flow are the equally spaced configurations.
       
   108 This defines a map from $\Sigma^j(S^1)$ to $S^1/j$ ($S^1$ modulo a $2\pi/j$ rotation).
       
   109 The fiber of this map is $\Delta^{j-1}$, the $(j-1)$-simplex, 
       
   110 and the holonomy of the $\Delta^{j-1}$ bundle
       
   111 over $S^1/j$ is induced by the cyclic permutation of its $j$ vertices.
       
   112 
       
   113 In particular, $\Sigma^j(S^1)$ is homotopy equivalent to a circle for $j>0$, and
       
   114 of course $\Sigma^0(S^1)$ is a point.
       
   115 Thus the singular homology $H_i(\Sigma^\infty(S^1))$ has infinitely many generators for $i=0,1$
       
   116 and is zero for $i\ge 2$.
       
   117 \nn{say something about $t$-degrees also matching up?}
       
   118 
       
   119 By xxxx and \ref{ktcdprop}, 
       
   120 the cyclic homology of $k[t]$ is the $S^1$-equivariant homology of $\Sigma^\infty(S^1)$.
       
   121 Up to homotopy, $S^1$ acts by $j$-fold rotation on $\Sigma^j(S^1) \simeq S^1/j$.
       
   122 If $k = \z$, $\Sigma^j(S^1)$ contributes the homology of an infinite lens space: $\z$ in degree
       
   123 0, $\z/j \z$ in odd degrees, and 0 in positive even degrees.
       
   124 The point $\Sigma^0(S^1)$ contributes the homology of $BS^1$ which is $\z$ in even 
       
   125 degrees and 0 in odd degrees.
       
   126 This agrees with the calculation in \nn{Loday, 3.1.7}.
       
   127 
       
   128 \medskip
       
   129 
       
   130 Next we consider the case $C = k[t_1, \ldots, t_m]$, commutative polynomials in $m$ variables.
       
   131 Let $\Sigma_m^\infty(M)$ be the $m$-colored infinite symmetric power of $M$, that is, configurations
       
   132 of points on $M$ which can have any of $m$ distinct colors but are otherwise indistinguishable.
       
   133 The components of $\Sigma_m^\infty(M)$ are indexed by $m$-tuples of natural numbers
       
   134 corresponding to the number of points of each color of a configuration.
       
   135 A proof similar to that of \ref{sympowerprop} shows that
       
   136 
       
   137 \begin{prop}
       
   138 $\bc_*(M, k[t_1, \ldots, t_m])$ is homotopy equivalent to $C_*(\Sigma_m^\infty(M), k)$.
       
   139 \end{prop}
       
   140 
       
   141 According to \nn{Loday, 3.2.2},
       
   142 \[
       
   143 	HH_n(k[t_1, \ldots, t_m]) \cong \Lambda^n(k^m) \otimes k[t_1, \ldots, t_m] .
       
   144 \]
       
   145 Let us check that this is also the singular homology of $\Sigma_m^\infty(S^1)$.
       
   146 We will content ourselves with the case $k = \z$.
       
   147 One can define a flow on $\Sigma_m^\infty(S^1)$ where points of the same color repel each other and points of different colors do not interact.
       
   148 This shows that a component $X$ of $\Sigma_m^\infty(S^1)$ is homotopy equivalent
       
   149 to the torus $(S^1)^l$, where $l$ is the number of non-zero entries in the $m$-tuple
       
   150 corresponding to $X$.
       
   151 The homology calculation we desire follows easily from this.
       
   152 
       
   153 \nn{say something about cyclic homology in this case?  probably not necessary.}
       
   154 
       
   155 \medskip
       
   156 
       
   157 Next we consider the case $C = k[t]/t^l$ --- polynomials in $t$ with $t^l = 0$.
       
   158 Define $\Delta_l \sub \Sigma^\infty(M)$ to be those configurations of points with $l$ or
       
   159 more points coinciding.
       
   160 
       
   161 \begin{prop}
       
   162 $\bc_*(M, k[t]/t^l)$ is homotopy equivalent to $C_*(\Sigma^\infty(M), \Delta_l, k)$
       
   163 (relative singular chains with coefficients in $k$).
       
   164 \end{prop}
       
   165 
       
   166 \begin{proof}
       
   167 \nn{...}
       
   168 \end{proof}
       
   169 
       
   170 \nn{...}
       
   171