English

Computing homotopy classes for diagrams

Algebraic Topology 2022-11-28 v2 Computational Geometry

Abstract

We present an algorithm that, given finite simplicial sets XX, AA, YY with an action of a finite group GG, computes the set [X,Y]GA[X,Y]^A_G of homotopy classes of equivariant maps  ⁣:XY\ell \colon X \to Y extending a given equivariant map f ⁣:AYf \colon A \to Y under the stability assumption dimXH2connYH\dim X^H \leq 2 \operatorname{conn} Y^H and connYH1\operatorname{conn} Y^H \geq 1, for all subgroups HGH\leq G. For fixed n=dimXn = \operatorname{dim} X, the algorithm runs in polynomial time. When the stability condition is dropped, the problem is undecidable already in the non-equivariant setting. The algorithm is obtained as a special case of a more general result: For finite diagrams of simplicial sets XX, AA, YY, i.e. functors IopsSet\mathcal{I}^\mathrm{op} \to \mathsf{sSet}, in the stable range dimX2connY\operatorname{dim} X \leq 2 \operatorname{conn} Y and connY>1\operatorname{conn} Y > 1, we give an algorithm that computes the set [X,Y]A[X, Y]^A of homotopy classes of maps of diagrams  ⁣:XY\ell \colon X \to Y extending a given f ⁣:AYf \colon A \to Y. Again, for fixed n=dimXn = \dim X, the running time of the algorithm is polynomial. The algorithm can be utilized to compute homotopy invariants in the equivariant setting -- for example, one can algorithmically compute equivariant stable homotopy groups. Further, one can apply the result to solve problems from computational topology, which we showcase on the following Tverberg-type problem: Given a kk-dimensional simplicial complex KK, is there a map KRdK \to \mathbb{R}^{d} without rr-tuple intersection points? In the metastable range of dimensions, rd(r+1)k+3rd \geq (r+1)k +3, the result of Mabillard and Wagner shows this problem equivalent to the existence of a particular equivariant map. In this range, our algorithm is applicable and, thus, the rr-Tverberg problem is algorithmically decidable (in polynomial time when kk, dd and rr are fixed).

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2104.10152,
  title  = {Computing homotopy classes for diagrams},
  author = {Marek Filakovský and Lukáš Vokřínek},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2104.10152},
  year   = {2022}
}

Comments

47 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-24T01:22:43.184Z