English

Rational self-homotopy equivalences and Whitehead exact sequence

Algebraic Topology 2009-05-12 v1

Abstract

For a simply connected CW-complex XX, let E(X)\mathcal{E}(X) denote the group of homotopy classes of self-homotopy equivalence of XX and let E(X)\mathcal{E}_{\sharp}(X) be its subgroup of homotopy classes which induce the identity on homotopy groups. As we know, the quotient group E(X)E(X)\frac{\mathcal{E}(X)}{\mathcal{E}_{\sharp}(X)} can be identified with a subgroup of Aut(π(X))Aut(\pi_{*}(X)). The aim of this work is to determine this subgroup for rational spaces. We construct the Whitehead exact sequence associated with the minimal Sullivan model of XX which allows us to define the subgroup Coh.Aut(Hom(π(X),Q))\mathrm{Coh.Aut}(\mathrm{Hom}\big(\pi_{*}(X),\Bbb Q)\big) of self-coherent automorphisms of the graded vector space Hom(π(X),Q)\mathrm{Hom}(\pi_*(X),\Bbb Q). As a consequence we establish that E(X)/E(X)Coh.Aut(Hom(π(X),Q))\mathcal{E}(X) / \mathcal{E}_{\sharp}(X) \cong \mathrm{Coh.Aut} (\mathrm{Hom}(\pi_*(X),\Bbb Q)). In addition, by computing the group Coh.Aut(Hom(π(X),Q))\mathrm{Coh.Aut}\big(\mathrm{Hom}(\pi_{*}(X),\Bbb Q)\big), we give examples of rational spaces that have few self-homotopy equivalences.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0905.1396,
  title  = {Rational self-homotopy equivalences and Whitehead exact sequence},
  author = {Mahmoud Benkhalifa},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0905.1396},
  year   = {2009}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-21T12:59:59.861Z