Derived Character Maps of Groups Representations

Abstract: In this paper, we construct and study derived character maps of finite-dimensional representations of $\infty$-groups. As models for $\infty$-groups we take homotopy simplicial groups, i.e. homotopy simplicial algebras over the algebraic theory of groups (in the sense of Badzioch). We define cyclic, symmetric and representation homology for group algebras' over such groups and construct canonical trace maps relating these homology theories. In the case of one-dimensional representations, we show that our trace maps are of topological origin: they are induced by natural maps of (iterated) loop spaces that are well studied in homotopy theory. Using this topological interpretation, we deduce some algebraic results about representation homology: in particular, we prove that the symmetric homology of group algebras and one-dimensional representation homology are naturally isomorphic, provided the base ring $k$ is a field of characteristic zero. We also study the behavior of the derived character maps of $n$-dimensional representations in the stable limit as $ n\to \infty$, in which case we show that theyconverge' to become isomorphisms.