Model Category Structure on Simplicial Algebras via Dold-Kan Correspondence

Abstract

This expository article sets forth a self-contained and purely algebraic proof of a deep result of Quillen stating that the category of simplicial commutative algebras over a commutative ring is a model category. This is accomplished by starting from the model structure on the category of connective chain complexes, transferring it to the category of simplicial modules via Dold-Kan Correspondence, and further transferring it to the category of simplicial commutative algebras through Quillen-Kan Transfer Machine. The subtlety of overcoming the acyclicity condition is addressed by introducing and studying the shuffle product of connective chain complexes, establishing a variant of Eilenberg-Zilber Theorem, and carefully scrutinizing the subtle structures under study.