Cosimplicial groups and spaces of homomorphisms

Abstract

Let $G$ be a real linear algebraic group and $L$ a finitely generated cosimplicial group. We prove that the space of homomorphisms $Hom(L_n,G)$ has a homotopy stable decomposition for each $n\geq 1$. When $G$ is a compact Lie group, we show that the decomposition is $G$-equivariant with respect to the induced action of conjugation by elements of $G$. The spaces $Hom(L_n,G)$ assemble into a simplicial space $Hom(L,G)$. When $G=U$ we show that its geometric realization $B(L,U)$, has a non-unital $E_\infty$-ring space structure whenever $Hom(L_0,U(m))$ is path connected for all $m\geq1$.