Relative dualizability and the cobordism hypothesis for defects

Abstract

This paper compares two candidate notions of morphism in the setting of fully local topological field theory. A first description can be formulated in terms of defects of codimension $k$ separating a pair of defects of codimension $(k-1)$. Lurie's cobordism hypothesis with singularities identifies such defects with suitably dualizable $k$-morphisms in the target category. A second description can be formulated in terms of symmetric monoidal (op)lax natural transformations between the truncations of the source and target theories. We show that these two descriptions agree. The comparison rests on a criterion for when a $k$-morphism determines a codimension-$k$ defect, expressed as a one-sided iterated adjunctibility condition. Assuming the ordinary cobordism hypothesis, this comparison provides a reformulation of the cobordism hypothesis for defects in terms of systems of oplax natural transformations. We also apply the criterion to the higher Morita category, where it yields a reducibility theorem for modules over $E_n$-algebras: a module over an $(n+1)$-dualizable $E_n$-algebra $A$ is $n$-dualizable over $A$ if and only if its underlying $E_{n-1}$-algebra is $n$-dualizable.