GENERALIZED THOM SPECTRA AND THEIR TOPOLOGICAL HOCHSCHILD HOMOLOGY

Abstract

We develop a theory of $R$-module Thom spectra for a commutative symmetric ring spectrum $R$ and we analyze their multiplicative properties. As an interesting source of examples, we show that $R$-algebra Thom spectra associated to the special unitary groups can be described in terms of quotient constructions on $R$. We apply the general theory to obtain a description of the $R$-based topological Hochschild homology associated to an $R$-algebra Thom spectrum.