Homotopy theory of associative rings

A kind of unstable homotopy theory on the category of associative rings (without unit) is developed. There are the notions of fibrations, homotopy (in the sense of Karoubi), path spaces, Puppe sequences, etc. One introduces the notion of a quasi-isomorphism (or weak equivalence) for rings and shows that—similar to spaces—the derived category obtained by inverting the quasi-isomorphisms is naturally left triangulated. Also, homology theories on rings are studied. These must be homotopy invariant in the algebraic sense, meet the Mayer-Vietoris property and plus some minor natural axioms. To any functor X from rings to pointed simplicial sets a homology theory is associated in a natural way. If X=GL and fibrations are the GL-fibrations, one recovers Karoubi-Villamayor's functors KVi, i>0. If X is Quillen's K-theory functor and fibrations are the surjective homomorphisms, one recovers the (non-negative) homotopy K-theory in the sense of Weibel. Technical tools we use are the homotopy information for the category of simplicial functors on rings and the Bousfield localization theory for model categories. The machinery developed in the paper also allows to give another definition for the triangulated category kk constructed by Cortiñas and Thom [G. Cortiñas, A. Thom, Bivariant algebraic K-theory, preprint, math.KT/0603531]. The latter category is an algebraic analog for triangulated structures on operator algebras used in Kasparov's KK-theory.     

Isomorphism Conjecture for homotopy K-theory and groups acting on trees

We discuss an analogon to the Farrell-Jones Conjecture for homotopy algebraic K-theory. In particular, we prove that if a group G acts on a tree and all isotropy groups satisfy this conjecture, then G satisfies this conjecture. This result can be used to get rational injectivity results for the assembly map in the Farrell-Jones Conjecture in algebraic K-theory.     

An equivariant tensor product on Mackey functors

For all subgroups H of a cyclic p-group G we define norm functors that build a G-Mackey functor from an H-Mackey functor. We give an explicit construction of these functors in terms of generators and relations based solely on the intrinsic, algebraic properties of Mackey functors and Tambara functors. We use these norm functors to define a monoidal structure on the category of Mackey functors where Tambara functors are the commutative ring objects.     

Čech and Steenrod homotopy and the Quigley exact couple in strong shape and proper homotopy theory

Let X be a topological space equipped with the action of a finite group ∏. We may form the twisted group ring of ∏, coefficients being elements of the ring of continuous functions on X with values in the real numbers, complex numbers or quaternions. In this paper we show how the Witt groups of hermitian forms of various kinds over these twisted group rings can be described in terms of the real, complex or quaternionic equivariant K-theory of X.     

Equivariant homology and cohomology of groups

We provide and study an equivariant theory of group (co)homology of a group G with coefficients in a Γ-equivariant G-module A, when a separate group Γ acts on G and A, generalizing the classical Eilenberg-MacLane (co)homology theory of groups. Relationship with equivariant cohomology of topological spaces is established and application to algebraic K-theory is given.     

Twisted Equivariant Matter

We show how general principles of symmetry in quantum mechanics lead to twisted notions of a group representation. This framework generalizes both the classical threefold way of real/complex/ quaternionic representations as well as a corresponding tenfold way which has appeared in condensed matter and nuclear physics. We establish a foundation for discussing continuous families of quantum systems. Having done so, topological phases of quantum systems can be defined as deformation classes of continuous families of gapped Hamiltonians. For free particles, there is an additional algebraic structure on the deformation classes leading naturally to notions of twisted equivariant K-theory. In systems with a lattice of translational symmetries, we show that there is a canonical twisting of the equivariant K-theory of the Brillouin torus. We give precise mathematical definitions of two invariants of the topological phases which have played an important role in the study of topological insulators. Twisted equivariant K-theory provides a finer classification of topological insulators than has been previously available.     

Coefficients for the Farrell-Jones Conjecture

We introduce the Farrell-Jones Conjecture with coefficients in an additive category with G-action. This is a variant of the Farrell-Jones Conjecture about the algebraic K- or L-theory of a group ring RG. It allows to treat twisted group rings and crossed product rings. The conjecture with coefficients is stronger than the original conjecture but it has better inheritance properties. Since known proofs using controlled algebra carry over to the set-up with coefficients we obtain new results about the original Farrell-Jones Conjecture. The conjecture with coefficients implies the fibered version of the Farrell-Jones Conjecture.     

Operations in A-theory

A construction for Segal operations for K-theory of categories with cofibrations, weak equivalences and a biexact pairing is given and coherence properties of the operations are studied. The model for K-theory, which is used, allows coherence to be studied by means of (symmetric) monoidal functors. In the case of Waldhausen A-theory it is shown how to recover the operations used in Waldhausen (Lecture Notes in Mathematics, Vol. 967, Springer, Berlin, 1982, pp. 390-409) for the A-theory Kahn-Priddy theorem. The total Segal operation for A-theory, which assembles exterior power operations, is shown to carry a natural infinite loop map structure. The basic input is the un-delooped model for K-theory, which has been developed from a construction by Grayson and Gillet for exact categories in Gunnarsson et al. (J. Pure Appl. Algebra 79 (1992) 255), and Grayson's setup for operations in Grayson (K-theory (1989) 247). The relevant material from these sources is recollected followed by observations on equivariant objects and pairings. Grayson's conditions are then translated to the context of categories with cofibrations and weak equivalences. The power operations are shown to be well behaved w.r.t. suspension and are extended to algebraic K-theory of spaces. Staying close with the philosophy of Waldhausen (1982) Waldhausen's maps are found. The Kahn-Priddy theorem follows from splitting the “free part” off the equivariant theory. The treatment of coherence of the total operation in A-theory involves results from Laplaza (Lecture Notes in Mathematics, Vol. 281, Springer, Berlin, 1972, pp. 29-65) and restriction to spherical objects in the source of the operation.     

Twisted K-theory of differentiable stacks

In this paper, we develop twisted K-theory for stacks, where the twisted class is given by an S¹-gerbe over the stack. General properties, including the Mayer-Vietoris property, Bott periodicity, and the product structure are derived. Our approach provides a uniform framework for studying various twisted K-theories including the usual twisted K-theory of topological spaces, twisted equivariant K-theory, and the twisted K-theory of orbifolds. We also present a Fredholm picture, and discuss the conditions under which twisted K-groups can be expressed by so-called “twisted vector bundles”.Our approach is to work on presentations of stacks, namely groupoids, and relies heavily on the machinery of K-theory (KK-theory) of C^∗-algebras.     

Hermitian <Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis>-theory and 2-regularity for totally real number fields

We completely determine the 2-primary torsion subgroups of the hermitian K-groups of rings of 2-integers in totally real 2-regular number fields. The result is almost periodic with period 8. Moreover, the 2-regular case is precisely the class of totally real number fields that have homotopy cartesian “Bökstedt square”, relating the K-theory of the 2-integers to that of the fields of real and complex numbers and finite fields. We also identify the homotopy fibers of the forgetful and hyperbolic maps relating hermitian and algebraic K-theory. The result is then exactly periodic of period 8 in the orthogonal case. In both the orthogonal and symplectic cases, we prove a 2-primary hermitian homotopy limit conjecture for these rings.     

Stable equivariant abelianization, its properties, and applications

Let G be a finite group. For a based G-space X and a Mackey functor M, a topological Mackey functor is constructed, which will be called the stable equivariant abelianization of X with coefficients in M. When X is a based G-CW complex, is shown to be an infinite loop space in the sense of G-spaces. This gives a version of the RO(G)-graded equivariant Dold-Thom theorem. Applying a variant of Elmendorf's construction, we get a model for the Eilenberg-Mac Lane spectrum HM. The proof uses a structure theorem for Mackey functors and our previous results.     

A Fourier–Mukai approach to the K-theory of compact Lie groups

Let G be a compact, connected, simply-connected Lie group. We use the Fourier–Mukai transform in twisted K-theory to give a new proof of the ring structure of the K-theory of G.     

Bredon homology and ramified covering G-maps

Let G be a finite group. The objective of this paper is twofold. First we prove that the cellular Bredon homology groups with coefficients in an arbitrary coefficient system M are isomorphic to the homotopy groups of certain topological abelian group. And second, we study ramified covering G-maps of simplicial sets and of simplicial complexes. As an application, we construct a transfer for them in Bredon homology, when M is a Mackey functor. We also show that the Bredon-Illman homology with coefficients in M satisfies the equivariant weak homotopy equivalence axiom in the category of G-spaces.     

The Drinfeld center of the category of Mackey functors

Let G be a finite group. The category of Mackey functors for G is a tensor category. We show that the Drinfeld center of this category is equivalent to the category of Mackey functors on a category of G-sets equipped with automorphisms.     

Rigidity for equivariant K-theory

We extend the classical rigidity results for K-theory to the equivariant setting of linear algebraic group actions. These results concern rigidity for rational points, field extensions, and Hensel local rings. To cite this article: S. Yagunov, P.A. Østvær, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 347 (2009).     

Un théorème du point fixe de Lefschetz en géométrie d'Arakelov

We consider arithmetic varieties endowed with an action of the group scheme of n-th roots of unity and we define equivariant arithmetic K₀-theory for these varieties. We then state a Riemann-Roch theorem for the natural transformation of equivariant arithmetic K₀ -theory induced by the restriction to the fixed point scheme and we show that it implies a version of Bismut's conjecture of an equivariant arithmetic Riemann-Roch theorem.     

Rational isomorphisms between K-theories and cohomology theories

The well known isomorphism relating the rational algebraic K-theory groups and the rational motivic cohomology groups of a smooth variety over a field of characteristic 0 is shown to be realized by a map (the Segre map) of infinite loop spaces. Moreover, the associated Chern character map on rational homotopy groups is shown to be a ring isomorphism. A technique is introduced that establishes a useful general criterion for a natural transformation of functors on quasi-projective complex varieties to induce a homotopy equivalence of semi-topological singular complexes. Since semi-topological K-theory and morphic cohomology can be formulated as the semi-topological singular complexes associated to algebraic K-theory and motivic cohomology, this criterion provides a rational isomorphism between the semi-topological K-theory groups and the morphic cohomology groups of a smooth complex variety. Consequences include a Riemann-Roch theorem for the Chern character on semi-topological K-theory and an interpretation of the topological filtration on singular cohomology groups in K-theoretic terms.     

Algebraic and real K-theory of Real varieties

An algebraic variety defined over the real numbers has an associated topological space with involution, and algebraic vector bundles give rise to Real vector bundles. We show that the associated map from algebraic K-theory to Atiyah's Real K-theory is, after completion at two, an isomorphism on homotopy groups above the dimension of the variety.