Equivariant vector bundles over classifying spaces for proper actions (Q507049): Difference between revisions

When \(G\) is a finite group, the celebrated completion theorem of Atiyah and Segal gives the precise relationship between the \(G\)-equivariant \(K\)-theory of the universal space \(EG\) of \(G\) and the representation ring of \(G\) (both in the complex and real case). Let \(G\) be an infinite discrete group such that there exist an universal space \(\underline{E}G\) for \(G\) whose associated classifying space \(BG\) is compact. The article under review investigates the relationship between the \(G\)-equivariant \(K\)-theory of the universal space \(\underline{E}G\) and the representation theory of \textit{finite} subgroups \(H\) of \(G\). More precisely, let \(H\) be a finite subgroup of \(G\). Denote by \(R(H)\) the Grothendieck ring of complex representations of \(H\). Finally, denote by \(K_G^0(\underline{E}G)\) the Grothendieck ring of \(G\)-equivariant complex vector bundles over \(\underline{E}G\). The main theorems of ``Equivariant vector bundles over classifying spaces for proper actions'' are concerned about the surjectivity of the comparison morphism \[ \epsilon_G : K_G^0(\underline{E}G) \rightarrow \lim_H \quad R(H), \] where the limit on the right hand side is taken over finite subgroups \(H\) of \(G\), and the various restriction and conjugation maps relating \(R(H)\) to \(R(H')\) for \(H,H'\) two finite subgroups of \(G\). Firstly, the authors exhibit an example of an infinite group \(G\) such that the morphism \(\epsilon_G\) is not surjective. The construction of \(G\) relies heavily on the main theorem of [\textit{I. J. Leary}, J. Topol. 6, No. 1, 251--284 (2013; Zbl 1343.20044)]. Along a similar line, the authors also construct explicitly a version of this result for real vector bundles and the limit of real representation rings. Secondly, the authors exhibit a class of infinite groups, such that if \(G\) is in this class, then the morphism \(\epsilon_G\) is surjective. Precisely, let \(W\) be the right-angled Coxeter group determined by a finite graph. Such groups admit a universal space \(\underline{E}W\) whose associated classifying space \(BW\) is compact (namely the Davis complex), so the comparison morphism \(\epsilon_W\) can be constructed. The main result, Theorem 5.3, shows that for right-angled Coxeter groups \(W\), the morphism \(\epsilon_W\) is surjective. As a consequence, differentials in the Atiyah-Hizebruch spectral sequence converging to \(K_W^*(\underline{E}W)\) can be ruled out, leading to a complete computation of \(K_W^0(\underline{E}G)\), as a particular case of Theorem 5.5.