\(K\)-theory of stratified vector bundles (Q1417761)

The main goal of the paper under consideration is the definition of a \(K\)-theory group \(K(X)\) of stratified vector bundles over a CW-stratified space \(X\) (i.e., a stratified space \(X\) whose strata correspond to CW-pairs) which generalizes the classical definition of the topological \(K\)-theory group of a compact space. For that purpose the authors give a suitable definition of stratified vector bundle and show as their major result that continuous algebraic operations on vector spaces (like taking direct sums, tensor products etc.) induce corresponding operations on stratified vector bundles. This is not clear a priori as stratified vector bundles in general are not locally trivial. The result then allows to proceed in the usual way and to define the desired \(K\)-theory group \(K(X)\) as the Grothendieck group of the semigroup of isomorphism classes of stratified vector bundles over \(X\). One of the major ingredients is the choice of a suitable topology on stratified vector bundles which finally allows to derive the above result. The definition of stratified vector bundle given here is closely related to the concept of stratified fibre bundle as it has been introduced in a recent preprint by the same two authors. As a motivation for their definition the authors give examples and show how their definition fits with classical notions.