Nonabelian \(K\)-theory: The nilpotent class of \(K_ 1\) and general stability (Q1176981)

The author defines a functorial filtration \(GL_ n=S^{-1}L_ n\supseteq S^ 0L_ n\supseteq\cdots\supseteq S^ iL_ n\supseteq\cdots\supseteq E_ n\) of the general linear group \(GL_ n\), \(n\geq 3\), and shows for any ``quasi-finite'' algebra \(A\) that \(S^{- 1}L_ n(A)/S^ 0L_ n(A)\) is abelian, that \(S^ 0L_ n(A)\supseteq S^ 1L_ n(A)\supseteq\cdots\) is a descending central series, and that \(S^ iL_ n(A)=E_ n(A)\) whenever \(i\) is greater than or equal to the Bass-Serre dimension of \(A\). In particular, the \(K\)-functors \(K_ 1S^ iL_ n:=S^ iL_ n/E_ n\) are nilpotent for all \(i\geq 0\) over algebras of finite Bass-Serre dimension. Furthermore, without dimension assumptions, the canonical homomorphism \(S^ iL_ n(A)/S^{i+1}L_ n(A)\to S^ iL_{n+1}(A)/S^{i+1}L_{n+1}(A)\) is injective whenever \(n\geq i+3\), and if \(A\) is commutative then \(S^ 0L_ n(A)\) agrees with the special linear group \(SL_ n(A)\). By using these results, the author studies the subgroups of \(GL_ n(A)\) which are normalized by \(E_ n(A)\), and shows that the group \(SL_ n(R)/E_ n(R)\) can be nonabelian for commutative rings \(R\) of finite Bass-Serre dimension, and there exist nonnormal subgroups of \(GL_ n(R)\) which are normalized by \(E_ n(R)\). In a sequel to the present paper the author extends the above results to classical and Kac-Moody groups by introducing higher ``nonabelian'' \(K\)- functors and using Mayer-Vietoris sequences for these functors.