Detection theorems for K-theory and L-theory (Q2639165)

Let H be the class of hyperelementary finite groups and \(B\subset H\) the subclass of basic groups (i.e. those all of whose normal abelian subgroups are cyclic). It was shown by \textit{R. G. Swan} [K-theory of finite groups and orders, Lect. Notes Math. 149 (1970; Zbl 0205.321], \textit{T. Y. Lam} [Ann. Sci. École Norm. Sup., IV. Sér. 1, 91-148 (1968; Zbl 0164.027)], and \textit{A. Dress} [Ann. Math., II. Ser. 102, 291- 325 (1975; Zbl 0315.20007)] that when a K-theory or an L-theory functor is applied to a finite group G, then the direct sum of the restriction maps of G to its subgroups in H induces an injection; this means that the given functor can be detected by using the hyperelementary subgroups of G. In the present paper the authors show that in many cases such a functor can be detected by using subquotients of G which belong to B. A typical result is stated for a hyperelementary group G and a commutative ring R such that the order of G is a unit in R; it consists of a Detection Theorem and a Generation Theorem. In the linear case we have the Linear Detection Theorem which asserts that the direct sum of the generalized restriction maps from G to its subquotients in B induces a split injection and the Linear Generation Theorem which asserts that the direct sum of the generalized induction maps to G from its subquotients in B induces a split surjection. These theorems apply in several cases, including the Quillen K-theory for finitely generated projective modules, the Karoubi-Villamayor K-theory, the Quillen K-theory for the exact category of finitely generated R[G]-modules, the Hochschild homology functor, and the cyclic homology functor. Similar results are derived in the Hermitian case, where the Quadratic Detection Theorem and the Quadratic Generation Theorem are stated for a hyperelementary group with an orientation \(\omega\) and a set of its \(\omega\)-basic subquotients, and in the Witt case, where the Twisted Detection Theorem and the Twisted Generation Theorem are stated for a 2- hyperelementary group with orientation and an appropriate set of Witt- basic subquotients. The quadratic versions apply to ordinary L-theory as discussed by \textit{A. Dress} [loc. cit.]; the Witt versions apply to the oriented L-theory functors with arbitrary antistructures as introduced by \textit{C. T. C. Wall} [Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 67, 243-250 (1970; Zbl 0197.31103)]. Along with these detection and generation theorems, the authors also provide classification results for the basic hyperelementary groups and for their quadratic relatives, the \(\omega\)-basic groups and the Witt- basic groups, as well as results concerning the computation of the restriction maps. The technical details include the development of a theory of Morita categories and of a representation theory for the basic groups, and a study of some split exact sequences in Morita categories. The last section offers an alternative approach to the derivation of detection theorems, covering the situation when the order of G is not a unit in R.