Algebraic K-theory of spaces and the Novikov conjecture (Q920199)

Suppose G is a discrete group whose classifying space BG has the homotopy type of a finite CW-complex. The algebraic K-theory version of Novikov's conjecture asserts that the rational algebraic K-groups \(K_*({\mathbb{Z}}[G])\otimes {\mathbb{Q}}\) contain a direct summand isomorphic to \(H_*(BG;{\mathbb{Q}})\otimes K_*({\mathbb{Z}})\). (The L-theory version of Novikov's conjecture, which implies Novikov's classical conjecture, asserts that the assembly map \(H_*(BG;{\mathbb{Q}})\otimes L_*({\mathbb{Z}})\to L_*({\mathbb{Z}}[G])\otimes {\mathbb{Q}}\) is injective.) The authors of this paper show that the algebraic K-theory version of Novikov's conjecture follows from the Conjecture: \(ch_*: \pi_*A(pt)\otimes {\mathbb{Q}}\to \pi_*Map({\mathbb{C}}P^{\infty},QS^ 0)\otimes {\mathbb{Q}}\) is injective. Here A(pt) is Waldhausen's algebraic K- theory space of a point and \(ch_*\) is induced by a map constructed by the authors: \(ch: A(pt)\to Map({\mathbb{C}}P^{\infty},QS^ 0).\) The advantage is that this version of Novikov's conjecture is independent of the group G.