Adams operations and the Dennis trace map (Q1818621)

This paper proves the following result: Let \(A\) be a commutative \(\mathbb{Q}\)-algebra, then the Dennis trace map \(D: K_n(A)_{\mathbb{Q}}\to HH_n(A)\) commutes with the Adams operations. It is one of the rare occasions where a problem many expected to be hard turns out to be resolved by a short, elegant and elementary proof. The cornerstone is the result of \textit{J.-L. Cathelineau} [K-Theory 4, No. 6, 591-606 (1991; Zbl 0735.19005)] where it is proved that the relative trace map \(K_n(B,I)\to HH_n(B,I)\) commutes with the Adams operations if \(B\) is a commutative \(\mathbb{Q}\)-algebra and \(I\) is a nilpotent ideal in \(B\). In particular, let \(B=A[\varepsilon]\) (where \(\varepsilon^2=0\)), and consider the diagram \[ \begin{tikzcd} K_n(A)_{\mathbb{Q}}\ar[r,"D"]\ar[d] & HH_n(A)\ar[d]\\K_n(A[\varepsilon],(\varepsilon))_{\mathbb{Q}}\ar[r,"D" '] & HH_n(A[\varepsilon],(\varepsilon))\end{tikzcd} \] where the vertical maps are multiplication by the image of the unit element \(1+\varepsilon\in K_1(\mathbb{Q}[\varepsilon])\). The Dennis trace is multiplicative, and so the diagram commutes. The right hand vertical map is an injection, and the result follows since the Adams operations are multiplicative.