On module bundles and topological \(K\)-theory (Q931335)

The ordinary topological \(K\)-group \(K(X)\) of a space \(X\) is usually defined as the Grothendieck group of the set of certain equivalence classes of vector bundles over \(X\), and as a matter of course every fibre of these vector bundles is supposed to be a finite-dimensional topological linear space. In this paper the author discusses a generalization of this group by using module bundles over \(X\), instead of vector bundles, such that their every fibre is a finitely generated projective topological \(A\)-module, where \(A\) is a topological algebra. Actually the author tries to define the Grothendieck group (also denoted) \(K(X)\) of such module bundles (assumed to be suitable) over \(X\) and to prove some of its properties. (If \(X\) is compact, although the details are omitted here, then all module bundles are suitable). The field \(\mathbb{K}\) of all real or complex numbers itself is a topological algebra and then every topological linear space over \(\mathbb{K}\) can be viewed as a \(\mathbb{K}\)-module in the sense above. This shows that the attempt proposed in this paper is reasonable. As a consequence it is proved that when \(A\) is a Waelbroeck algebra, the group \(K(X)\) in question can be obtained and moreover it has unital ring structure. This result will possibly become a clue which brings an interesting new theory. The proof is done based on the results of the author in the two papers [Rend.\ Circ.\ Mat.\ Palermo (2) 54, No. 3, 409--429 (2005; Zbl 1113.46041); ibid. 55, No. 2, 203--222 (2006; Zbl 1194.18007)].