Discrete module categories and operations in \(K\)-theory (Q649786)

The second author together with \textit{F. Clarke} and \textit{M. Crossley} [Topology 46, No. 2, 139--154 (2007; Zbl 1119.55009)] gave a characterization of discrete modules over the algebra \(A=K^0_{(p)}(K_{(p)})\) of stable operations in \(p\)-local complex \(K\)-theory and proved that the category of discrete \(A\)-modules is isomorphic to a category of locally finitely generated modules over \(\mathbb{Z}_{(p)}[\mathbb{Z}_{(p)}^\times]\), where \(p\) is an odd prime. In this paper, the authors develop a new method for characterizing these discrete modules and show that this method produces the same results in various other kinds of \(K\)-theory. The result (Theorem 6.1) corresponding to the original one above is stated as follows: Let \(p\) be a prime and let \(E\) be \(K_{(p)}, k_{(p)}, G, g, KO_{(2)}\) or \(ko_{(2)}\). Then, denoting by \(A\) the algebra \(E^0(E)\) of degree zero stable operations, one has \[ {}_A\mathrm{Disc}= {}_A\mathrm{LFG} \] where \( _A\mathrm{Disc}\) and \( _A\mathrm{LFG}\) denote the categories of discrete \(A\)-modules and \(\mathbb{Z}_{(p)}\)-locally finitely generated \(A\)-modules respectively. However, from the definition of these categories, one sees easily that \({}_A\mathrm{Disc} \subseteq {}_A\mathrm{LFG}\), so that the statement above can be considered equivalent to stating that this inclusion map becomes the identity map. In order to prove this, according to the approach proposed here, first topological bases for \(A\) are provided and conditions on \(A\) are established under which the above equality holds, which are given in Sections 4 and 5, respectively. The final section (Section 6) is devoted to analyzing these conditions using the basis elements given there and thereby showing that one can reach the desired conclusion. As noted by the authors, however, when reading the details of the discussion therein, one will find that the success of the approach here depends rather heavily on the choice of basis elements for \(A\). At the end of the first section, it is remarked that this work is based on the first author's PhD thesis from University of Sheffield under the direction of the second author.