Universal (co)homology theories (Q1284150)

For separable \(C^*\)-algebras \(A\), \(B\) let \(\{A,B\}\) denote nonstable \(E\)-theory [\textit{A. Connes} and \textit{N. Higson}, C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I 311, No. 2, 101-106 (1990; Zbl 0717.46062)], i.e., \(\{A,B\}=\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} [[S^nA,S^nB]]\) where \([[ ,\;]]\) denotes homotopy classes of asymptotic \(*\)-homomorphisms. This functor is, for fixed \(A\), a homology theory and for fixed \(B\) a cohomology theory [for definitions, see Section 21 of \textit{B. Blackadar}, ``\(K\)-theory for operator algebras'', MSRI Publ. 5 (1986; Zbl 0597.46072)]. In the paper under review, the authors show that these are universal in the sense that any homology or cohomology theory on the category of separable \(C^*\)-algebras factors through them (Theorems 2.2, 2.3). By restricting to the category of abelian separable \(C^*\)-algebras, which is equivalent to the category of compact metric spaces, a similar result for extraordinary Steenrod homology theories is obtained (Theorems 2.7, 2.8). Such theories are representable by \(\Omega\) spectra or, equivalently, infinite loop spaces and the authors give a construction for these objects in this case (Theorems 3.4, 3.5).