Trace and torsion in the theory of flows (Q1338228)

The authors discuss applications of the one-parameter version of Lefschetz-Nielsen fixed point theory, which they have developed in [Am. J. Math. 116, No. 2, 397-446 (1994; Zbl 0812.55001)] to the theory of flows. In that paper, the authors assigned to a homotopy \(F:X\times [a,b]\to X\) of a finite \(\text{CW}\)-complex \(X\) two ``traces'' \(L(F)\) and \(R(F)\), which are analogs of the Lefschetz number and the Reidemeister trace, respectively. In the present paper the authors first review necessary tools from Hochschild homology and algebraic \(K\)-theory, the classical Lefschetz- Nielsen fixed point theory, and the one-parameter version of this theory. Next, let \(\Phi: M\times \mathbb{R}\to M\) be the flow of a smooth vector field on a closed oriented smooth manifold \(M\). For \(0<a <b\) let \(F\) be the restriction of \(\Phi\) to \(M\times [a, b]\). The authors then show, that \(L(F)\) and \(R(F)\) detect the Fuller homology of closed orbits in that part of the flow. On the other hand, they show that if the vector field is non-singular, then for the restriction of \(\Phi\) to \([- \varepsilon, \varepsilon]\) for small \(\varepsilon\), the \(L\) invariant gives the Euler class of the normal bundle of the vector field. Then following section is devoted to suspension flows on the mapping torus of a self map, providing geometric motivations for the following algebraic developments. Then the authors develop first the algebraic background and then the topological theory of a new invariant of a self map of a finite CW-complex, which has values in the \(K_ 1\) group of a twisted power series ring over the group ring of the fundamental group. They relate this invariant to the \(L\) and \(R\) invariants of the suspension flow corresponding to the map. Finally, they introduce a new torsion type invariant for certain finite CW-complexes, which can be viewed as a non-commutative generalization of the Alexander invariant.