Bivariant \(K\)-theory for locally convex algebras and the Chern-Connes character (Q1383280)

In this paper a new bivariant \(K\)-theory for \(m\)-algebras (countable inverse limits of Banach algebras) is constructed which generalizes both ordinary \(K\)-theory for Fréchet algebras and Kasparov's bivariant \(K\)-theory for \(C^*\)-algebras. Basic properties like smooth homotopy invariance and excision are established. The approach is inspired by the theorem: (Cuntz) Bivariant \(KK\)-theory is the universal bifunctor on the category of \(C^*\)-algebras which is split exact, homotopy invariant and stable (stabilization \(A\to\lim_{n\to\infty} M_n(A)=A\otimes_{C^*}\mathcal{K}\) of a \(C^*\)-algebra does not change its \(K\)-theory). Moreover any such functor is \(\mathbb{Z}/2\)-graded, i.e., satisfies Bott periodicity. The idea is to reconstruct a bivariant \(K\)-theory for \(m\)-algebras from a similar characterization. In order to understand the reconstruction one should recall the proof of Cuntz's theorem. It is based on the existence of certain universal algebra extensions associated to a given algebra in the considered category. These are: the cone-extension \(0\to SA\to CA\to A\to 0\) with \(CA:=\mathcal{C}^\infty([0,1],A)\), the Toeplitz-extension \(0\to A\otimes_\pi \mathcal{K}\to \mathcal{T}\to SA\to 0\) where \(\mathcal K\) is a suitable completion of \(M_\infty(\mathbb{C})\), and for later use the universal linearly split extension \(0\to JA\to TA\to A\to 0\) where \(TA\) is the suitably topologized tensor algebra over \(A\). If \(F\) is a stable and excisive homotopy functor then the Toeplitz algebra \(\mathcal{T}\) (as well as the contractible cone \(CA)\) are \(F\)-acyclic from which one deduces isomorphisms \[ F_*(A) \xrightarrow[\simeq]{\delta} F_{*-1}(SA), \quad F_{*-1}(SA) \xrightarrow[\simeq]{\delta} F_{*-2}(A\otimes_\pi \mathcal{K}), \] and \(F_{*-2}(A\otimes_\pi\mathcal{K}) \xleftarrow[\simeq]{\delta} F_{*-2}(A)\) by stability which implies that the functor \(F\) is Bott-periodic. Comparing the cone- and Toeplitz-extensions with the universal linearly split extension one deduces the existence of natural algebra homomorphisms \(\alpha:JA\to SA,\;\beta:J(SA)\to A \otimes_\pi\mathcal{K}\), which are turned into isomorphisms under \(F\) (the tensor algebra is contractible and thus \(F\)-acyclic, too.) One wants now to reverse this line of arguments. One starts with the universal smooth homotopy bifunctor \([-,-]\), associating to a pair of algebras \((A,B)\) the set of smooth homotopy classes of algebra homomorphisms from \(A\) to \(B\), and inverts the homomorphisms \(\alpha\) and \(\beta \) formally by putting \[ kk_*(A,B): =\lim_n[J^{2n+*} A,B \otimes_\pi\mathcal{K}] \] where the direct limit is taken over the maps \[ J^2(A) \xrightarrow{J(\alpha)} J(SA) \xrightarrow{\beta} A \otimes_\pi\mathcal{K}, \quad J^4(A) \xrightarrow{J^3(\alpha)} J^3(SA) \xrightarrow{J^2 (\beta)} J^2A\otimes_\pi \mathcal{K},\text{ etc.} \] This obviously defines a smooth homotopy bifunctor and the invertibility of the maps induced by \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) implies that this bifunctor is stable both under taking suspensions and under tensoring with \(\mathcal{K}\). Especially it is Bott-periodic. The suspension stability implies the existence of six-term exact Puppe-sequences from which excision in both variables can be deduced by a standard argument. Thus \(kk_*(-,-)\) is an excisive and stable smooth homotopy bifunctor and is obviously universal among such functors. This motivates to call the functor \(kk_*\) bivariant \(K\)-theory. It is defined on any category of \(m\)-algebras possessing extensions of the three types discussed above and is equipped with a composition product analogous to the Kasparov product in \(KK\)-theory. A nontrivial fact is that \(kk_*(\mathbb{C},-)\) coincides with ordinary \(K\)-theory in the case that the latter is defined. Otherwise this group can be used to define \(K\)-theory in cases where a \(K\)-functor was hitherto unknown. The author together with \textit{D. Quillen} has recently established excision in bivariant periodic cyclic cohomology \(HP\). Thus continuous periodic cyclic cohomology becomes a stable and excisive smooth homotopy bifunctor on the category of Frechét- or \(m\)-algebras. The universal property of bivariant \(kk\)-theory implies then the existence of a natural bivariant Chern-Connes character \(ch_{biv}:kk_*(-,-)\to HP^*(-,-)\) on bivariant \(K\)-theory with values in bivariant continuous periodic cyclic cohomology. This bivariant Chern-Connes character is compatible with products (up to a universal constant coming up necessarily) and reduces to the ordinary Chern character from \(K\)-theory to periodic cyclic homology if the first variable is taken to be the complex numbers. The author remarks that a bivariant Chern-Connes character can be obtained in this manner only on the smooth version of \(kk_*\) based on the smooth Toeplitz- and cone-extensions: \[ 0\to \mathcal{S}A\to \mathcal{C}^\infty (]0,1],A)\to A\to 0,\quad 0\to A\otimes_\pi \mathcal{K}\to \mathcal{T}\to \mathcal{S}A\to 0. \] If one wants to define a continuous homotopy bifunctor one has to work with the continuous extensions \[ 0\to SA\to C(]0,1],A)\to A\to 0,\quad 0\to A\otimes_{C^*}\mathcal{K} (\mathcal{H})\to \mathcal{T}\to SA\to 0, \] where \(\mathcal{K} (\mathcal{H})\) is the algebra of compact operators on a separable Hilbert space. The pathological behaviour of continuous periodic cyclic cohomology on \(C^*\)-algebras (i.e., \(HP\) vanishes on algebras of the type \(A\otimes_{C^*} \mathcal{K} (\mathcal{H})\) and is usually infinite-dimensional on \(CA)\), obstructs the construction of a similar Chern-Connes character on Kasparov's \(KK\)-theory with values in \(HP\).