On representations and \(K\)-theory of the braid groups. (Q1407671)

Let \(\Gamma\) denote the fundamental group of the complement of a \(K(\Gamma,1)\) hyperplane arrangement such as Artin's pure braid group (or, more generally, a homologically toroidal group). The authors characterize the triviality of bundles arising from orthogonal representations of \(\Gamma\) as follows: An orthogonal representation gives rise to a trivial bundle if and only if the representation factors through the spinor groups. Furthermore, the subgroup of elements in the complex \(K\)-theory of \(B\Gamma\) which arises from complex unitary representations of \(\Gamma\) is shown to be trivial. In the case of real \(K\)-theory, the subgroup of elements which arises from real orthogonal representations of \(\Gamma\) is shown to be an elementary Abelian \(2\)-group, which is characterized completely in terms of the first two Stiefel-Whitney classes of the representation. In addition, the authors use quadratic relations in the cohomology algebra of pure braid groups to give the existence of certain homomorphisms from pure braid groups to generalized Heisenberg groups.