Residual amenability and the approximation of \(L^2\)-invariants (Q1590950)

In [\textit{W. Lück}, Geom. Funct. Anal. 4, No. 4, 455-481 (1994; Zbl 0853.57021)], it was proved that, if \(X\) is a finite simplicial complex with residually finite fundamental group, then the \(L^2\)-Betti numbers of the universal covering of \(X\) can be approximated by the ordinary Betti numbers of a sequence of finite coverings of \(X\). Also in the paper by \textit{J. Dodziuk} and \textit{V. Mathai} [J. Funct. Anal. 154, No. 2, 359-378 (1998; Zbl 0936.57018)] it was proved an analogous result with that of Lück for the case of the covering transformation group being amenable. This paper generalizes Lück's theorem to the case where the cover of \(X\) has residually amenable transformation group. This class contains the residually finite groups of Lück's theorem and the amenable groups of Dodziuk and Mathai. Also the author proves that such spaces are of determinant class and for such spaces the \(L^2\)-torsion is a homotopy invariant.