Characters, \(L^2\)-Betti numbers and an equivariant approximation theorem (Q1751030)

Let \(\Gamma\) be a group and \(H\subset \Gamma\) a finite subgroup. Given a \(\Gamma\)-\(CW\)-complex \(X\), let \(H_p(X;\mathbb{C})\) be its \(p\)th-homology group with complex coefficients, this is a \(\Gamma\)-module and an \(H\)-module as well. Given an irreducible representation \(\chi\) of \(H\), this appears in \(H_p(X;\mathbb{C})\) with certain multiplicity \(m_p(\chi,H_p(X;\mathbb{C}))\). The author develops a suitable theory in the context of \(L^2\)-homology, that is he defines the corresponding notion of \(L^2\)-multiplicity, \(m^{(2)}_p(\chi,X;\Gamma)\) of an irreducible representation of \(H\). A major part of the work is devoted to the definition of induced characters from finite subgroups of \(\Gamma\). Here are two main theorems: Theorem 1.2. Let \(\Gamma\) be a group and let \(H\subset\Gamma\) be a finite subgroup. Let \(X\) be a proper cocompact \(\Gamma\)-\(CW\)-complex. Let \(\Gamma\supset\Gamma_1\supset\Gamma_2\supset\cdots\) be a decreasing sequence of finite index normal subgroups of \(\Gamma\) with trivial intersection. Then, \[ \lim_{n\to \infty} \frac{m(\chi,H_p(X/\Gamma_n;\mathbb{C}))}{|\Gamma:\Gamma_n|}=m^{(2)}_p(\chi,X;\Gamma), \] for every irreducible representation \(\chi\) of \(H\). The next application of these methods is in the context of group cohomology: Theorem 5.12. Let \(p\) be a natural number. Let \(\Gamma\) be a group of type \(F_{p+1}\) and \(H\subset\Gamma\) be a finite subgroup that acts on \(\Gamma\) by automorphisms. Assume that the fixed point group \(\Gamma^h\) has infinite index in \(\Gamma\) for all nontrivial \(h\in H\). Let \(\Gamma\supset\Gamma_1\supset\Gamma_2\supset\cdots\) be a decreasing sequence of finite index normal \(H\)-stable subgroups of \(\Gamma\) with trivial intersection. Then, \[ \lim_{n\to \infty} \frac{m(\chi,H^p(\Gamma_n;\mathbb{C}))}{|\Gamma:\Gamma_n|}=\frac{\text{dim}(\chi)}{|H|}b^{(2)}_p(\Gamma), \] for every irreducible representation \(\chi\) of \(H\), and where \(b^{(2)}_p\) denotes the \(p\)th \(L^2\)-Betti number.