Equivariant \(K\)-theory of GKM bundles (Q1941072)

A GKM manifold is a manifold \(M\) of even dimension \(2d\) endowed with an effective action of a torus \(T\), which produces a nice graph called a GKM graph. We denote it by \(\Gamma_M\) or simply \(\Gamma\). The vertex set of this graph is \(M^T\) and the edge set consists of connected components of \(M^H\), each of which is orientation-preserving diffeomorphic to \(S^2\) with its standard \(S^1\) action, where \(H\) is a codimension one subtorus of \(T\). This graph is \(d\)-valent. We denote by \(\alpha\) the function defined by assigning to each oriented edge the weight of the isotropy action of \(T\) on the tangent space at the north pole of the \(S^2\) corresponding to this edge. Then it is known that \(K_T(M)\) is isomorphic to the \(K\)-ring \(K_\alpha(\Gamma)\) of the pair \((\Gamma, \alpha)\). Given a \(T\)-equivariant fiber bundle \(\pi : M \to B\) of GKM manifolds, this paper analyzes the structure of \(K_T(M)\) as a module over \(K_T(B)\) by studying the fiber bundle \(\pi : \Gamma_M \to \Gamma_B\) of the associated GKM graphs instead of itself. In the above, \(K_\alpha(\Gamma)\) is defined as a subring of \(\text{Maps}(M^T, R(T))\) consisting of elements called \(K\)-classes of \((\Gamma, \alpha)\). The authors prove that if given \(K\)-classes \(c_1, \cdots, c_m\) on \(\Gamma_M\) such that for every \(p \in B^T\) the restrictions of these classes to the fiber \(\pi^{-1}(p)\) form a basis for \(K_{\alpha_M}(\pi^{-1}(p))\), then \(K_{\alpha_M}(\Gamma_M)\) becomes isomorphic to the free \(K_{\alpha_B}(\Gamma_B)\)-module on \(c_1, \cdots, c_m\). In addition it is shown that such a basis can be constructed from certain \(K\)-classes, called invariant classes. As an example of these classes the authors observe those on \(Fl(\mathbb{C}^n)\) and \(\mathbb{C}P^{n-1}\) equipped with the natural action of \(T=(S^1)^n\). Incidentally, analogous results for equivariant cohomology theory were also obtained by the authors [J. Algebr. Comb. 35, No. 1, 19--59 (2012 Zbl 1233.57021)].