\(K\)- and \(L\)-theory of the semi-direct product of the discrete 3-dimensional Heisenberg group by \(\mathbb Z/4\) (Q2388877)

Let \(H\) denote the three-dimensional discrete Heisenberg group, which is a subgroup of \(GL_3(\mathbb Z)\) consisting of upper triangular matrices with units on the diagonal. There is a natural action of the group \(\mathbb Z/4\) on \(H\) given by \(\left(\begin{smallmatrix} 1&x&y\\0&1&z\\0&0&1\end{smallmatrix}\right)\mapsto \left(\begin{smallmatrix} 1&-z&y-xz\\0&1&x\\0&0&1\end{smallmatrix}\right)\). Let \(G=H\rtimes\mathbb Z/4\) denote the semi-direct product group. This group is amenable, hence it satisfies the Baum-Connes conjecture. It is shown that the real Heisenberg group (the subgroup of \(GL_3(\mathbb R)\) consisting of upper triangular matrices with units on the diagonal) with the natural \(G\)-action is a classifying space for proper actions of \(G\) and the quotient space \(G{\setminus} \underline{E}G\) is homeomorphic to the three-dimensional sphere. This makes it possible to compute the \(K\)-theory of the group \(C^*\)-algebra of \(G\): \(K_n(C^*(G))\cong \mathbb Z^5\) for any \(n\). In a similar way, using the Farrell-Jones conjecture instead of the Baum-Connes conjecture, the author computes Whitehead groups and \(L\)-groups of \(G\). He also computes homology groups of \(G\). Finally, the author considers order 2, 3 or 6 automorphisms of \(H\) and the corresponding semi-direct product groups and shows that his method works for these groups as well.