Induced projective modules over group von Neumann algebras (Q2502114)

Let \(G\) be a group and \(k\) a subring of \(\mathbb C\). The author studies the additive map in reduced \(K\)-theory \[ \tilde{K_0}(kG) \rightarrow \tilde{K_0}(\mathcal NG), \] where \(\mathcal NG\) denotes the von Neumann algebra of \(G\). The first result shows that this map is zero modulo torsion if and only if no torsion element \(\neq 1\) of \(G\), which has only finitely many conjugates, is invertible in \(k\). The main result then states that this map is identically zero if and only if the image of the trace map \(K_0(kG) \rightarrow k\) is equal to \(\mathbb Z\). These results generalize previous work of \textit{R. G. Swan} [``Induced representations and projective modules'', Ann. Math. (2) 71, 552--578 (1960; Zbl 0104.25102)], who considered the case \(k = \mathbb Z\), \(G\) finite, and of \textit{B. Eckmann} [``Projective and Hilbert modules over group algebras, and finitely dominated spaces'', Comment. Math. Helv. 71, 453--462 (1996); addendum ibid. 72, 329 (1997; Zbl 0869.57025)], who proved the main result for \(k = \mathbb Z\).