Additivity of Euler characteristics in relative algebraic \(K\)-groups (Q2575119)

Let \(\Lambda\) be a ring and \(P\) a bounded complex of finitely generated \(\Lambda\)-modules. The authors consider complexes \(P\) equipped with a trivialization \(t_P\), which is some additional data on the cohomology of the complex \(\Sigma\otimes_\Lambda P\), where \(\Sigma\) is an extension of \(\Lambda\). Under the assumption that \(\Sigma\) is noetherian and regular, they define an Euler characteristic \(\chi(P,t_P)\) taking values in the relative algebraic \(K\)-group \(K_0(\Lambda, \Sigma)\), establish its basic properties, and prove a crucial additivity property with respect to distinguished triangles in \({\mathcal D}(\Lambda)\). This main result depends on some technical results concerning very general determinant functors on categories of bounded complexes and on the relationship between the determinant of a complex and the determinant of its cohomology. Finally, the particular case when \(\Sigma\) is semisimple is discussed in detail.