Independent resolutions for totally disconnected dynamical systems. II: \(C^\ast\)-algebraic case (Q2835231)

Let \(E\) be a semilattice, i.e., a commutative semigroup in which every element \(e\) satisfies \(e^2=e\), with a zero element. The \(C^\ast\)-algebra of \(E\) is the universal \(C^\ast\)-algebra \(C^*(E)\) generated by projections \(p_e\), \(e\in E\), such that \(e\mapsto p_e\) is a semigroup homomorphism. A group homomorphism from a group \(\Gamma\) to the group of semigroup automorphisms of \(E\) induces an action of \(\Gamma\) on \(C^*(E)\). It is known that a \(C^\ast\)-algebra of the form \(C_0(\Omega)\) for a totally disconnected space \(\Omega\) is isomorphic to \(C^*(E)\) for a suitable semilattice \(E\), but an action of a group \(\Gamma\) on \(\Omega\) need not induce an action of \(\Gamma\) on \(E\). Nevertheless, there exist semilattices \(E,E_1,E_2,\ldots\) with actions of \(\Gamma\), such that the \(\Gamma\)-equivariant sequence \(\cdots\to C^*(E_2)\to C^*(E_1)\to C^*(E)\to C_0(\Omega)\to 0\) (called an ``independent resolution for \(C_0(\Omega)\)'') is exact. The paper addresses the question when there exists a ``finite'' resolution for \(C_0(\Omega)\), as this simplifies the calculation of the \(K\)-theory groups of the crossed product of \(C_0(\Omega)\) by \(\Gamma\). A sufficient condition for the existence of a finite independent resolution is given, together with several examples of calculation of \(K\)-theory groups.