Entropy, determinants, and \(L^{2}\)-torsion (Q2862638)

Let \(\Gamma\) be a countable discrete amenable group. The entropy considered in this paper is the topological entropy of the action of \(\Gamma\) on a compact metrizable group by continuous automorphisms.NEWLINENEWLINEDenote by \(\mathbb Z\Gamma\) the integral group ring of \(\Gamma\), consider a \(\mathbb Z\Gamma\)-module \(M\) and the action of \(\Gamma\) on the Pontryagin dual \(\widehat M\) of \(M\). If \(M\) is of type FL and the Euler characteristic of \(M\) is zero, then the \(L^2\)-torsion of \(M\) is defined (in terms of the Fuglede-Kadison determinant, defined on the group von Neumann algebra). The main theorem of the paper states that, under these assumptions, the entropy of the action of \(\Gamma\) on \(\widehat M\) coincides with the \(L^2\)-torsion of \(M\). Several consequences of this equality between two numerical invariants of different nature are given for \(L^2\)-torsion and entropy.NEWLINENEWLINEAn important consequence of the main theorem is the proof of a conjecture by Deninger. Indeed, the authors apply their main result when \(M\) is the quotient \(\mathbb Z\Gamma/\mathbb Z\Gamma f\), where \(f\) is a non-zero-divisor in \(\mathbb Z\Gamma\) and \(\mathbb Z\Gamma f\) is the principal ideal generated by \(f\) in \(\mathbb Z\Gamma\). In this case, the entropy of the natural action of \(\Gamma\) on \(\widehat M\) coincides with the logarithm of the Fuglede-Kadison determinant of \(f\). This extends classical results by Yuzvinski (for \(\Gamma=\mathbb Z\)) and by Lind, Schmidt and Ward (for \(\Gamma=\mathbb Z^d\)).NEWLINENEWLINEAnother application of the main theorem confirms a conjecture by Lück. In fact, it is proved that the \(L^2\)-torsion of a non-trivial amenable group \(\Gamma\) is zero if the trivial \(\mathbb Z\Gamma\)-module \(\mathbb Z\) is of type FL.NEWLINENEWLINEMoreover, the authors generalize a result by Szegö to an approximation theorem for the Fuglede-Kadison determinant on the group von Neumann algebra of an amenable group, which is applied in the proof of the main theorem.NEWLINENEWLINEFinally, using the main theorem, the notion of torsion is introduced for a countable \(\mathbb Z\Gamma\)-module as the entropy of its Pontryagin dual, and it is given a Milnor-Turaev formula for the \(L^2\)-torsion of a finite \(\Delta\)-acyclic chain complex.