Dimension invariants for groups admitting a cocompact model for proper actions (Q346749)

Let \(G\) be a discrete infinite group. By a model for \(\underline{E}G\), the classifying space for proper actions of \(G\), we mean a cocompact \(G\)-CW-complex \(X\) with finite stabilizers such that \(X^H\) is contractible for every finite subgroup \(H \subset G\). Here ``cocompact'' indicates the orbit space \(G\backslash X\) is compact. We define \(\underline{\mathrm{gd}}(G)=\mathrm{inf}\dim(X)\), where the infimum is taken over all models \(X\) for \(\underline{E}G\), which is called the geometric dimension for proper actions of \(G\). The algebraic mirror to this invariant is the Bredon cohomological dimension \(\underline{\mathrm{cd}}(G)\). It is known [\textit{W. Lück} and \textit{D. Meintrup}, Contemp. Math. 258, 293--305 (2000; Zbl 0979.55010)] that these two invariants coincide with perhaps only one exception. In this paper the authors provide a formula in order to calculate this invariant \(\underline{\mathrm{cd}}(G)\). Let \(H^*_c\) denote the cohomology with compact support. Then it can be stated as follows: \[ \underline{\mathrm{cd}}(G)=\max\{n\in \mathbb{N}\mid \mathrm{H}^n_c(X^K, X^K_{\mathrm{sing}})\neq 0 \text{ for some finite subgroup }K\subset G\} \] where \(X^K_{\mathrm{sing}}\subset X^K\) is the subcomplex consisting of cells of \(X^K\) which are fixed by finite subgroups \(L\subset G\) such that \(K \varsubsetneq L\). This formula enables us to compute certain Bredon cohomological dimensions. In fact, by using this the authors prove that the Bredon cohomological dimension of the fundamental group \(G\) of a non-positively curved simple complex of finite groups is 2, which in particular shows that \(G\) is not virtually torsion-free. Furthermore, the authors consider the case of Coxeter groups \(G\) and graph products \(W\) of finite groups and obtain that the Bredon cohomological dimension \(\underline{\mathrm{cd}}(G)\) is equal to the virtual cohomological dimension \(\mathrm{vcd}(W)\).