Equivariant 𝐸-theory for 𝐶*-algebras (Q4516348)

Ordinary \(E\)-theory is the universal bifunctor on the category of complex \(C^*\)-algebras with values in abelian groups which is homotopy invariant, stable and satisfies excision. As such it is closely connected to Kasparov's bivariant \(K\)-theory which has a similar characterization with excision replaced by split exactness. \(E\)-theory was introduced by Connes and Higson who describe it explicitely in terms of asymptotic morphisms. An asymptotic morphism \(\varphi:A\to B\) is a \(C^*\)-algebra homomorphism from \(A\) to the quotient \(C^*\)-algebra \(C_b(\mathbb{R}_+, B)/C_0(\mathbb{R}_+,B)\) where \(C_b(\mathbb{R}_+, B)\) denotes the algebra of bounded continuous \(B\)-valued functions on the real halfline and \(C_0(\mathbb{R}_+,B)\) denotes the ideal of functions vanishing at infinity. For a pair \((A,B)\) of \(C^*\)-algebras the \(E\)-theory group is then defined as \[ E(A,B):=\biggl[\bigl[\Sigma A\otimes{\mathcal K}({\mathcal H}),\Sigma B \otimes{\mathcal K}({\mathcal H})\bigr] \biggr] \] the group of homotopy classes of asymptotic morphisms from the stable suspension \(\Sigma B\otimes {\mathcal K}({\mathcal H})\) of \(A\) to the stable suspension \(\Sigma A\otimes {\mathcal K}({\mathcal H})\) of \(B\). The aim of the present book is to lay carefully the foundations of an equivariant \(E\)-theory for \(C^*\)-algebras acted upon by a locally compact group. This is worth wile as the theory plays for example a crucial role in the proof by Higson and Kasparov of the Baum-Connes conjecture for groups acting properly and isometrically on Hilbert space. We come now to the content of the paper. It starts with the definition of equivariant asymptotic homomorphisms of \(G-C^*\)-algebras and the construction of the equivariant asymptotic homotopy category. Equivariant \(E\)-theory is then defined as follows. Let \({\mathcal H}':= \oplus L^2(G)\) be a countable direct sum of copies of the regular representation of \(G\). The algebra \({\mathcal K}({\mathcal H}')\) becomes then a \(G-C^*\)-algebra with ``free'' \(G\)-action. For a pair \((A,B)\) of separable \(G-C^*\)-algebras one puts \[ E_G(A,B): =\biggl[\bigl[\Sigma A\otimes {\mathcal K}({\mathcal H}'),\Sigma B\otimes {\mathcal K}({\mathcal H}') \bigr]\biggr]_G \] where \([[-,-]]_G\) denotes the set of morphisms in the equivariant asymptotic homotopy category. A detailed proof of excision in both variables of \(E_G(-,-)\) is given. In order to compare equivariant and ordinary \(E\)-theory a natural descent homomorphism \[ E_G(-,-)\to E\bigl(C^*(G,-),C^*(G,-)\bigr) \] is constructed. (Here \(C^*(G,-)\) denotes the maximal crossed product. Contrary to the situation in equivariant \(KK\)-theory, descent in \(E\)-theory with respect to reduced crossed products seems to exist only for \(C^*\)-exact groups.) The authors then define an assembly map and reformulate the famous Baum-Connes conjecture in \(E\)-theory: Conjecture 0.2: Let \(G\) be a locally compact, second countable, Hausdorff topological group. Let \({\mathcal E}G\) be a universal proper \(G\)-space. Then the assembly map \[ \mu_{\text{red}}:E_G ({\mathcal E}G,\mathbb{C})\to E\bigl(\mathbb{C},C^*_{\text{red}}(G)\bigr) =K \bigl(C^*_{\text{red}}(G)\bigr) \] is an isomorphism of abelian groups. Generalizing a result of Green and Julg the authors show that the Baum-Connes assembly map \[ \mu:E_\Gamma({\mathcal E}\Gamma,D)\to E\bigl( \mathbb{C},C^* (\Gamma,D) \bigr)= K\bigl(C^*(\Gamma,D) \bigr) \] for a countable discrete group \(\Gamma\) with coefficients in a proper \(\Gamma-C^*\)-algebra \(D\) is an isomorphism. They use this to give the following application to the Baum-Connes conjecture with coefficients: Theorem 0.3: Let \(G\) be a countable discrete group and suppose that there is a proper \(G-C^*\)-algebra \(D\) and elements \(\alpha\in E_G (D, \mathbb{C})\) and \(\beta\in E_G(\mathbb{C},D)\) whose composition is \(\alpha\circ \beta=1\in E_G(\mathbb{C}, \mathbb{C})\). Then for any \(G-C^*\)-algebra \(B\) the assembly map \[ \mu:E_G ({\mathcal E}G,B) \to E\bigl(\mathbb{C},C^* (G,B)\bigr)= K\bigl(C^*(G,B) \bigr) \] is an isomorphism. (It should be noted that the paper treats exclusively maximal crossed products whereas the Baum-Connes conjecture deals with reduced crossed products).