On uniqueness of characteristic classes (Q531328)

The paper gives an axiomatic characterization of functorial maps from the algebraic \(K\)-groups of a scheme to either algebraic \(K\)-groups or to suitable cohomology theories. When applied to maps such as Adams operations, \(\lambda\)-operations, Chern classes, Chern characters or regulator maps, this characterization shows in a streamlined way that different constructions of these maps given by various authors (Gillet/Soulé, Grayson, Burgos/Wang, Goncharov, Beilinson, Burgos/Feliu, etc.) indeed define the same maps. The author's characterization relies on \textit{H. Gillet}'s and \textit{C. Soulé}'s interpretation of \(K\)-theory as a generalized cohomology theory [Proc.\ Symp.\ Pure Math.~67, 89--148 (1999; Zbl 0951.19003)]. The main idea is that any functorial map as above is characterized by its values on virtual vector bundles of rank~\(0\) over the simplicial classifying space~\(B.GL_N\).