Torsion in \(K\)-theory for boundary actions on affine buildings of type \(\widetilde{A}_n\) (Q5938995)

Let \(\Delta\) be a locally affine building of type \(\widetilde{A}_n\), \(n\in{\mathbb N}\), i.e., an \(n\)-dimensional simplicial complex and let \(\Delta^0\) be its vertex set. There is a type map \(\tau:\Delta^0\to{\mathbb Z}/(n+1){\mathbb Z}\) such that each simplex of maximal dimension (chamber) has exactly one vertex of each type. An automorphism \(\alpha\) of \(\Delta\) is type-rotating if there exists \(k\in{\mathbb Z}/(n+1){\mathbb Z}\) such that \(\tau(\alpha v)=\tau(v)+k\) for all \(v\in\Delta^0\). An apartment in \(\Delta\) is a subcomplex that is isomorphic to a Coxeter complex of type \(\widetilde{A}_n\) and a sector is a simplicial cone made up of chambers in some apartment and containing a unique base chamber. Two sectors are equivalent if their intersection contains a sector. The boundary \(\partial\Delta\) of \(\Delta\) is the set of equivalence classes of sectors in \(\Delta\). Let \(\Gamma\) be a torsion-free discrete group of type rotating automorphisms of \(\Delta\) and let \([I]\) denote the class of the unit \(I\) of the \(C^*\)-algebra \(C(\partial\Delta)\rtimes\Gamma\) in the \(K\)-theory group \(K_0(C(\partial\Delta)\rtimes \Gamma)\). The main result of the paper is that \([I]\) is a torsion element if \(\Gamma\) acts cocompactly on \(\Delta\). An explicit bound for the order of \([I]\) is given and it is shown that for \(n=1,2\) the Euler-Poincaré characteristic \(\chi(\Gamma)\) annihilates \([I]\).