The algebraic and topological \(K\)-theory of the Hilbert modular group (Q721503)

\noindent Let \(G\) be a discrete group, \(\mathcal F\) a family of subgroups closed under taking subgroups and conjugation. A model for the classifying space \(E_{\mathcal F}\) is a \(G\)-\( CW\)-complex having the properties that all of its isotropy groups belong to \({\mathcal F}\) and the sets \(X^H\) are contractible for every \(H\in {\mathcal F}.\) Let \(EG,\) \({\underline E}G,\) \({\underline{\underline E}}G\) and \(E_KG\) be the classifying spaces for \({\mathcal F}\) equal to the family of trivial subgroups, all finite subgroups, all virtually cyclic subgroups (subgroups which have a finite cyclic subgroup of finite index) and subgroups generated by a subgroup \(K,\) respectively. The Farell-Jones isomorphism conjecture asserts that for a group \(G\) and a ring \(R\) and any \(n\in {\mathbb Z}\) the assembly map induced by \({\underline{\underline E}}G\rightarrow G/G\) \[ H_n^G({\underline{\underline E}}G; {\mathbb K}_R) \rightarrow H_n^G(G/G; {\mathbb K}_R) \cong K_n(R(G)) \] is an isomorphism. Here \({\mathbb K}_R\) is the \(K\)-theory spectrum and \(K_n(R(G))\) denotes the Quillen \(K\)-theory of the group ring \(R(G)\) if \(n\geq 0\) and the Bass \(K\)-theory groups if \(n\leq -1.\) The Baum-Connes conjecture predicts that for a discrete group \(G\) and \(n\in{\mathbb Z}\) the assembly map induced by the projection \({\underline E}G \rightarrow G/G\) \[ H_n^G({{\underline E}}G; {\mathbb K}^{\mathrm{top}}) \rightarrow H_n^G(G/G; {\mathbb K}^{\mathrm{top}}) \cong K_n^{\mathrm{top}}(C_r^{*}(G)) \] is an isomorphism. In the above formula \({\mathbb K}^{\mathrm{top}}\) is the topological \(K\)-theory spectrum and \(C_r^{*}(G)\) is the reduced \(C^{*}\)-algebra of \(G\) i.e. the completion of \({\mathbb C}(G)\) in \(L^{2}(G).\) The authors study the Whitehead groups with coefficients in a ring for the Hilbert modular group,. They also compute the rational topological \(K\)-theory of their reduced \(C^{*}\)-algebras. The main idea is to compute the sources (which are more accesible than the targets) of the assembly maps in the Farell-Jones and Baum-Connes conjectures. A model for the classifying space of the Hilbert modular group for the family of virtually cyclic subgroups has also been constructed.