Riemann-Roch theorem for higher bivariant \(K\)-functors (Q931895)

\textit{P. Baum , W. Fulton} and \textit{R. MacPherson} [Acta Math. 143, 155--192 (1979; Zbl 0474.14004)] proved a \(K\)-homological version of the Riemann-Roch theorem for quasi-projective varieties. The statement of the Riemann-Roch theorem in this context translates to the existence and uniqueness of a specific natural transformation from the Grothendieck group \(K^{alg}_0(X)\) of the category of coherent sheaves on the quasi-projective variety \(X\) to the topological \(K\)-theory group \(K^{top}_0(X)\). Later \textit{H. Gillet} in [Adv. Math. 40, 203--289 (1981; Zbl 0478.14010)] generalized their results from the \(K_0\)-level to higher \(K\)-theory. About the same time \textit{W. Fulton} and \textit{R. MacPherson} [Mem. Am. Math. Soc. 243, 165 p. (1981; Zbl 0467.55005)] considered relative versions of the \(K\)-theory groups and construct corresponding Riemann-Roch transformations \(K^{alg}_0(f) \to K^{top}_0(f)\) for morphisms \(f\) between quasi-projective varieties. In addition they showed that these Riemann-Roch transformations are compatible with the composition product, which is induced by the composition of morphisms. In the same memoir they conjectured that their bivariant version of the Riemann-Roch transformation also should have an analogue for higher \(K\)-theory. In the paper under review the author constructs the desired bivariant version of the Riemann-Roch transformation for higher \(K\)-theory. In fact, he proves much more as his construction is made to apply to morphisms between general complex spaces, and not just to apply to morphisms between quasi-projective varieties. From that respect the work in the paper under review should be thought of as a continuation of the one in the same author's paper [\textit{R. N. Levy}, Acta Math. 158, 149--188 (1987; Zbl 0627.32004)], where he already generalized the Baum-Fulton-MacPherson version of the Riemann Roch transformation from quasi-projective varieties to general complex spaces. To obtain the bivariant Riemann-Roch transformation in all degrees of \(K\)-theory the author constructs an exact functor between suitably defined Waldhausen categories such that the desired transformation is realized by taking \(K\)-theory. In order to verify the main characteristic properties of the transformation the author in fact uses two different models for the exact functor. To show the compatibility of the bivariant Riemann-Roch transformation with the direct image functor he considers a model which is constructed using functional-analytic methods from [\textit{R. N. Levy}, loc. cit.], while to verify the compatibility of the bivariant Riemann-Roch transformation with the composition product he uses a more algebraically oriented definition of the exact functor. To show that the two exact functors yield the same bivariant Riemann-Roch transformation the author introduces and compares various intermediate Waldhausen categories, which all represent the relevant algebraic respectively topological \(K\)-theory groups.