Quadratic \(KU_{1}\) of localizations (Q974383)

Let \(R\) and \(S\) be associative rings with identity. A ring homomorphism \(\varepsilon: R\to S\) is said to be \textit{local} in case, for any square matrix \(A\) over \(R\), if \(\varepsilon (A)\) is invertible then \(A\) is invertible. A ring homomorphism \(\varepsilon\) is said to be an \textit{augmentation} if there is a ring homomorphism \(j: S\to R\) such that \(\varepsilon j= \text{id}_S\). \textit{D. Sheiham} proved [``Whitehead groups of localizations and the endomorphism class group'', J. Algebra 270, No.~1, 261--280 (2003; Zbl 1036.19001)] that, if \(\varepsilon : R\to S\) is a local augmentation, then \(K_1(R)\cong K_1(S)\oplus \varepsilon ^{-1} (1)/C\), where \(C\) is the subgroup generated by all elements of the form \((1+ab)(1+ba)^{-1}\) with \(\varepsilon (ab)=\varepsilon (ba)=0\). For a form ring \((R, \Lambda)\), one can form an abelian group \(K_1(R,\Lambda)\), by using the general quadratic groups \(U_{2n}(R,\Lambda)\) and their elementary subgroups \(EU_{2n}(R,\Lambda)\). The authors obtain an analog of Sheiham's result in this context, namely they show that if \(f: (R_1,\Lambda _1)\to (R_2,\Lambda _2) \) is a local augmentation of form rings, then there is a canonical isomorphism \[ KU_1(R_1,\Lambda_1)\cong KU_1(R_2,\Lambda _2)\oplus f^{-1}(1)/VS, \] where \(V=\langle (1+ab)(1+ba)^{-1}\mid a,b\in R_1, a \text{ or } b\in \text{Ker}(f)\rangle \), \(S= \langle 1+ab\in GL_1(R_1)\mid a,b^*\in \Lambda _1 \cap \text{Ker} (f) \text{ or } b,a^*\in \Lambda _1 \cap \text{Ker} (f) \rangle \). This is applied to formal power series rings and to the augmentation localization of group rings.