Questions tagged [kt.k-theory-and-homology]

Algebraic and topological K-theory, relations with topology, commutative algebra, and operator algebras

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171 votes
7 answers
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Proofs of Bott periodicity

K-theory sits in an intersection of a whole bunch of different fields, which has resulted in a huge variety of proof techniques for its basic results. For instance, here's a scattering of proofs of ...
Eric Peterson's user avatar
163 votes
38 answers
27k views

Short exact sequences every mathematician should know

I'd like to have a big-list of "great" short exact sequences that capture some vital phenomena. I'm learning module theory, so I'd like to get a good stock of examples to think about. An ...
98 votes
10 answers
23k views

Motivation for algebraic K-theory?

I'm looking for a big-picture treatment of algebraic K-theory and why it's important. I've seen various abstract definitions (Quillen's plus and Q constructions, some spectral constructions like ...
S. Carnahan's user avatar
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88 votes
5 answers
7k views

Algorithm or theory of diagram chasing

One of the standard parts of homological algebra is "diagram chasing", or equivalent arguments with universal properties in abelian categories. Is there a rigorous theory of diagram chasing, and ...
Greg Kuperberg's user avatar
81 votes
3 answers
12k views

Intuitive explanation for the Atiyah-Singer index theorem

My question is related to the question Explanation for the Chern Character to this question about Todd classes, and to this question about the Atiyah-Singer index theorem. I'm trying to learn the ...
Daniel Moskovich's user avatar
80 votes
2 answers
7k views

Vladimir Voevodsky's works

Vladimir Voevodsky has made several contributions in abstract algebraic geometry, focused on the homotopy theory of schemes, algebraic K-theory, and interrelations between algebraic geometry, and ...
73 votes
1 answer
8k views

Derived Functors Versus Spectral Sequences

Let $A{\buildrel F\over\rightarrow}B{\buildrel G\over\rightarrow}C$ be additive functors between abelian categories. Hartshorne, in Proposition 5.4 of Residues and Duality, constructs the obvious ...
Steven Landsburg's user avatar
71 votes
3 answers
7k views

Where do all these projection formulas come from?

I have been intrigued for a long time by the formal similarity of results from different areas of mathematics. Here are some examples. Set theory Given a map $f:X\to Y$ and subsets $X' \subset X, Y'\...
Georges Elencwajg's user avatar
61 votes
3 answers
5k views

Atiyah-Singer theorem-a big picture

So far I made several attempts to really learn Atiyah-Singer theorem. In order to really understand this result a rather broad background is required: you need to know analysis (pseudodifferential ...
truebaran's user avatar
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57 votes
7 answers
5k views

What are surprising examples of Model Categories?

Background Model categories are an axiomization of the machinery underlying the study of topological spaces up to homotopy equivalence. They consist of a category $C$, together with three ...
Greg Muller's user avatar
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57 votes
5 answers
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Why are spectral sequences so ubiquitous?

I sort of understand the definition of a spectral sequence and am aware that it is an indispensable tool in modern algebraic geometry and topology. But why is this the case, and what can one do with ...
Akhil Mathew's user avatar
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57 votes
2 answers
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What arithmetic information is contained in the algebraic K-theory of the integers

I'm always looking for applications of homotopy theory to other fields, mostly as a way to make my talks more interesting or to motivate the field to non-specialists. It seems like most talks about ...
David White's user avatar
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55 votes
8 answers
6k views

Applications of Grothendieck-Riemann-Roch?

I am currently trying to learn a bit about Grothendieck-Riemann-Roch... To try to get a better feeling for it, I am looking for examples of nice applications of GRR applied to a proper morphism $X \...
Kevin H. Lin's user avatar
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54 votes
6 answers
6k views

What happened to online articles published in K-theory (Springer journal)?

As most people probably know, the journal "K-theory" used to be published by Springer, but was discontinued after the editorial board resigned around 2007. The editors (or many of them) started the ...
53 votes
12 answers
9k views

Looking for an introduction to orbifolds

Is there any source where the basic facts about orbifolds are written and proved in full detail? I found the article by Satake "The Gauss-Bonnet Theorem for V-manifolds", but I'd like to have a more ...
Themaninthebox's user avatar
53 votes
4 answers
13k views

Explanation for the Chern character

The Chern character is often seen as just being a convenient way to get a ring homomorphism from K-theory to (ordinary) cohomology. The most usual definition in that case seems to just be to define ...
Sam Derbyshire's user avatar
51 votes
5 answers
5k views

What (if anything) unifies stable homotopy theory and Grothendieck's six functors formalism?

I know of two very general frameworks for describing generalizations of what a "cohomology theory" should be: Grothendieck's "six functors", and the theory of spectra. In the former, one assigns to ...
Dan Petersen's user avatar
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50 votes
0 answers
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Atiyah's paper on complex structures on $S^6$

M. Atiyah has posted a preprint on arXiv on the non-existence of complex structure on the sphere $S^6$. https://arxiv.org/abs/1610.09366 It relies on the topological $K$-theory $KR$ and in ...
David C's user avatar
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48 votes
0 answers
17k views

What is the current understanding regarding complex structures on the 6-sphere?

In October 2016, Atiyah famously posted a preprint to the arXiv, "The Non-Existent Complex 6-Sphere" containing a very brief proof $S^6$ admits no complex structure, which I immediately read and ...
jdc's user avatar
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38 votes
3 answers
2k views

Lambda-operations on stable homotopy groups of spheres

The Barratt-Quillen-Priddy theorem says in one interpretation that there is a weak equivalence of spectra $K(FinSet) \simeq \mathbb{S}^0$. In other words K-theory groups of finite sets are the stable ...
skupers's user avatar
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37 votes
6 answers
6k views

Why is Milnor K-theory not ad hoc?

When Milnor introduced in "Algebraic K-Theory and Quadratic Forms" the Milnor K-groups he said that his definition is motivated by Matsumoto's presentation of algebraic $K_2(k)$ for a field $k$ but is ...
user717's user avatar
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37 votes
7 answers
6k views

Book on Hochschild (co)homology

There is currently no treatise treating Hochschild (co)homology systematically. There is a chapter in Weibel's book, there's parts of Loday's and a few others... What should be covered by such a ...
37 votes
1 answer
2k views

Morava on Shafarevich conjecture

$\DeclareMathOperator\Q{\mathbf{Q}}$Jack Morava has some interesting ideas stemming from stable homotopy theory and geometric topology on the Shafarevich Conjecture. The Shafarevich Conjecture states: ...
Romeo's user avatar
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37 votes
0 answers
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Homology of $\mathrm{PGL}_2(F)$

Update: As mentioned below, the answer to the original question is a strong No. However, the case of $\pi_4$ remains, and actually I think that this one would follow from Suslin's conjecture on ...
Peter Scholze's user avatar
36 votes
5 answers
6k views

What is the equivariant cohomology of a group acting on itself by conjugation?

This question makes sense for any topological group $G$, but I'd particularly like to know the answer for $G$ a compact, connected Lie group. $G$ acts on itself by conjugation. One has the equivariant ...
Tim Perutz's user avatar
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36 votes
0 answers
865 views

Chern character of a Representation

Let $G$ be a finite group. Under the identification of the representation ring $R_{\mathbb{C}}(G)$ with the equivariant K-theory $KU^0_G(\ast)$ of the point, followed by Atiyah-Segal completion-...
Urs Schreiber's user avatar
36 votes
0 answers
1k views

Functor that maps to both $KO^n$ and $KO^{-n}$

(my question is also meaningful for complex K-theory, but since Kn(X) is always isomorphic to K-n(X), it's less interesting) I start by recalling the analytic definition of KO-theory: The following ...
André Henriques's user avatar
35 votes
5 answers
5k views

Understanding a quip from Gian-Carlo Rota

In the chapter "A Mathematician's Gossip" of his renowned Indiscrete Thoughts, Rota launches into a diatribe concerning the "replete injustice" of misplaced credit and "forgetful hero-worshiping" of ...
33 votes
2 answers
2k views

What are the "correct" conventions for defining Clifford algebras?

I have three related questions about conventions for defining Clifford algebras. 1) Let $(V, q)$ be a quadratic vector space. Should the Clifford algebra $\text{Cliff}(V, q)$ have defining ...
Qiaochu Yuan's user avatar
33 votes
1 answer
699 views

Equivalence of topological Hochschild homology and Mac Lane homology via an equivalence $QA\simeq HA \wedge_{\mathbb{S}} H\mathbb{Z}$

Mac Lane homology is a homology theory for (not necessarily commutative) rings. Given a ring $A$, Eilenberg and Mac Lane define its cubical construction $QA$ to be a certain connective chain complex, ...
Matt Booth's user avatar
32 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is every ''group-completion'' map an acyclic map?

I start with a longer discussion which will result in a precise version of the question. A am puzzled about an issue with the Quillen plus construction. I have seen outstanding experts being confused ...
Johannes Ebert's user avatar
31 votes
6 answers
2k views

Bass' stable range of $\mathbf Z[X]$

Let $n$ be a positive integer and $A$ be a commutative ring. The ring $A$ is said to be of Bass stable range $\mathrm{sr}(A)\leq n$ if for $a, a_1, \dots, a_n \in A$ one has the following implication: ...
Oblomov's user avatar
  • 2,501
31 votes
2 answers
3k views

Conceptual explanation for the relationship between Clifford algebras and KO

Recall the following table of Clifford algebras: $$\begin{array}{ccc} n & Cl_n & M_n/i^{*}M_{n+1}\\ 1 & \mathbb{C} & \mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z} \\ 2 & \mathbb{H} & \mathbb{Z}/2\...
Callan McGill's user avatar
30 votes
1 answer
2k views

Morava K-theories for dummies?

Professor Urs Würgler passed away one year ago, and his wife engraved his tombstone with "the formula he was the most proud of" : $B(n)_*(X)\cong P(n)_*(K(n))\square_{\Sigma_n}K(n)_*(X)$ However ...
Dr. Goulu's user avatar
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30 votes
4 answers
2k views

When can we cancel vector bundles from tensor products?

Let $E,F,G$ be algebraic vector bundles over $\mathbb P_{\mathbb C}^n$. My general question is: Assume $E\otimes G \cong F\otimes G$, under what conditions can one conclude that $E\cong F$? Some ...
Hailong Dao's user avatar
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30 votes
1 answer
2k views

A modern interpretation of Quillen's computation of the K theory of finite fields

In his beautiful paper On the cohomology and K theory of the general linear group over a finite field, Quillen constructs (if I understand correctly) an isomorphism on connected components of K-theory ...
Dmitry Vaintrob's user avatar
28 votes
1 answer
2k views

A question about the topological proofs of Bott periodicity

There are purely topological proof of Botts periodicity theorem, the first one given by Dyer and Lashof. I am heading to discuss the proof in my lecture course on homotopy theory (as a final chord ...
Johannes Ebert's user avatar
27 votes
0 answers
1k views

Computational complexity of topological K-theory

I am a novice with K-theory trying to understand what is and what is not possible. Given a finite simplicial complex $X$, there of course elementary ways to quickly compute the cohomology of $X$ with ...
Jeremy Hahn's user avatar
26 votes
3 answers
2k views

Does Milnor K-Theory arise from Waldhausen K-Theory

Quillens higher K-groups of rings can be realized as πnK(C) - the Waldhausen K-Theory of a suitable Waldhausen category C. Is this also true for Milnor K-Theory of Rings? Is there a functor F from ...
user2146's user avatar
  • 1,253
26 votes
5 answers
9k views

Textbook or lecture notes in topological K-Theory

I am looking for a good introductory level textbook (or set of lecture notes) on classical topological K-Theory that would be suitable for a one-semester graduate course. Ideally, it would require ...
26 votes
1 answer
4k views

Voevodsky's counterexample to the existence of a motivic t-structure

I have been trying to unravel some of the known relationships between various ideas on mixed motives. I find the literature quite hard to follow -"from experts, for experts". Voevodsky in "...
plm's user avatar
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26 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is to tmf as KR is to KO?

The $E_\infty$-ring spectrum $KU$ of complex K-theory carries a canonical involution induced from complex conjugation of complex vector bundles. The homotopy fixed points of this $\mathbb{Z}_2$-action ...
Urs Schreiber's user avatar
26 votes
1 answer
1k views

Group with finite outer automorphism group and large center

Does there exist a finitely generated group $G$ with outer automorphism group $\mathrm{Out}(G)$ finite, whose center contains infinitely many elements of order $p$ for some prime $p$? A motivation is ...
YCor's user avatar
  • 60.1k
26 votes
0 answers
2k views

derived category of equivariant coherent sheaves and fixed points

The K-group $K^T(X)$ of $T$(torus)-equivariant coherent sheaves on a variety $X$ is isomorphic to $K^T(X^T)$, that of the fixed point locus via the inclusion homomorphism, when we tensor the quotient ...
Hiraku Nakajima's user avatar
25 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why not $\mathit{KSO}$, $\mathit{KSpin}$, etc.?

If $X$ is a compact Hausdorff space, we can consider the Grothendieck ring of real vector bundles on $X$, $\mathit{KO}^0(X)$, and this extends to a generalized cohomology theory represented by a ring ...
Arun Debray's user avatar
  • 6,756
25 votes
1 answer
1k views

Comparison map between de Rham cohomology of analytic and formal neighborhoods of singularities

Suppose that $X$ is a complex algebraic (or complex analytic) variety, and $x \in X$ is a singular point. I am interested in two types of local differential forms at $x$: analytic and formal. First, ...
travis schedler's user avatar
24 votes
2 answers
2k views

Does a "Chern character" exist for any generalized cohomology theory?

The Chern character is a ring homomorphism from complex K-theory to the usual cohomology. 1) I wonder if there are "Chern character"-like ring homomorphisms from other generalized cohomology theories ...
Bo Peng's user avatar
  • 1,505
23 votes
3 answers
3k views

Plus construction considerations.

In order to realise the K-groups of a ring as the homotopy groups of some space associated to that ring, Quillen proposed the following (roughly-sketched) construction: Recall that $K_1(R) = GL(R)/E(...
Joshua Seaton's user avatar
23 votes
3 answers
2k views

Brauer Groups and K-Theory

Is there some a priori reason why we should expect the Brauer group of real [complex] super vector spaces to be closely related to periodicity in real [complex] K-theory? By "a priori" I mean a proof ...
Kevin Walker's user avatar
  • 12.3k
23 votes
4 answers
3k views

What are Picard categories, where can I learn more about them, and why should I care to?

I have the category-theoretic background of the occasional stroll through MacLane's text, so excuse my ignorance in this regard. I was trying to learn all that I could on the subject of tensor ...
lambdafunctor's user avatar

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