arXiv research

We introduce a new variant of the coarse Baum-Connes conjecture designed to tackle coarsely disconnected metric spaces called the boundary coarse Baum-Connes conjecture. We prove this conjecture for many coarsely disconnected spaces that are known to be counterexamples to the coarse Baum-Connes conjecture. In particula…

We present a history of the Baum-Connes conjecture, the methods involved, the current status, and the mathematics it generated.

Strong bolicity helps prove Baum-Connes conjecture for certain hyperbolic groups.

We present an alternative approach to the result of Guentner, Higson, and Weinberger concerning the Baum-Connes conjecture for finitely generated subgroups of SL(2,C). Using finite-dimensional methods, we show that the Baum-Connes assembly map for such groups is an isomorphism.

We associate a non-commutative $C^*$-algebra with any locally finite simplicial complex. We determine the $K$-theory of these algebras and show that they can be used to obtain a conceptual explanation for the Baum-Connes conjecture.

We study the possibility of applying a finite-dimensionality argument in order to address parts of the Baum-Connes conjecture for finitely generated linear groups. This gives an alternative approach to the results of Guentner, Higson, and Weinberger concerning the Baum-Connes conjecture for linear groups. For any finit…

We introduce a notion of fibred coarse embedding into Hilbert space for metric spaces, which is a generalization of Gromov's notion of coarse embedding into Hilbert space. It turns out that a large class of expander graphs admit such an embedding. We show that the maximal coarse Baum-Connes conjecture holds for metric …

These notes cover the contents of three survey lectures held at the ICTP Trieste Summer school on High dimensional manifold theory 2001. They introduce techniques coming from the theory of operator algebras. We will focus on the basic definitions and properties, and on their relevance to the geometry and topology of ma…

Using the unbounded picture of analytical K-homology, we associate a well-defined K-homology class to an unbounded symmetric operator satisfying certain mild technical conditions. We also establish an ``addition formula'' for the Dirac operator on the circle and for the Dolbeault operator on closed surfaces. Two proofs…

New groups act on cube complexes without compact cubulation.

We prove the inequality $$ \dim_{mc}\Wi M\le n-2$$ for the macroscopic dimension of the universal covers $\Wi M$ of almost spin $n$-manifolds $M$ with positive scalar curvature whose fundamental group $π_1(M)$ is a virtual duality group that satisfies the coarse Baum-Connes conjecture.

Using methods from coarse topology we show that fundamental classes of closed enlargeable manifolds map non-trivially both to the rational homology of their fundamental groups and to the K-theory of the corresponding reduced C*-algebras. Our proofs do not depend on the Baum--Connes conjecture and provide independent co…

Let G be a finitely generated discrete group. In this paper we establish vanishing results for rho-invariants associated to (i) the spin-Dirac operator of a spin manifold with positive scalar curvature (ii) the signature operator of the disjoint union of a pair of homotopy equivalent oriented manifolds with fundamental…

The equivariant coarse index is well-understood and widely used for actions by discrete groups. We extend the definition of this index to general locally compact groups. We use a suitable notion of admissible modules over $C^*$-algebras of continuous functions to obtain a meaningful index. Inspired by work by Roe, we t…

We review the Burghelea conjecture, which constitutes a full computation of the periodic cyclic homology of complex group rings, and its relation to the algebraic Baum-Connes conjecture. The Burghelea conjecture implies the Bass conjecture. We state two conjectures about groups of finite asymptotic dimension, which tog…

These notes are based on a lecture course given by the first author in the Sedano Winter School on K-theory held in Sedano, Spain, on January 22-27th of 2007. They aim at introducing K-theory of C^*-algebras, equivariant K-homology and KK-theory in the context of the Baum-Connes conjecture.

In this paper, the second of a series of two, we continue the study of higher index theory for expanders. We prove that if a sequence of graphs has girth tending to infinity, then the maximal coarse Baum-Connes assembly map is an isomorphism for the associated metric space $X$. As discussed in the first paper in this s…

Study non-vanishing $\ell^2$-Betti numbers for specific groups.

Survey on metrics and assembly maps in positive scalar curvature.

In an earlier paper, we established a natural connection between the Baum-Connes conjecture and noncommutative Bloch theory, viz. the spectral theory of projectively periodic elliptic operators on covering spaces. We elaborate on this connection here and provide significant evidence for a fundamental conjecture in nonc…

In this article, we introduce the notion of a functor on coarse spaces being coarsely excisive- a coarse analogue of the notion of a functor on topological spaces being excisive. Further, taking cones, a coarsely excisive functor yields a topologically excisive functor, and for coarse topological spaces there is an ass…

In this short note we introduce higher graph manifolds and use a version of the barycenter technique to characterize when they undergo volume collapse. In the case when the pure pieces are hyperbolic, we compute the exact value of the minimal volume. We verify the coarse Baum--Connes conjecture for these manifolds and …

We prove the existence of a map of spectra $τ_A \colon kA \to lA$ between connective topological K-theory and connective algebraic L-theory of a complex $C^*$-algebra A which is natural in A and compatible with multiplicative structures. We determine its effect on homotopy groups and as a consequence obtain a natural e…

We describe a simple locally CAT(0) classifying space for extra extra large type Artin groups (with all labels at least 5). Furthermore, when the Artin group is not dihedral, we describe a rank 1 periodic geodesic, thus proving that extra large type Artin groups are acylindrically hyperbolic. Together with Property RD …

We study in this paper the maximal version of the coarse Baum-Connes assembly map for families of expanding graphs arising from residually finite groups. Unlike for the usual Roe algebra, we show that this assembly map is closely related to the (maximal) Baum-Connes assembly map for the group and is an isomorphism for …

Let G be a discrete group and let X be a G-finite, proper G-CW-complex. We prove that Kasparov's equivariant K-homology groups KK^G(C_0(X),\C) are isomorphic to the geometric equivariant K-homology groups of X that are obtained by making the geometric K-homology theory of Baum and Douglas equivariant in the natural way…

In this paper we provide descriptions of the Whitehead groups with coefficients in a ring of the Hilbert modular group and its reduced version, as well as for the topological K-theory of $C^*$-algebras, after tensoring with $\mathbb{Q}$, by computing the source of the assembly maps in the Farrell-Jones and the Baum-Con…

For a normal covering over a closed oriented topological manifold we give a proof of the L2-signature theorem with twisted coefficients, using Lipschitz structures and the Lipschitz signature operator introduced by Teleman. We also prove that the L-theory isomorphism conjecture as well as the C^*_max-version of the Bau…

We prove that every finitely generated group with recursive aspherical presentation embeds into a group with finite aspherical presentation. This and several known facts about groups and manifolds imply that there exists a 4-dimensional closed aspherical manifold $M$ such that the fundamental group $π_1(M)$ coarsely co…

Defines and computes geometric pairings for discrete groups using Baum-Connes assembly map.

We compute the equivariant $K$-homology of the classifying space for proper actions, for compact 3-dimensional hyperbolic reflection groups. This coincides with the topological $K$-theory of the reduced $C^\ast$-algebra associated to the group, via the Baum-Connes conjecture. We show that, for any such reflection group…

For n>3 we study spaces obtained from finite volume complete real hyperbolic n-manifolds by removing a compact totally geodesic submanifold of codimension two. We prove that their fundamental groups are relative hyperbolic, co-Hopf, biautomatic, residually hyperbolic, not Kähler, not isomorphic to lattices in virtually…

Study approximates delocalized eta invariants of covering spaces.

We generalize Roe's Index Theorem for operators of Dirac type on open manifolds to elliptic pseudodifferential operators. To this end we introduce a class of pseudodifferential operators on manifolds of bounded geometry which is more general than similar classes defined by other authors. We revisit Spakula's uniform K-…

We define for a topological group G and a family of subgroups F two versions for the classifying space for the family F, the G-CW-version E_F(G) and the numerable G-space version J_F(G). They agree if G is discrete, or if G is a Lie group and each element in F compact, or if F is the family of compact subgroups. We dis…

We study spaces obtained from a complete finite volume complex hyperbolic n-manifold M by removing a compact totally geodesic complex (n-1)-submanifold. The main result is that the fundamental group of M-S is relatively hyperbolic, relative to fundamental groups of the ends of M-S, and M-S admits a complete finite volu…

In the first part of this series, we defined an equivariant index without assuming the group acting or the orbit space of the action to be compact. This allowed us to generalise an index of deformed Dirac operators, defined for compact groups by Braverman. In this paper, we investigate properties and applications of th…

A graph is Helly if every family of pairwise intersecting combinatorial balls has a nonempty intersection. We show that weak Garside groups of finite type and FC-type Artin groups are Helly, that is, they act geometrically on Helly graphs. In particular, such groups act geometrically on spaces with convex geodesic bico…

This is a continuation of our previous work with Botvinnik on the nontriviality of the secondary index invariant on spaces of metrics of positive scalar curvature, in which we take the fundamental group of the manifolds into account. We show that the secondary index invariant associated to the vanishing of the Rosenber…

This paper is the the third part of a series of paper whose aim is to use of the framework of \emph{twisted spectral triples} to study conformal geometry from a noncommutive geometric viewpoint. In this paper we reformulate the inequality of Vafa-Witten \cite{VW:CMP84} in the setting of twisted spectral triples. This i…

In this paper, the first of a series of two, we continue the study of higher index theory for expanders. We prove that if a sequence of graphs is an expander and the girth of the graphs tends to infinity, then the coarse Baum-Connes assembly map is injective, but not surjective, for the associated metric space $X$. Exp…

Defines an equivariant index for proper actions by $H imes G$.

We report on the following highlights from among the many discoveries made in Noncommutative Geometry since year 2000: 1) The interplay of the geometry with the modular theory for noncommutative tori, 2) Advances on the Baum-Connes conjecture, on coarse geometry and on higher index theory, 3) The geometrization of the …

Between the category of exact metric spaces with bounded geometry (about which much is known) and the larger category of arbitrary exact metric spaces (about which little is known) lies the intermediate category of asymptotically exact metric spaces. We show that the coarse Baum-Connes assembly map is naturally split s…

This paper constructs Poisson transforms and analyzes their properties on complex hyperbolic spaces.

We use the symbol calculus for foliations developed in our previous paper to derive a cohomological formula for the Connes-Chern character of the semi-finite spectral triple. The same proof works for the Type I spectral triple of Connes-Moscovici. The cohomology classes of the two Connes-Chern characters induce the sam…

We had previously defined the rho invariant $ρ_{spin}(Y,E,H, g)$ for the twisted Dirac operator $\not\partial^E_H$ on a closed odd dimensional Riemannian spin manifold $(Y, g)$, acting on sections of a flat hermitian vector bundle $E$ over $Y$, where $H = \sum i^{j+1} H_{2j+1}$ is an odd-degree differential form on $Y…

We construct the geometric Baum-Connes assembly map for twisted Lie groupoids, that means for Lie groupoids together with a given groupoid equivariant $PU(H)-$principle bundle. The construction is based on the use of geometric deformation groupoids, these objects allow in particular to give a geometric construction of …