×

Homology of \(O(n)\) and \(O^1(1,n)\) made discrete: An application of edgewise subdivision. (English) Zbl 0910.20026

Let \(O(n)\) be the group of real orthogonal \(n\times n\)-matrices and \(O^1(1,n)\) the group of isometries of hyperbolic \(n\)-space. It is proved that the standard injection of \(O(n)\) into \(O^1(1,n)\) induces an isomorphism on homology in degrees \(\leq n-1\), where homology means group homology for the corresponding groups made discrete. This result establishes a conjecture of C. H. Sah [Appendix A in Comment. Math. Helv. 61, 308-347 (1986; Zbl 0607.57025)]. It has a number of consequences: It shows that the statement of the Friedlander-Milnor conjecture for \(O(n)\) is equivalent to that for \(O^1(1,n)\) in the stable range. Secondly it reduces the calculation of the scissors congruence group for the 3-sphere to a well known problem in algebraic K-theory; it implies in particular that this group is a rational vector space and gives necessary and sufficient conditions for determining the scissors congruence classes of spherical polyhedra with vertices whose coordinates are algebraic integers. Among the tools is edgewise subdivision which has apparently not been used in this context before.

MSC:

20G10 Cohomology theory for linear algebraic groups
20J05 Homological methods in group theory
22E99 Lie groups
52B45 Dissections and valuations (Hilbert’s third problem, etc.)
57T10 Homology and cohomology of Lie groups
55R45 Homology and homotopy of \(B\mathrm{O}\) and \(B\mathrm{U}\); Bott periodicity

Citations:

Zbl 0607.57025
Full Text: DOI

References:

[1] Bökstedt, M.; Hsiang, W. C.; Madsen, I., The cyclotomic trace and algebraic \(K\)-theory of spaces, Invent. Math., 111, 465-540 (1993) · Zbl 0804.55004
[2] Borel, A., Cohomologie de \(SL_n\) et valeurs de fonctions zeta aux points entiers, Ann. Scuola Norm. Sup. Pisa Cl. Sci., 4, 4, 613-636 (1977) · Zbl 0382.57027
[3] Dupont, J. L., The dilogarithm as a characteristic class for flat bundles, J. Pure Appl. Algebra, 44, 134-164 (1987) · Zbl 0624.57024
[4] Dupont, J. L.; Parry, W.; Sah, C.-H., Homology of classical Lie groups made discrete II. \(H_2, H_3\), and relations with scissors congruences, J. Algebra, 113, 215-260 (1988) · Zbl 0657.55022
[5] Dupont, J. L.; Sah, C.-H., Homology of Euclidean groups of motions made discrete and Euclidean scissors congruences, Acta Math., 164, 1-27 (1990) · Zbl 0724.57027
[6] Eckmann, B., Cohomology of groups and transfer, Ann. of Math., 58, 2, 481-493 (1953) · Zbl 0052.02002
[7] Iversen, B., Hyperbolic Geometry, (London Math. Soc. Stud. Texts, Vol. 25 (1992), Cambridge University Press: Cambridge University Press New York) · Zbl 0766.51002
[8] Lawson, H. B.; Michelsohn, M. L., Spin Geometry, (Princeton Math. Ser., Vol. 38 (1992), Princeton University Press: Princeton University Press Cambridge) · Zbl 0688.57001
[9] MacLane, S., (Homology, Grundlehren Math. Wiss., Vol. 114 (1963), Springer: Springer Princeton) · Zbl 0133.26502
[10] Milnor, J., On the homology of Lie groups made discrete, Comment. Math. Helv., 58, 72-85 (1983) · Zbl 0528.20033
[11] Sah, C.-H., Homology of classical Lie groups made discrete, 1. Stability theorems and Schur multipliers, Comment, Math. Helv., 61, 308-347 (1986) · Zbl 0607.57025
[12] Sah, C.-H., Homology of classical Lie groups made discrete, III, J. Pure Appl. Algebra, 56, 269-312 (1989) · Zbl 0684.57020
[13] Sah, C.-H.; Wagoner, J. B., Second homology of Lie groups made discrete, Comm. Algebra, 5, 611-642 (1977) · Zbl 0375.18006
This reference list is based on information provided by the publisher or from digital mathematics libraries. Its items are heuristically matched to zbMATH identifiers and may contain data conversion errors. In some cases that data have been complemented/enhanced by data from zbMATH Open. This attempts to reflect the references listed in the original paper as accurately as possible without claiming completeness or a perfect matching.