Let G be a reductive algebraic group over a field k, such that every semisimple normal subgroup of G has isotropic rank ≥ 2, i.e. contains (Gm)2. Let K1G be the non-stable K1-functor associated to G, also called the Whitehead group of G. We show that K1G(k) = K1G (k[X1 ,…, Xn]) for any n ≥ 1. If k is perfect, this implies that K1G (R) = K1G (R[X]) for any regular k-algebra R. If k is infinite perfect, one also deduces that K1G (R) → K1G (K) is injective for any local regular k-algebra R with the fraction field K.

We study the E-theory group E[0, 1](A, B) for a class of C*-algebras over the unit interval with finitely many singular points, called elementary C[0, 1]-algebras. We use results on E-theory over non-Hausdorff spaces to describe E[0, 1](A, B) where A is a sky-scraper algebra. Then we compute E[0, 1](A, B) for two elementary C[0, 1]-algebras in the case where the fibers A(x) and B(y) of A and B are such that E1 (A(x), B(y)) = 0 for all x, y ∈ [0, 1]. This result applies whenever the fibers satisfy the UCT, their K0-groups are free of finite rank and their K1-groups are zero. In that case we show that E[0, 1](A, B) is isomorphic to Hom(0(A), 0(B)), the group of morphisms of the K-theory sheaves of A and B. As an application, we give a streamlined partially new proof of a classification result due to the first author and Elliott.

Let M be a closed manifold and α: π1 (M) → Un a representation. We give a purely K-theoretic description of the associated element in the K-theory group of M with ℝ/ℤ-coefficients ([α] ∈ K1 (M; ℝ/ℤ)). To that end, it is convenient to describe the ℝ/ℤ-K-theory as a relative K-theory of the unital inclusion of ℂ into a finite von Neumann algebra B. We use the following fact: there is, associated with α, a finite von Neumann algebra B together with a flat bundle ℰ → M with fibers B, such that Eα ⊗ ℰ is canonically isomorphic with ℂn ⊗ ℰ, where Eα denotes the flat bundle with fiber ℂn associated with α. We also discuss the spectral flow and rho type description of the pairing of the class [α] with the K-homology class of an elliptic selfadjoint (pseudo)-differential operator D of order 1.

In [HL99], the heat operator of a Bismut superconnection for a family of generalized Dirac operators is defined along the leaves of a foliation with Hausdorff groupoid. The Novikov-Shubin invariants of the Dirac operators were assumed greater than three times the codimension of the foliation. It was then shown that the associated heat operator converges to the Chern character of the index bundle of the operator. In [BH08], this result was improved by reducing the requirement on the Novikov-Shubin invariants to one half of the codimension. In this paper, we construct examples which show that this is the best possible result.

For a compact simply connected simple Lie group G with an involution α, we compute the G ⋊ ℤ/2-equivariant K-theory of G where G acts by conjugation and ℤ/2 acts either by α or by g ↦ α(g)−1. We also give a representation-theoretic interpretation of those groups, as well as of KG(G).

A multivariable adjunction is the generalisation of the notion of a 2-variable adjunction, the classical example being the hom/tensor/cotensor trio of functors, to n + 1 functors of n variables. In the presence of multivariable adjunctions, natural transformations between certain composites built from multivariable functors have “dual” forms. We refer to corresponding natural transformations as multivariable or parametrised mates, generalising the mates correspondence for ordinary adjunctions, which enables one to pass between natural transformations involving left adjoints to those involving right adjoints. A central problem is how to express the naturality (or functoriality) of the parametrised mates, giving a precise characterization of the dualities so-encoded.

We present the notion of “cyclic double multicategory” as a structure in which to organise multivariable adjunctions and mates. While the standard mates correspondence is described using an isomorphism of double categories, the multivariable version requires the framework of “double multicategories”. Moreover, we show that the analogous isomorphisms of double multicategories give a cyclic action on the multimaps, yielding the notion of “cyclic double multicategory”. The work is motivated by and applied to Riehl's approach to algebraic monoidal model categories.