The Ore condition, affiliated operators, and the lamplighter group

Let G be the wreath product of Z and Z/2, the so called lamplighter group and k a commutative ring. We show that kG does not have a classical ring of quotients (i.e. does not satisfy the Ore condition). This answers a Kourovka notebook problem. Assume that kG is contained in a ring R in which the element 1-x is invertible, with x a generator of Z considered as subset of G. Then R is not flat over kG. If k is the field of complex numbers, this applies in particular to the algebra UG of unbounded operators affiliated to the group von Neumann algebra of G. We present two proofs of these results. The second one is due to Warren Dicks, who, having seen our argument, found a much simpler and more elementary proof, which at the same time yielded a more general result than we had originally proved. Nevertheless, we present both proofs here, in the hope that the original arguments might be of use in some other context not yet known to us.Comment: LaTex2e, 7 pages. Added a new proof of the main result (due to Warren Dicks) which is shorter, easier and more elementary, and at the same time yields a slightly more general result. Additionally: misprints removed. to appear in Proceedings of "Higher dimensional manifold theory", Conference at ICTP Trieste 200

Coarse topology, enlargeability, and essentialness

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 confirmation for specific predictions derived from this conjecture.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures. Revised version. To appear in Ann. Sci. Ecole Norm. Su

The strong Atiyah conjecture for right-angled Artin and Coxeter groups

We prove the strong Atiyah conjecture for right-angled Artin groups and right-angled Coxeter groups. More generally, we prove it for groups which are certain finite extensions or elementary amenable extensions of such groups.Comment: Minor change

On a conjecture of Atiyah

In this note we explain how the computation of the spectrum of the lamplighter group from \cite{Grigorchuk-Zuk(2000)} yields a counterexample to a strong version of the Atiyah conjectures about the range of $L^2$-Betti numbers of closed manifolds.Comment: 8 pages, A4 pape

The strong Novikov conjecture for low degree cohomology

We show that for each discrete group G, the rational assembly map K_*(BG) \otimes Q \to K_*(C*_{max} G) \otimes \Q is injective on classes dual to the subring generated by cohomology classes of degree at most 2 (identifying rational K-homology and homology via the Chern character). Our result implies homotopy invariance of higher signatures associated to these cohomology classes. This consequence was first established by Connes-Gromov-Moscovici and Mathai. Our approach is based on the construction of flat twisting bundles out of sequences of almost flat bundles as first described in our previous work. In contrast to the argument of Mathai, our approach is independent of (and indeed gives a new proof of) the result of Hilsum-Skandalis on the homotopy invariance of the index of the signature operator twisted with bundles of small curvature.Comment: 11 page

A K-Theoretic Proof of Boutet de Monvel's Index Theorem for Boundary Value Problems

We study the C*-closure A of the algebra of all operators of order and class zero in Boutet de Monvel's calculus on a compact connected manifold X with non-empty boundary. We find short exact sequences in K-theory 0->K_i(C(X))->K_i(A/K)->K_{1-i}(C_0(T*X'))->0, i= 0,1, which split, where K denotes the compact ideal and T*X' the cotangent bundle of the interior of X. Using only simple K-theoretic arguments and the Atiyah-Singer Index Theorem, we show that the Fredholm index of an elliptic element in A is given as the composition of the topological index with mapping K_1(A/K)->K_0(C_0(T*X')) defined above. This relation was first established by Boutet de Monvel by different methods.Comment: Title slightly changed. Accepted for publication in Journal fuer die reine und angewandte Mathemati

Kulturschutz – Arbeitszeitbedarf beim Einsatz von Netzen

The product quality requirements of modern outdoor vegetable cultivation are becoming more stringent and increasing importance is also attached to a defined guarantee of yield. These demands may be satisfied by using protective netting. The working methods employed in practice and the process technology hardly differ. The differences between individual variants - 1 to 7% per net – are therefore relatively low, as is the size degression. An average of 1.3 manpower-minutes per m are required for the complete process. The time requirement per net is about 26.7 min., 13 min. of which are needed for placement and 11.1 min. for removal. The difference is made up by transportation to and from the field and loading the nets. Covering the crop takes up 48 % or almost half the total working time requirement. Removing the nets accounts for 42 %. 10 % is used in driving to and from the field for placement and in loading the rolls or bales of netting before placement and after removal. There is no additional transportation time, as the nets are carried as part of the relevant transport to and from the field. Removal involves no extra journey times if the netting is removed from the crop immediately prior to harvesting, the journey to and from the field then being calculated as part of the working time requirement for harvesting

Coarse homotopy groups

In this note on coarse geometry we revisit coarse homotopy. We prove that coarse homotopy indeed is an equivalence relation, and this in the most general context of abstract coarse structures. We introduce (in a geometric way) coarse homotopy groups. The main result is that the coarse homotopy groups of a cone over a compact simplicial complex coincide with the usual homotopy groups of the underlying compact simplicial complex. To prove this we develop geometric triangulation techniques for cones which we expect to be of relevance also in different contexts