Lower K- and L-theory

London Mathematical Society Lecture Note #178

by Andrew Ranicki

This is the first treatment in book form of the applications of the lower K- and L-groups (which are the components of the Grothendieck groups of modules and quadratic forms over polynomial extension rings) to the topology of manifolds such as Euclidean spaces, via Whitehead torsion and the Wall finiteness and surgery obstructions. The author uses only elementary constructions and gives a full algebraic account of the groups involved; of particular note is an algebraic treatment of geometric transversality for maps to the circle.

184 pages, Paperback

First published May 21, 1992