Nesta tese vamos apresentar dois resultados a respeito de K-teoria de álgebras C^{*} de classes de operadores pseudodiferenciais que são globalmente definidos em \\mathbb^. O primeiro resultado é a prova da regularidade da função \\eta para operadores clássicos com símbolos de Shubin. Vamos mostrar que a álgebra de operadores pseudodiferenciais em \\mathbb^ com símbolos de Shubin permite a construção de potências complexas e um tipo de traço de Kontsevich-Vishik numa forma muito similar àquela feita para variedades compactas, com definições até mais simples. Mostraremos, então, que podemos definir as funções \\zeta e \\eta também para esses símbolos. Finalmente mostraremos como o conhecimento de fatos simples sobre a sua K-teoria permitem a prova da regularidade da função \\eta. Para variedades compactas, esse resultado tem muitas implicações. Acreditamos assim que ele também possa ser interessante para os estudos de operadores globais em \\mathbb^. O segundo resultado é o cálculo da K-teoria de operadores limitados gerados por operadores de Boutet de Monvel SG de ordem (0,0) e tipo zero em \\mathbb_{+}^. Boutet de Monvel introduziu a álgebra que leva o seu nome para estudar o índice de operadores elípticos de fronteira em variedades compactas com bordo. Mais recentemente uma nova abordagem foi proposta por Melo, Nest, Schrohe e Schick para obter resultados sobre o índice de Fredholm usando a K-teoria de álgebras C^{*}, uma ferramenta que não era disponível ainda quando Boutet de Monvel desenvolveu sua álgebra. Nossa ideia foi, então, mostrar como calcular a K-teoria de álgebras de Boutet de Monvel com símbolos SG em \\mathbb_{+}^, em que os símbolos SG são uma classe de símbolos globalmente definidos em \\mathbb^. Acreditamos que isso possa ser útil também ao estudo de problemas elípticos de fronteira para operadores de Boutet de Monvel com símbolos SG em certas classes de variedades não compactas. / We are going to present two results concerning K-theory of C^{*} algebras of classes of pseudodifferential operators that are globally defined in \\mathbb^. The first result is the proof of the regularity of the \\eta function for classical operators with Shubin symbols. We are going to show that the algebra of classical pseudodifferential operators in \\mathbb^ with Shubin symbols allows the construction of complex powers and a kind of Kontsevich-Vishik trace in a very similar way as on compact manifolds, with even easier definitions. Then we show that we can define the \\zeta and \\eta functions also for these symbols. Finally we will show how the knowledge of simple facts about the K-theory of pseudodifferential operators with Shubin\'s symbols allows the proof of the regularity of the \\eta function at 0. For compact manifolds, this regularity is a result that has many implications. Therefore it may also be interesting for global operators in \\mathbb^. The second result is the evaluation of the K-theory of bounded operators generated by SG Boutet de Monvel operators of order (0,0) and type 0 in \\mathbb_^. Boutet de Monvel introduced his algebra to study the index of elliptic boundary value problems on compact manifolds. More recently a new approach was proposed by Melo, Nest, Schrohe and Schick to obtain results about the index of Fredholm operators using the K-theory of C^ algebras, a tool which was not well known when Boutet de Monvel published his work. The idea here is to show how one can evaluate the K-theory of the Boutet de Monvel operators with SG symbols in \\mathbb_^, where SG symbols is a class of symbols globally defined in \\mathbb^. We believe that this can be useful to the study of index of Fredholm problems also in the case of Boutet de Monvel operators with SG symbols in some classes of non-compact manifolds.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008. / Committee Chair: Prof. Jean Bellissard; Committee Member: Prof. Claude Schochet; Committee Member: Prof. Michael Loss; Committee Member: Prof. Stavros Garoufalidis; Committee Member: Prof. Thang Le.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In 1970, Serge Novikov made a statement which is now called, "The Novikov Conjecture" and is considered to be one of the major open problems in topology. This statement was motivated by the endeavor to understand manifolds of arbitrary dimensions by relating the surgery map with the homology of the fundamental group of the manifold, which becomes diffi cult for manifolds of dimension greater than two. The Novikov Conjecture is interesting because it comes up in problems in many different branches of mathematics like algebra, analysis, K-theory, differential geometry, operator algebras and representation theory. Yu later proved the Novikov Conjecture holds for all closed manifolds with discrete fundamental groups that are coarsely embeddable into a Hilbert space. The class of groups that are uniformly embeddable into Hilbert Spaces includes groups of Property A which were introduced by Yu. In fact, Property A is generally a property of metric spaces and is stable under quasi-isometry. In this thesis, a new version of Yu's Property A in the case of locally compact groups is introduced. This new notion of Property A coincides with Yu's Property A in the case of discrete groups, but is different in the case of general locally compact groups. In particular, Gromov's locally compact hyperbolic groups is of Property A.

We find formulas for the Segre-MacPherson classes of Schubert cells in T-equivariant cohomology and the motivic Segre classes of Schubert cells in T-equivariant K-theory. In doing so we look at the pushforward of the projection map from the Bott-Samelson (Kempf-Laksov) desingularization to the Grassmannian. We find that the Segre-MacPherson classes are stable under pullbacks of maps embedding a Grassmannian into a bigger Grassmannian. We also express these formulas using certain Demazure-Lusztig operators that have previously been used to study these classes. / Doctor of Philosophy / Schubert calculus was first introduced in the nineteenth century as a way to answer certain questions in enumerative geometry. These computations relied on the multiplication of Schubert classes in the cohomology ring of Grassmannians, which parameterize k-dimensional linear subspaces of a vector space. More recently Schubert calculus has been broadened to refer to computations in generalized cohomology theories, such as (equivariant) K-theory. In this dissertation, we study Segre-MacPherson classes and motivic Segre classes of Schubert cells in Grassmannians. Segre-MacPherson classes are related to Chern-Schwartz-MacPherson classes, which are a generalization to singular spaces of the total Chern class of the tangent bundle. Motivic Segre classes are similarly related to motivic Chern classes, which are a K-theory analogue of Chern-Schwartz-MacPherson classes. This dissertation also studies the relationship between Schubert varieties and their Bott-Samelson desingularizations, specifically their (T-equivariant) cohomology and K-theory rings. Since equivariant cohomology (or K-theory) classes can be represented by polynomials, we can represent the Segre-MacPherson (or motivic Segre) classes as rational functions. Furthermore, we use certain operators that act on such polynomials (or rational functions) to find formulas for the rational function representatives of the aforementioned classes.

Le but de ce travail est de présenter des résultats à propos des noyaux sauvages étales. Soit $p$ un nombre premier. Les noyaux sauvages étales d'un corps de nombres $F$ (qui sont dénotés par $WK^{ét}_{2i}(F)$ avec $i\in \mathbb{Z}$) sont des généralisations cohomologiques de la $p$-partie du noyau sauvage classique $WK_{2}(F)$, qui est le sous-groupe de $K_2(F)$ constitué par les symboles qui sont triviaux pour tout symbole de Hilbert local. Ces noyaux sauvages étales sont des $\mathbb{Z}_p$-modules et l'on sait qu'ils sont finis lorsque $i\geq 1$ (et même, suivant les conventions, si $i=0$) : on conjecture en plus qu'ils soient toujours finis (conjecture de Schneider). Dans la suite, on va supposer que cette conjecture est satisfaite. On va s'intéresser en particulier à deux problèmes. Le premier, qui est étudié dans les Chapitres 2 et 3, est la déterminations des structures de groupe qui sont réalisables comme noyaux sauvages étales. En d'autres termes, si l'on se donne un corps de nombres $F$, un $p$-groupe abélien fini $X$ et un nombre entier $i\in\mathbb{Z}$, on peut se demander s'il existe une extension finie $E/F$ telle que $WK^{ét}_{2i}(E)\cong X$. Une question semblable a été étudiée pour les $p$-groupes des classes et il y a un relation précise entre les $p$-groupes des classes et les noyaux sauvages étales. Par conséquent, on peut espérer traduire les résultats classiques dans le contexte des noyaux sauvages étales. Peut-être est-il intéressant de donner ici une courte récapitulation sur le problème de réalisation classique pour les $p$-groupes des classes. Essentiellement, deux techniques sont utilisées. D'un coté, pour un corps de nombres $F$ fixé, l'on étudie la $p$-tour des corps des classes de Hilbert de $F$ : Yahagi a montré que cette tour est infinie si et seulement s'il n'y a pas d'extensions finies $E/F$ dont le $p$-groupe des classes soit trivial. De plus, si la tour est finie, alors toute structure de $p$-groupe abélien apparaît comme $p$-groupe des classes pour quelque extension finie $E/F$. De l'autre coté, une fois que l'on sait que pour un corps de nombres $F$ fixé, il existe une extension finie dont le $p$-groupe de classes est trivial, alors on peut se servir de la théorie du corps des classes et de la théorie des genres pour trouver, pour n'importe quel $p$-groupe abélien fini $X$, une extension finie $E/F$ telle que le $p$-groupe des classes de $E$ est isomorphe à $X$. En effet, la traduction du résultat de Yahagi dans le contexte des noyaux sauvages étales n'est pas tout à fait immédiate : la relation entre le groupe des classes et le noyau sauvage étale d'un corps de nombres $F$ s'écrit dans le langage de $\Gamma$-modules, où $\Gamma$ est le groupe de Galois sur $F$ de la $\mathbb{Z}_p$-extension cyclotomique de $F(\mu_p)$. La façon la plus naturelle pour s'approcher du problème est donc de considérer le problème de réalisabilité pour les modules d'Iwasawa. Ce problème a été étudié (parmi d'autres auteurs) par Ozaki : il a montré que pour tout $\Lambda$-module fini $X$, il existe un corps de nombres $k$ tel que le module d'Iwasawa de $k$ (c'est à dire la limite projective des $p$-groupes des classes le long de la tour cyclotomique) est isomorphe à $X$. Les techniques utilisées sont inspirées à celles de Yahagi et en fait elles s'appuient d'une façon fondamentale du fait que $p$ ne divise pas le nombre des classes de $\mathbb{Q}$. Pour obtenir la traduction de ce résultat en termes de noyaux sauvages étales il faut considérer plutôt $\mathbb{Q}(\mu_p)$ -plus précisément un sous-corps convenable de $\mathbb{Q}(\mu_p)$. Bien entendu, le nombre des classes de ce sous-corps n'est plus premier avec $p$ (du moment que $p$ peut être irrégulier). D'autre part, si $p$ est régulier, la preuve d'Ozaki peut être adaptée (comme l'on montre dans le Chapitre 2). / The aim of the present work is to prove some results about étale wild kernels. Let $p$ be an odd prime. Etale wild kernels of a number field $F$ (which are denoted $WK^{ét}_{2i}(F)$ for $i\in \mathbb{Z}$) are cohomological generalizations of the $p$-part of the classical wild kernel $WK_{2}(F)$, which is the subgroup of $K_2(F)$ made up by symbols which are trivial for any local Hilbert symbol. Etale wild kernels are $\mathbb{Z}_p$-modules which are known to be finite if $i\geq1$ (and even if $i=0$, depending on the chosen convention): actually they are conjectured to be always finite (the Schneider conjecture). In the following we will suppose that this is always the case. Two problems are studied in detail. The first, which is analyzed in Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, is to determine which group structures are realizable for étale wild kernels. In other words, given a number field $F$, a finite abelian $p$-group $X$ and $i\in \mathbb{Z}$, one can ask if there exists a finite extension $E/F$ such that $WK^{ét}_{2i}(E)\cong X$. A similar problem has been studied for $p$-class groups and there are precise relations between the $p$-class group and étale wild kernels. Therefore one may expect to translate results from $p$-class groups to étale wild kernels. It is maybe useful to give here a short account on the classical realizability problem for $p$-class groups. Essentially two kind of techniques are used. On the one hand, for a fixed number field $F$, one studies the Hilbert $p$-class field tower of $F$: it has been shown by Yahagi that the Hilbert $p$-class tower of $F$ is infinite if and only if there is no finite extension $E/F$ whose $p$-class group is trivial. Furthermore, if the Hilbert $p$-class tower of $F$ is finite, then every finite abelian $p$-group structure appears as $p$-class group of some finite extension $E/F$. On the other hand, once we know that for a fixed number field $F$ there exists a finite extension whose $p$-class group is trivial, then class field theory and genus theory are used to exhibit, for any finite abelian $p$-group $X$, a finite extension $E/F$ such that the $p$-class group of $E$ is isomorphic to $X$. Actually, the translation of Yahagi's result in terms of étale wild kernels is not immediate: the relation between the class groups and étale wild kernels of a number field $F$ is expressed in terms of $\Gamma$-modules structures, where $\Gamma$ is the Galois group over $F$ of the cyclotomic $\mathbb{Z}_p$-extension of $F(\mu_p)$. The most natural way to approach the problem is then to consider the realizability problem for Iwasawa modules. This problem is studied (among many others) by Ozaki: he proved that for any finite $\Lambda$-module $X$, there exists a number field $k$ such that the Iwasawa module of $k$ (i.e. the projective limit of $p$-class groups along the cyclotomic $\mathbb{Z}_p$-extension) is isomorphic to $X$. The techniques used are inspired to those by Yahagi and actually Ozaki makes fundamental use of the fact that $p$ does not divide the class number of $\mathbb{Q}$. To get the translation of this result in terms of étale wild kernels one has to consider $\mathbb{Q}(\mu_p)$ -more precisely a suitable subfield of $\mathbb{Q}(\mu_p)$ depending on $i$- instead of $\mathbb{Q}$. Here the problem is that the class number of this suitable subfield is no more coprime with $p$ (as $p$ may be irregular). If this is not the case anyway, the proof of Ozaki can be adapted as it is shown in Chapter 2.

La thèse étudie le pouvoir génératif de la structuration des connaissances pour la conception innovante. Partant d’une analyse de la générativité des structures de connaissances non-verbales, et notamment du dessin d’architecte, elle identifie un nouveau mode de conception en montrant comment une revisite des rapports entre connaissances favorise la génération de nouveaux concepts. En particulier, une restructuration des connaissances visant à rendre la structure splitting, c’est-à-dire, sans rapports modulaires ou déterministes entre connaissances, possède un fort pouvoir génératif. En session collective, les médias non-verbaux, tels que le dessin, les images ou encore le prototypage 3D, se révèlent ainsi particulièrement favorables à la restructuration des connaissances : trois conditions nécessaires présentées dans la thèse doivent cependant être réunies afin de garantir la performance du non-verbal en session collective. Par ailleurs, ce phénomène de restructuration générative - aussi appelée K-preordering – diffère de l’exploration classique par génération de concepts alternatifs. Les deux modes de conception ne sont pas pour autant incompatibles : la thèse propose ainsi un processus de conception alternant phases de K-preordering et phases de génération de concepts. Ce processus est notamment testé à travers deux cas de recherche-intervention visant à provoquer la réorganisation des structures de connaissances stabilisées et partagées à l’échelle de l’organisation. Ces deux cas montrent en particulier comment un tel processus favorise la conception de programmes de recherche transdisciplinaires. / The thesis investigates the generative power of knowledge structuration for innovative design. Analyzing the generativity of non-verbal knowledge structures - especially, architectural drawings -, this work identifies a new design method by showing that the transformation of links between knowledge bases fosters concept generation. In particular, a restructuration that aims to design a splitting structure - a structure avoiding modular and deterministic links between knowledge bases - has a strong generative power. During collective creativity sessions, non-verbal tools such as sketches, pictures or 3D-printing, can enhance knowledge restructuration: however, three necessary conditions, which are presented in the thesis, have to be met in order to ensure performance of the non-verbal tools used during the session. Moreover, this generative restructuration - also called K-preordering - differs from the classic design exploration by alternative concepts generation. But the two design modes are not mutually exclusive: the thesis proposes a design process that alternates K-preordering and concept generation. This process is applied in two studies, which were led as action research and intended to foster the reorganization of knowledge structures that were both stabilized and shared at the organizational level. In particular, these studies show how such a process helps enhancing the design of transdisciplinary research programs.

La notion de développement durable est aujourd’hui une préoccupation centrale des populations et des pouvoirs publics. L’entrepreneuriat durable représente une forme de réponse à cette préoccupation à travers l’intégration des normes de développement durable dans le cœur de métier de l’entreprise. Ce type d’entreprise vient répondre à des objectifs économiques, sociaux et environnementaux. La recherche en entrepreneuriat durable s’est particulièrement intéressée au profil de l’entrepreneur durable. Cependant, la recherche ne s’est pas suffisamment interrogée sur la façon dont il procède. Il est considéré comme l’agent de rupture à travers l’introduction d’éco-innovations. L’innovation apparait donc comme une solution aux problématiques sociales et environnementales. Mais ceci n’est pas suffisant pour considérer ce phénomène entrepreneurial comme une forme innovante. Cette thèse tente de combler ces manquements en modélisant, le processus entrepreneurial durable. Par ailleurs, l’emprunt d’une théorie de l’innovation « C-K Theory » permet de rapprocher le processus entrepreneurial durable du processus de conception innovante CK dans l’objectif de déterminer le caractère innovant de l’entrepreneuriat durable. / The notion of sustainable development is today a central concern of the population and the public authorities. Sustainable entrepreneurship is a form of response to this concern through the integration of sustainable development standards into the core business of the company. This type of business comes to meet economic, social and environmental objectives. Sustainable entrepreneurship research has been particularly interested in the profile of the sustainable entrepreneur. However, the research did not ask enough about how it works. It is considered the breaking agent through the introduction of eco-innovations. Innovation therefore appears as a solution to social and environmental issues. But this is not enough to consider this entrepreneurial phenomenon as an innovative form. This thesis attempts to fill these gaps by modeling, the sustainable entrepreneurial process. In addition, the borrowing of a theory of innovation "C-K Theory" makes it possible to bring the sustainable entrepreneurial process closer to the CK innovative design process in order to determine the innovative nature of sustainable entrepreneurship.

Neste trabalho procuramos realizar uma apresentação autocontida sobre os conceitos da teoria algébrica de formas quadráticas e sobre os anéis graduados que surgiram no desenvolvimento desta teoria. Iniciamos procurando esclarecer o sentido da equivalência entre as várias acepções do conceito de forma quadrática. Após a apresentação de ingredientes e resultados geométricos, fazemos um extrato da teoria dos anéis de Witt, conceito que originou a moderna teoria algébrica de formas quadráticas. Disponibilizamos os elementos fundamentais para a formulação das teorias de cohomologia, nos concentrado no desenvolvimento da teoria de cohomologia profinita e, sobretudo, galoisiana. Descrevemos os funtores K0, K1 e K2 da K-teoria clássica e também a K-teoria de Milnor, que é mais adequada para formular questões sobre formas quadráticas. Finalizamos o trabalho com a apresentação de alguns conceitos da Teoria dos Grupos Especiais, uma codificação em primeira-ordem da teoria algébrica das formas quadráticas e exemplificamos sua importância, fornecendo um extrato da prova realizada por Dickmann-Miraglia da conjectura de Marshall sobre assinaturas, que se baseia fortemente nesta teoria. / In this work I try to provide a self-contained presentation on the concepts of algebraic theory of quadratic forms and on the graded rings that have emerged in the development of this theory. I started trying to clarify the meaning of \"equivalence\"between the various meanings of the concept of quadratic form. After the presentation of geometrical ingredients and results, we make an extract of the theory of Witt rings, a concept that originated the modern algebraic theory of quadratic forms. It is provided the key elements for the formulation of cohomology theories, focusing on the development of profinite cohomology theory and, especially, on galoisian cohomology. Are described the functors K0, K1 and K2 of classical K-theory and also the Milnor K-theory, which is more appropriate to formulate questions about quadratic forms. The dissertation is finished with the presentation of some concepts of the Theory of Special Groups, a first-order encoding of algebraic theory of quadratic forms, and with an example its importance by providing an extract of proof by Dickmann-Miraglia of the Marshalls conjecture on signatures, which relies heavily on this theory.

In dieser Arbeit beschreibe ich verschiedene Aspekte der Kompaktifizierung der String Theorie, insbesondere auf nichttrivialen Mannigfaltigkeiten. Im ersten Teil betrachte ich K-Theorie und ihre Anwendung in der Untersuchung von D-Branen. Es handelt sich um eine verallgemeinerte Kohomologietheorie welche die möglichen Ladungen für eine gegebene Raumzeitmannigfaltigkeit klassifiziert. Eine natürliche Fragestellung ist inwiefern sich diese Beschreibung von der üblichen mit (de Rahm) Kohomologie/Homologie unterscheidet. Hierzu gebe ich eine Calabi-Yau Mannigfaltigkeit an die den Unterschied illustriert. Anstatt der Kompaktifizierung auf einer komplizierten glatten Mannigfaltigkeit kann man auch Orbifolds von einfachen Mannigfaltigkeiten studieren um interessante Kompaktifizierungen zu erhalten. Dies wird mit äquivarianter K-Theorie beschrieben. Um dies mit physikalischen vorhersagen zu vergleichen berechne ich alle KO_{Z_2}(R^{p,q}). Darueberhinaus kann man Orientifolds betrachten, diese führen auf die Definition von neuen K-Theorien. Ich beschreibe einfache Eigenschaften dieser Theorien. Im zweiten Teil präsentiere ich Kompaktifizierungen auf G_2 und Spin(7) Mannigfaltigkeiten und ihre Beschreibung als Gepner Modelle. Die SCFT und die geometrische Beschreibung unterscheiden sich, und ich gebe eine Erklärung für dieses Phänomen. / In this thesis I consider various aspects of string theory compactifications, especially for nontrivial internal manifolds. The first part is dedicated to the application of K-theory to the study of D-branes. It is the generalized cohomology theory which classifies the possible charges on a given spacetime. A natural question is whether there is any difference between K-theory and the usual description via (de Rahm) cohomology/homology. For this I present a Calabi-Yau manifold which illustrates this difference. Instead of compactifying on a complicated smooth manifold one can also consider orbifolds of simple manifolds to get interesting compactifications. These are described by equivariant K-theory. To be able to compare this with the physical prediction I calculate all KO_{Z_2}(R^{p,q}). Furthermore one can consider orientifolds, which suggests the definition of new K-theories. I investigate simple properties of these. In the second part I present compactifications on G_2 and Spin(7) manifolds and their description as Gepner models. The SCFT and the geometric description disagree. An explanation for this phenomenon is offered.