A linearization map for genuine equivariant algebraic $K$-theory

Abstract

We introduce a version of algebraic $K$-theory for coefficient systems of rings which is valued in genuine $G$-spectra for a finite group $G$. We use this construction to build a genuine $G$-spectrum $K_G(\mathbb{Z}[\underline{\pi_1(X)}])$ associated to a $G$-space $X$, which provides a home for equivariant versions of classical invariants like the Wall finiteness obstruction and Whitehead torsion. We provide a comparison between our $K$-theory spectrum and the equivariant $A$-theory of Malkiewich--Merling via a genuine equivariant linearization map.