On representations and K-theory of the braid groups

Abstract

Let G be the fundamental group of the complement of a K(G,1) hyperplane arrangement (such as Artin's pure braid group) or more generally a homologically toroidal group (as defined in the paper). The subgroup of elements in the complex K-theory of BG which arises from complex unitary representations of G is shown to be trivial. In the case of real K-theory, this subgroup is an elementary abelian 2-group, which is characterized completely in terms of the first two Stiefel-Whitney classes of the representation. Furthermore, an orthogonal representation of G gives rise to a trivial bundle if and only if the representation factors through the spinor groups. In addition, quadratic relations in the cohomology algebra of the pure braid groups which correspond precisely to the Jacobi identity for certain choices of Poisson algebras are shown to give the existence of certain homomorphisms from the pure braid group to generalized Heisenberg groups. These cohomology relations correspond to non-trivial Spin representations of the pure braid groups which give rise to trivial bundles.