Groups with Spanier-Whitehead Duality

Abstract

We introduce the notion of Spanier-Whitehead $K$-duality for a discrete group $G$, defined as duality in the KK-category between two $C*$-algebras which are naturally attached to the group, namely the reduced group $C*$-algebra and the crossed product for the group action on the universal example for proper actions. We compare this notion to the Baum-Connes conjecture by constructing duality classes based on two methods: the standard "gamma element" technique, and the more recent approach via cycles with property gamma. As a result of our analysis, we prove Spanier-Whitehead duality for a large class of groups, including Bieberbach's space groups, groups acting on trees, and lattices in Lorentz groups.