Extensions of Cantor minimal systems and dimension groups

Eli Glasner, Bernard Host

Published 2011-11-02Version 1

Given a factor map $p : (X,T) \to (Y,S)$ of Cantor minimal systems, we study the relations between the dimension groups of the two systems. First, we interpret the torsion subgroup of the quotient of the dimension groups $K_0(X)/K_0(Y)$ in terms of intermediate extensions which are extensions of $(Y,S)$ by a compact abelian group. Then we show that, by contrast, the existence of an intermediate non-abelian finite group extension can produce a situation where the dimension group of $(Y,S)$ embeds into a proper subgroup of the dimension group of $(X,T)$, yet the quotient of the dimension groups is nonetheless torsion free. Next we define higher order cohomology groups $H^n(X \mid Y)$ associated to an extension, and study them in various cases (proximal extensions, extensions by, not necessarily abelian, finite groups, etc.). Our main result here is that all the cohomology groups $H^n(X \mid Y)$ are torsion groups. As a consequence we can now identify $H^0(X \mid Y)$ as the torsion group of $ K_0(X)/K_0(Y)$.