L2-invariants: Theory and Applications to Geometry and K-theory - Ergebnisse Der Mathematik Und Ihrer Grenzgebiete. 3 Folge /a Series of Modern Surveys in Mathematics Softcover Reprint of Hardcover 1st Ed. 2002 edition

In algebraic topology some classical invariants - such as Betti numbers and Reidemeister torsion - are defined for compact spaces and finite group actions. They can be generalized using von Neumann algebras and their traces, and applied also to non-compact spaces and infinite groups. These new L2-invariants contain very interesting and novel information and can be applied to problems arising in topology, K-Theory, differential geometry, non-commutative geometry and spectral theory. The book, written in an accessible manner, presents a comprehensive introduction to this area of research, as well as its most recent results and developments.