Homology stability for unitary groups over S-arithmetic rings

Abstract

We prove that the homology of unitary groups over rings of S-integers in number fields stabilizes. Results of this kind are well known to follow from the high acyclicity of ad-hoc polyhedra. Given this, we exhibit two simple conditions on the arithmetic of hermitian forms over a ring A relatively to an antiautomorphism which, if they are satisfied, imply the stabilization of the homology of the corresponding unitary groups. When R is a ring of S-integers in a number field K, and A is a maximal R-order in an associative composition algebra F over K, we use the strong approximation theorem to show that both of these properties are satisfied. Finally we take a closer look at the case of On(Z[ 1 2 ]).