To any compactly supported, area preserving, piecewise linear homeomorphism of the plane is associated a relation in $K_2$ of the smallest field whose elements are needed to write the homeomorphism.Using a formula of J. Morita, we show how to calculate the relation, in some simple cases. As applications, a “reciprocity” formula for a pair of triangles in the plane, and some explicit elements of torsion in $K_2$ of certain function fields are found.

Dans cet article on donne une formule explicite pour le caractère de Chern reliant la $K$- théorie algébrique et l’homologie cyclique négative. On calcule le caractère de Chern des symboles de Steinberg et de Loday et on donne une preuve élémentaire du fait que le caractère de Chern est multiplicatif.

We give exhaustive list of biquadratic fields $K=\mathbb{Q}(i,\sqrt{m})$ and $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2},\sqrt{m})$ without $2$-exotic symbol, i.e. for which the $2$-rank of the Hilbert kernel (or wild kernel) is zero. Such $K=\mathbb{Q}(i,\sqrt{m})$ are logarithmic principals [J3]. We detail an exemple of this technical numerical exploration and quote the family of theories and results we utilize. The $2$-rank of tame, regular and wild kernel of $K$-theory are connected with local and global problem of embedding in a $Z_2$-extension. Global class field theory can describe the $2$-rank of the Hilbert...