The K-Theory Spectrum of Varieties

Using a construction closely related to Waldhausens $S_bullet$-construction, we produce a spectrum $K(mathbf{Var}_{/k})$ whose components model the Grothendieck ring of varieties (over a field $k$) $K_0 (mathbf{Var}_{/k})$. We then produce liftings of various motivic measures to spectrum-level maps, including maps into Waldhausens $K$-theory of spaces $A(ast)$ and to $K(mathbf{Q})$. We end with a conjecture relating $K(mathbf{Var}_{/k})$ and the doubly-iterated $K$-theory of the sphere spectrum.