A geometric realization of the asymptotic affine Hecke algebra

A key tool for the study of an affine Hecke algebra $\mathcal{H}$ is provided by Springer theory of the Langlands dual group via the realization of $\mathcal{H}$ as equivariant $K$-theory of the Steinberg variety. We prove a similar geometric description for Lusztig's asymptotic affine Hecke algebra $J$ identifying it with the sum of equivariant $K$-groups of the squares of ${\mathbb C}^*$-fixed points in the Springer fibers, as conjectured by Qiu and Xi (the same result was also obtained by Oron Popp using different methods). As an application, we give a new geometric proof of Lusztig's parametrization of irreducible representations of $J$. We also reprove Braverman-Kazhdan's spectral description of $J$. As another application, we prove a description of the cocenters of $\mathcal{H}$ and $J$ conjectured by the first author with Braverman, Kazhdan and Varshavsky. The proof is based on a new algebraic description of $J$, which may be of independent interest.