Index type invariants for twisted signature complexes and homotopy invariance

For a closed, oriented, odd dimensional manifold $X$, we define the rho invariant $\rho(X,E,H)$ for the twisted odd signature operator valued in a flat hermitian vector bundle $E$, where $H = \sum i^{j+1} H_{2j+1}$ is an odd-degree closed differential form on $X$ and $H_{2j+1}$ is a real-valued differential form of degree ${2j+1}$. We show that the twisted rho invariant $\rho(X,E,H)$ is independent of the choice of metrics on $X$ and $E$ and of the representative $H$ in the cohomology class $[H]$. We establish some basic functorial properties of the twisted rho invariant. We express the twisted eta invariant in terms of spectral flow and the usual eta invariant. In particular, we get a simple expression for it on closed oriented 3-dimensional manifolds with a degree three flux form. A core technique used is our analogue of the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer theorem, which we establish for the twisted signature operator on a compact, oriented manifold with boundary. The homotopy invariance of the rho invariant $\rho(X,E,H)$ is more delicate to establish, and is settled under further hypotheses on the fundamental group of $X$.Comment: 33 pages, to appear in, Math. Proc. Cambridge Philos. So

Index, eta and rho-invariants on foliated bundles

We study primary and secondary invariants of leafwise Dirac operators on foliated bundles. Given such an operator, we begin by considering the associated regular self-adjoint operator $D_m$ on the maximal Connes-Skandalis Hilbert module and explain how the functional calculus of $D_m$ encodes both the leafwise calculus and the monodromy calculus in the corresponding von Neumann algebras. When the foliation is endowed with a holonomy invariant transverse measure, we explain the compatibility of various traces and determinants. We extend Atiyah's index theorem on Galois coverings to these foliations. We define a foliated rho-invariant and investigate its stability properties for the signature operator. Finally, we establish the foliated homotopy invariance of such a signature rho-invariant under a Baum-Connes assumption, thus extending to the foliated context results proved by Neumann, Mathai, Weinberger and Keswani on Galois coverings.Comment: 65 page

Gap-labelling conjecture with nonzero magnetic field

Given a constant magnetic field on Euclidean space ${\mathbb R}^p$ determined by a skew-symmetric $(p\times p)$ matrix $\Theta$, and a ${\mathbb Z}^p$-invariant probability measure $\mu$ on the disorder set $\Sigma$ which is by hypothesis a Cantor set, where the action is assumed to be minimal, the corresponding Integrated Density of States of any self-adjoint operator affiliated to the twisted crossed product algebra $C(\Sigma) \rtimes_\sigma {\mathbb Z}^p$, where $\sigma$ is the multiplier on ${\mathbb Z}^p$ associated to $\Theta$, takes on values on spectral gaps in the magnetic gap-labelling group. The magnetic frequency group is defined as an explicit countable subgroup of $\mathbb R$ involving Pfaffians of $\Theta$ and its sub-matrices. We conjecture that the magnetic gap labelling group is a subgroup of the magnetic frequency group. We give evidence for the validity of our conjecture in 2D, 3D, the Jordan block diagonal case and the periodic case in all dimensions.Comment: 43 pages. Exposition improve

Spectral sections, twisted rho invariants and positive scalar curvature

We had previously defined the rho invariant $\rho_{spin}(Y,E,H, g)$ for the twisted Dirac operator $\not\partial^E_H$ on a closed odd dimensional Riemannian spin manifold $(Y, g)$, acting on sections of a flat hermitian vector bundle $E$ over $Y$, where $H = \sum i^{j+1} H_{2j+1}$ is an odd-degree differential form on $Y$ and $H_{2j+1}$ is a real-valued differential form of degree ${2j+1}$. Here we show that it is a conformal invariant of the pair $(H, g)$. In this paper we express the defect integer $\rho_{spin}(Y,E,H, g) - \rho_{spin}(Y,E, g)$ in terms of spectral flows and prove that $\rho_{spin}(Y,E,H, g)\in \mathbb Q$, whenever $g$ is a Riemannian metric of positive scalar curvature. In addition, if the maximal Baum-Connes conjecture holds for $\pi_1(Y)$ (which is assumed to be torsion-free), then we show that $\rho_{spin}(Y,E,H, rg) =0$ for all $r\gg 0$, significantly generalizing our earlier results. These results are proved using the Bismut-Weitzenb\"ock formula, a scaling trick, the technique of noncommutative spectral sections, and the Higson-Roe approach.Comment: 25 pages. Minor corrections made, but no changes to the result