Mapping surgery to analysis. II: Geometric signatures (Q2487348)

In this second paper of the series [for part I see ibid. 33, 277--299 (2004; Zbl 1083.19002)], the authors provide examples of analytically controlled Hilbert-Poincaré complexes that arise in different geometric setups. A source of examples is provided as follows. Let \(X\) be a simplicial complex of bounded geometry (i.e., each vertex of \(X\) lies in at most finitely many simplices of \(X\)). Let \(C_{*}(X)\) denote the finitely supported simplicial chains with complex coefficients on \(X\), complete this chains to obtain the Hilbert space \(C_{p}^{\ell^{2}}(X)\) of square integrable simplicial \(p\)-chains on \(X\). Furthermore, the simplicial differential \(b:C_{p}(X)\to C_{p-1}(X)\) extends to a bounded operator on \(\ell^{2}\)-chains to get a complex of Hilbert spaces. In case \([X]\) is a locally finite and uniformly bounded simplicial \(n\)-cycle for \(X\), the cap product with \([X]\) gives a geometrically controlled map from \(p\)-cochains to \((n-p)\)-chains. One of the main results in this paper is Theorem 3.14: Let \(X\) be a geometrically controlled Poincaré complex. Complete the simplicial chain and cochain complexes to complexes of Hilbert spaces, as discussed above. Then, the duality map extends by continuity to a bounded operator \(P\), and the operator \(T=\frac{1}{2}(P^{*}+(-1)^{p(n-p)})P\), gives \((C_{p}^{\ell^{2}}(X),b)\) the structure of an analytically controlled Hilbert-Poincaré complex over \(X\). Examples of this is provided by bounded geometry combinatorial manifolds. Another example is given by an oriented, complete Riemannian \(n\)-manifold \(X\). The \(L^{2}\)-completed de Rham complex of \(X\) gives the Hilbert-Poncaré complex called the Hodge-de Rham complex of \(X\). When \(X\) is oriented, this complex is analytically controlled over \(X\). The authors prove that when \(X\) is an oriented, complete Riemannian manifold, the index of the signature operator coincides with the signature (as defined in part I) of the algebraic Hilbert-Poincaré complex associated to the de Rham complex of \(X\). They also compare these analytically defined complexes with simplicial homology, the main result is that when \(X\) is a complete Riemannian manifold of bounded geometry equipped with a smooth triangulation of bounded geometry the Hilbert-Poincaré complex \((C_{p}^{\ell^{2}}(X),b)\) is homotopy equivalent to the Hodge-de Rham complex of \(X\).