Heat equation derivative formulas for vector bundles (Q5940314)

Let \(E\) be a smooth Hermitian vector bundle over the \(n\)-dimensional oriented Riemannian manifold \(M\). Let \(L\) denote a second order elliptic partial differential operator and let \(D\) denote a first order differential operator on sections of \(E\). For a smooth section \(\alpha\) of \(E\) and suitably chosen \(L\) and \(D\), the authors provide formulas for \(De^{tL}\alpha\) and \(e^{tL}D\alpha\) in terms of stochastic integrals. In particular, it is assumed that \(L\) is a generalized Laplacian in the sense that the symbol of \(L\) is the dual of the Riemannian metric on \(M\) tensored with the identity section of \(\text{Hom}(E)\). Of particular interest is the case that \(L = -D^2\), for instance when \(E\) is a spinor bundle over the spin manifold \(M\) and \(D\) is the Dirac operator. The authors develop their formulas in this and several other similar special cases. The paper is very well written, and the authors provide an extensive bibliography to guide the reader to the relevant literature.