Some geometric results on \(K\)-theory with \(\mathbb{Z}/k\mathbb{Z}\)-coefficients (Q2211216)

Let \(X\) be an odd-dimensional closed \(\mathrm{Spin}^c\) manifold with Dirac operator \(D\). From the data \((E,F,\alpha )\), a pair of Hermitian vector bundles on \(X\) and a unitary isomorphism \(\alpha : kE\to kF\) between direct sums of \(k\) copies of these vector bundles, [\textit{M. F. Atiyah} et al., Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 79, 71--99 (1976; Zbl 0325.58015)] defined a homotopy-invariant mod \(k\) spectral flow between \(D\) twisted by \(kE\) and \(D\) twisted by \(kF\). They related the spectral flow to a \(K\)-theory element represented by \((E,F,\alpha )\) and gave an index formula for this spectral flow. The paper under review provides a different proof of the above results based on embedding \(X\) in an odd-dimensional sphere (as suggested by the 1960's proof of the Atiyah-Singer index theorem) and applying many sophisticated differential geometric techniques introduced into index theory in the intervening years. The author also proves a corresponding result in \(KO\)-theory. \par The third section of the paper under review applies similar reasoning in the setting of a smooth fiber bundle with closed even-dimensional Spin\(^c\) manifolds as fibers and a base that is a compact manifold. Let \(Z\) denote the total space and \(Y\) the base of this fiber bundle. Let \((E,F,\alpha )\), as described in this review's first paragraph, denote a representative of \(K^{-1}(Z,\mathbb Z/k\mathbb Z)\). Dirac operators on the fibers form a family of Dirac operators parametrized by \(Y\). Assume that, when the Dirac operators are twisted by \(E\), their kernels all have the same dimension and that, when twisted by \(kE\), the family of Dirac operators has index class equal to \(0\in K(Y)\). \par In this setting the author proves a Grothendieck-Riemann-Roch theorem that asserts the equality of the mod \(k\) Chern characters of two elements of the odd \(K\)-theory of \(Y\). One element is the result of applying the spectral flow construction to \((E,F,\alpha )\) and the family of Dirac operators. The other is the result of applying an analogous construction to the triple (the index bundle for the family of \(E\)-twisted Dirac operators, the index bundle for the family of \(F\)-twisted Dirac operators, an isomorphism induced by \(\alpha\) between direct sums of \(k\) copies of each of these index bundles).