Relative index theory (Q1187764)

The author studies pairs of generalized Dirac operators on complete noncompact Riemannian manifolds which agree outside compact sets. By an analytic interpretation of the difference of the integrals over their local index densities, he obtains a generalization of the relative index theorem of \textit{M. Gromov} and \textit{H. B. Lawson} jun. [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Etud. Sci. 58, 295-408 (1983; Zbl 0538.53047)]. Furthermore, under some assumptions on the curvature of the manifolds, the author proves that the pair of generalized Dirac operators defines a supersymmetric scattering theory in the sense of \textit{N. V. Borisov, W. Müller} and \textit{R. Schrader} [Commun. Math. Phys. 114, No. 3, 475-513 (1988; Zbl 0663.58032)] and establishes a relation between the scattering index and the relative topological index.