The parity of paths of closed Fredholm operators of index zero (Q1328931)

Let \(\Lambda\) be a compact metric space and \(L(\lambda): D(\lambda)\to Y\) be a collection of closed operators between Banach spaces with respective domains \(D(\lambda)\). Such a collection is called a family if the map \(\lambda\mapsto \text{graph} (L(\lambda))\) is continuous when the set of closed subspaces of \(X\times Y\) is given the gap metric, i.e., the distance of two subspaces is the Hausdorff distance of their unit balls. In case all the \(L (\lambda)\) are bounded, this concept of continuity is the same as requiring that \(\lambda\to L(\lambda)\) is continuous. A parametrix for a family \(L(\cdot)\) is a family \(S(\cdot)\) such that \(L(\lambda) S(\lambda)= \text{Id}+ K(\lambda)\), \(\lambda\in \Lambda\), for a family of compact operators \(K(\lambda)\). Now let \(L(\cdot)\) be a family of closed Fredholm operators of index 0. It is shown that a parametrix for \(L(\cdot)\) exists if \(\Lambda\) is contractible, in particular, if \(\Lambda= [a,b]\). In this case, the authors define the parity of \(L(\cdot)\), assuming that \(L(a)\) and \(L(b)\) are invertible, by \[ \deg L(a) S(a)\cdot \deg L(b) S(b), \] deg denoting the Leray-Schauder degree. The main result of this paper is that this notion is well-defined. Also, its homotopy invariance and a criterion for determining the parity are studied. Finally, the parity of a family \(L(\lambda)\), \(\lambda\in S^ 1\), is defined and investigated. Corresponding results for families of bounded Fredholm operators were proved by Fitzpatrick and Pejsachowicz in a number of papers.