Transverse noncommutative geometry of foliations (Q1629710)

The authors consider a class of foliations, obtained by the quotient of a given smooth regular foliation \((\widehat{M}, \widehat{\mathcal{F}})\) by the proper action of a countable discrete group \(\Gamma\). The assumption is made that the quotient manifold \(M := \widehat{M} / \widehat{\mathcal{F}}\) is a compact Hausdorff manifold, endowed with the possibly singular foliation \(\mathcal{F}\), furnished by the proper action of \(\Gamma\). The problem is then reduced, via the Connes fibration, to the case of Riemannian bifoliations. Making use of an appropriate Beals-Greiner calculus, the authors construct a semi-finite spectral triple, over the crossed product algebra of the foliation by the action. Thereby, a periodic cyclic cohomology class is obtained, through the Connes-Chern character. The authors define an Atiyah-Connes semi-finite spectral triple for Galois coverings of bounded geometry foliations which generalizes to Riemannian bifoliations the Atiyah approach to the \(L^2\) index theorem. The two spectral triples are then shown to be compatible (Morita equivalent). As a corollary, for Riemannian foliations with torsion free monodromy groupoid \(G\), assuming surjectivity of the Baum-Connes map of the monodromy groupoid, the map \(K_{\ast}(C^{\ast}(G)) \to \mathbb{R}\), induced by the semi-finite spectral triple, is integer valued. In addition, the Connes-Chern character of any semi-finite spectral triple associated with a transversely hypo-elliptic operator \(\widehat{D}\) is integral, hence it induces an integer valued pairing with the \(K\)-theory of the maximal \(C^{\ast}\)-algebra \(B = C^{\ast}(\widehat{G}) \rtimes \Gamma\).