A Hilbert bundle description of differential \(K\)-theory (Q1705475)

The authors give an infinite dimensional description of the differential \(K\)-theory of a manifold \(M\). The generators are triples \([\mathcal{H},\mathbb{A},\omega]\) where \(\mathcal{H}\) is a \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-graded Hilbert bundle on \(M\), \(\mathbb{A}\) is a superconnection on \(\mathcal{H}\) and \(\omega\) is a differential form on \(M\). The relations involve eta forms. They show that the ensuing group is the differential \(K\)-group \(K^0(M)\). In addition, the authors construct the pushforward of a finite dimensional cocycle under a proper submersion with a Riemannian structure. They give the analogous description of the odd differential \(K\)-group \(K^1(M)\). Finally, they give a model for twisted differential \(K\)-theory. This paper is organized as follows: Section 1 is an introduction to the subject. Section 2 (Pseudodifferential calculus) is devoted to functional analytic preliminaries. In Section 3, the authors develop the theory of superconnections on Hilbert bundles. Section 4 is devoted to differential \(K\)-theory and contains the main results of the paper. In Section 5, the authors construct a pushforward on cocycles and show that it passes to a pushforward on the differential \(K\)-groups. In Section 6, they indicate how the results of the previous sections extend to the odd differential \(K\)-group \(K^1(\cdot)\). In Section 7, they give the basic definitions for a Hilbert bundle model of twisted differential \(K\)-theory, i.e., when differential \(K\)-theory is twisted by an element of \(H^3(M; \mathbb{Z})\). The paper is supported by an appendix in which the authors prove a formula for the Chern character of a superconnection in relative cohomology. There is an application to eta forms.