The index of operators on foliated bundles (Q1816717)

The author treats the higher index problem for longitudinal differential operators in a special case; cf. \textit{A. Connes} [`Noncommutative geometry', Acad. Press (1994; Zbl 0818.46076)] for a general discussion: Let \(V@>\pi>>B\) be a smooth fibre bundle with \(V=\widetilde{B}\times_\Gamma F\), where the fundamental group \(\Gamma\) of \(B\) acts on the universal covering space \(\widetilde{B}\) of \(B\) by deck transformations and on the fibre \(F\) by diffeomorphisms. Let, moreover, be given an integrable subbundle \({\mathcal F}\subset TV\) of dimension \(\dim B\) whose leaves are transverse to the fibres. In general, a cohomological index theorem consists in determining the Connes-Karoubi character of the index of leafwise elliptic operators, \[ \text{Ch}\circ\text{ind}: K_1(C^\infty_c(S^*{\mathcal F}))\to HC_0^{\text{per}}(\Psi^{-\infty}({\mathcal F})). \] In the present case of flat bundles the algebra \(\Psi^{-\infty}{\mathcal F}\) of smoothing operators and the algebra \(C^\infty_c(S^*{\mathcal F})\) of smooth leafwise symbols (defined on the unit cosphere bundle \(S^*{\mathcal F}\) of \({\mathcal F}\)) can be replaced by certain crossed product algebras which can be brought into the realm of periodic cyclic cohomology where the algebraic machinery of Cuntz-Quillen applies. As a special case \((F=0)\), the final index formula contains the higher index theorem for coverings of \textit{A. Connes} and \textit{H. Moscovici} [Topology 29, No. 3, 345-388 (1990; Zbl 0759.58047)].