Signature defects and eta invariants of Picard modular cusp singularities (Q2277531)

The author studies the signature defects of Picard modular cusp singularities in relation with the eta invariants of some operators. Let \({\mathbb{B}}={\mathbb{B}}_ m:=\{z\in {\mathbb{C}}^ m; | z| <1\}\) be the complex unit ball, K an imaginary quadratic number field, \({\mathfrak O}={\mathfrak O}_ K\) its ring of integers and \(\Gamma\) a neat normal subgroup of SU((m,1),\({\mathfrak O})\) of finite index. Then \(\Gamma\setminus {\mathbb{B}}\) is a manifold. Each of its compactifying ``Picard modular'' cusp singularity (V,p) is the contraction of the zero section T of a negative line bundle L/T, T an abelian variety. Let M/T be the associated disc bundle sitting in L/T. Assume that \(m=2k\) is even. Main results: Theorem 1. Let A be the modified tangential signature operator on M defined analogously as by \textit{M. F. Atiyah}, \textit{H. Donnelly} and \textit{I. M. Singer} in Ann. Math., II. Ser. 118, 131-177 (1983; Zbl 0531.58048) acting on the space of \(L^ 2\)-forms with even degree. Then: \(\eta_ A(0)=L_ k(p_ 1,...,p_ k)[M,\partial M]=2^ mT^ m\zeta (1-m)/(m- 1)!,\) where \(T^ m\) is the selfintersection number of T in M. Theorem 2. Let \(A_ 1\) be the tangential signature operator defined in the cited paper and H the space of constant even forms on \(\partial M\). Then: \(\eta_{A_ 1| H}(0)=-sign(M,\partial M).\) Theorem 3. \(sign(M,\partial M)=(-1)^ k\cdot_{m-1}C_ k-2\cdot \sum^{k-2}_{j=0}(-1)^ j\cdot_{m-1}C_ j.\) Here \(\eta_ A(s)\) is the \(\eta\)-function of the operator A, the \(p_ j's\) are the relative Pontrjagin classes in \(H^{4j}(M,\partial M;{\mathbb{Z}})\), \(L_ k(p_ 1,...,p_ k)\) is Hirzebruch's L-polynomial in \(H^{4k}(M,\partial M;{\mathbb{Q}})\), sign(M,\(\partial M)\) is the signature of the bilinear form (cup product) on \(H^{2k}(M,\partial M;{\mathbb{R}})\) and \(_{m-1}C_ j=(m-1)!/j!(m-j)!\).