Positive scalar curvature and a new index theory for noncompact manifolds (Q2302555)

The Gromov-Lawson-Rosenberg (GLR) conjecture states that a closed smooth spin manifold of dimension more than five, has a positive scalar curvature metric if and only if the Clifford index of the Dirac operator -- acting on sections of the spinor bundle -- vanishes in the \(K\)-theory of an appropriate completion of the real group ring of the fundamental group of the manifold. The authors formulate a relative GLR conjecture for manifolds with boundary (Conjecture 2.21), at which they provide a positive answer for a manifold such that its fundamental group and that of its boundary are locally compact topological groups, and their associated cohomoligical dimensions are less than the dimension of the manifold, see Theorem 2.25 for additional assumptions. The third section is reserved for the study of new index theory for noncompact manifolds.