A geometric model for odd differential \(K\)-theory (Q2348086)

Let \(M\) be a finite dimensional compact smooth manifold. A vector bundle \(E \to M \times S^1\) of rank \(n\) together with an isomorphism \(E|_{M_0}\cong M_0\times \mathbb{C}^n\) is called a (smooth) framed vector bundle of rank \(n\) over \(M\times S^1\), where \(M_0=M\times \{0\}\), 0 being the base point of \(S^1=\mathbb{R}/2\pi\mathbb{Z}\). Then \(K^{-1}(M)\) can be thought of as a group of stable isomorphism classes of these framed vector bundles over \(M\times S^1\). When given a framed bundle \(E\) over \(M\times S^1\), for any \(m \in M\) we set \({\mathsf E}_m=\Gamma(\{m\}\times S^1, E)\), the space of sections, and write \({\mathsf E}\) for the disjoint union of all \({\mathsf E}_m\), then we find that \({\mathsf E}\) defines a smooth \(\Omega \mathrm{GL}(n)\)-bundle over \(M\), which is called an \(\Omega\) vector bundle over \(M\). We have an equivalence of categories called the caloron correspondence which is due to [\textit{M. K. Murray} and \textit{R. F. Vozzo}, J. Geom. Phys. 60, No. 9, 1235--1250 (2010; Zbl 1198.53026)] and which asserts that the functor \(E \mapsto {\mathsf E}\) gives an equivalence of these categories including their respective connective data such as module connection \(\Delta\) and Higgs field \(\phi\). The purpose of this paper is to construct a differential extension \(\check{\mathcal{K}}^{-1}(M)\) of odd \(K\)-theory, which provides a model for odd differential \(K\)-theory, using the caloron correspondence. By the model herein is meant a differential extension of odd \(K\)-theory with \(S^1\)-integration \(\widehat{\int_{S^1}}\). Let \({\mathsf E} \to M\) be an \(\Omega\) vector bundle equipped with \(\Delta\) and \(\phi\). We consider the pair \textbf{series\mathsf family E}=({\mathsf E}, \([\Delta, \phi]\)) where \([\Delta, \phi]\) denotes an equivalence class of \((\Delta, \phi)\) defined by the form of the string potential. This \textbf{series\mathsf family E} is called a structured \(\Omega\) vector bundle over \(M\). The authors show that \(\check{\mathcal{K}}^{-1}(M)\) can be defined in terms of equivalence classes of virtual structured \(\Omega\) vector bundles \textbf{series\mathsf family E}\(-\)\textbf{series\mathsf family F} of rank zero over \(M\) and that there exists a unique natural isomorphism between \(\check{\mathcal{K}}^{-1}(M)\) and a fixed model \(\hat{K}^{-1}(M)\). Finally. in the last section, 4, the authors give an explicit isomorphism between \(\check{\mathcal{K}}^{-1}(M)\) and the differential extension \(\check{\mathcal{L}}^{-1}(M)\) developed by T. Tradler, S. O. Wilson and M. Zeinalian [\textit{T. Tradler} et al., J. K-Theory 12, No. 2, 331--361 (2013; Zbl 1327.19014)].