Eta-invariants, torsion forms and flat vector bundles (Q2465222)

Let \(M\) be a compact smooth manifold and let \(F\) be a complex vector bundle over \(M\) with a flat connection. Using this data, one can define a mod \(Q\) version of the Cheeger-Chern-Simons character. The authors derive a formula which can be thought of as a Riemann-Roch-Grothendieck formula for this Cheeger-Chern-Simons character. The proof of this result relies on a Riemann-Roch type formula for certain extended versions of the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer \(\rho\)-invariant which is associated to sub-signature operators. The main method employed is the computation of the adiabatic limits of these sub-signature operators as well as a local index computation. The authors show that the Bismut-Lott analytic torsion form can be derived naturally from transgressions of \(\eta\)-forms appearing in the adiabatic limit computations. The paper may be outlined as follows. Section 1 is the introduction and Section 2 treats \(\eta\)-invariants and flat cochain complexes. The paper concludes with Section 3 which deals with sub-signature operators and a Riemann-Roch formula.