The index of leafwise \(G\)-transversally elliptic operators on foliations (Q2662758)

This paper is a well-written, well-organized and well-illustrated. It makes a valuable contribution in index theory for foliated manifolds endowed with Lie group actions. Let \(G\) be a compact Lie group and let \((M,\mathcal{F})\) be a smooth \(G\)-foliation. This paper deals with the study of a new index map for \(G\)-invariant and leafwise \(G\)-transversally elliptic operators on smooth closed foliated manifolds, denoted by \(\mathrm{Ind}^{\mathcal{F}}:K^j_G(F_G)\to KK^j(C^*G,C^*(M,\mathcal{F}))\). More precisely, the authors proved the Atiyah axioms for \(\mathrm{Ind}\) as excision, multiplicativity and compatibility with the inclusion of a closed group into \(G\) (including the case of a maximal torus), see Theorem 3.8, Theorem 3.14 and Theorems 4.3,4.5. Also, in the situation where \(G\) acts freely, they connect their index class with the Connes-Skandalis index class of the corresponding leafwise elliptic operators on the quotient foliation (see Corollary 3.4). Major results of this paper are the Riemann-Roch property for \(\mathrm{Ind}\), that is Theorem 5.1, and a topological formulation of Ind in several situations (see Subsection 5.2).