Complex valued Bismut-Lott index theorem (Q2663288)

In 1995, \textit{J.-M. Bismut} and \textit{J. Lott} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 8, No. 2, 291--363 (1995; Zbl 0837.58028)] proved a Riemann-Roch-Grothendieck-type formula for the real-analytic torsion form. Later, Burghelea and Haller defined the complex-valued Ray-Singer torsion under the condition that there exists a non-degenerate symmetric bilinear form on the flat complex vector bundle. But it is hard to define the torsion form in this setting. In this paper, the author uses the methods of \textit{J.-M. Bismut} and \textit{S. Goette} [Families torsion and Morse functions. Paris: Société Mathématique de France (2001; Zbl 1071.58025)] in proving the Cheeger-Muller theorem for equivariant analytic torsion form to obtain a complex-valued version of the Bismut-Lott formula under the assumption that there exists a fiberwise Morse function. Here the kernel bundle is replaced by the bundle constructed by the small eigenvalues.