Semiclassical pseudodifferential operators and the Atiyah-Singer index theorem (Q605289)

Let \(\mathcal D\) denote the Dirac operator on a spin manifold \(M\) of even dimension \(n\). The Atiyah-Singer index theorem, \(\text{ind}{\mathcal D}^+ = \int_M \hat{A}(M)\), follows from the local index theorem which gives the \(\hat{A}\)-genus as the limit of the supertrace of the heat kernel as time \(t\downarrow 0\). The paper under review contains proofs of the (local) index theorem. One proof is based on the heat kernel, the other on the resolvent. In the parametrix constructions, semiclassical pseudodifferential calculus is used, modified to incorporate Getzler's rescaling idea. The rescaled symbols of compositions such as \(({\mathcal D}^2+\lambda^2) A\) are computed. Here, \(\lambda\) is the (large) semiclassical parameter. The formulas imply that the parametrix constructions reduce, on the symbol level, to harmonic oscillator problems for which the solutions are well-known. The index density is obtained as the \(n\)-th degree form part, \(\int_{T_x^*M}{\tilde{\sigma}}_{sl}(A)(x,\xi)_n\,d\xi\), of the rescaled semiclassical symbol, where, in the resolvent proof, \(A=({\mathcal D}^2+\lambda^2)^{-N}\), \(2N>n\).