Automorphisms of the infinite dimensional Clifford algebra and the Atiyah-Singer mod 2 index (Q788973)

Some generalizations of the two groups of implimentable automorphisms of (1) the canonical anti-commutation relations and (2) the Clifford algebra, are given, and an index map for each is constructed. The paper consists of five sections. In {\S}1, the motivation and most definitions needed are exposed. {\S}2, 3 and 4 are devoted in turn to the proof of three main results: Theorem 1.4. Put \({\mathcal O}=\{O\); O orthogonal on E with \(O+JOJ\in {\mathfrak S}\}\), where E is a real, separable Hilbert space equipped with a complex structure J (i.e. \(J^ 2=-1\), \(J^*=-J)\), and \({\mathcal S}\) is a separable symmetrical ideal of real linear operators on E. \({\mathcal O}(\infty)\) and \({\mathcal U}(\infty)\) denote the stable orthogonal and unitary groups respectively. Then \({\mathcal O}\) has the homotopy type of the homogeneous space \({\mathcal O}(\infty)/{\mathcal U}(\infty)\). In particular, the first homotopy group \(\pi_ 0({\mathcal O})\cong {\mathbb{Z}}_ 2.\) Theorem 1.5. Let H be a complex Hilbert space E with J. Then \({\mathcal O}\) is a complete metric group and \(i_{{\mathcal O}}:{\mathcal O}\to {\mathbb{Z}}_ 2:\quad O\to \dim_ H \ker(O-JOJ)\) is an index map for \({\mathcal O}.\) Theorem 1.7. \(i_{{\mathcal G}}:{\mathcal G}\to {\mathbb{Z}}:\quad G\to \quad Fredholm\quad index\quad of\quad P_+GP_+,\) is an index map for \({\mathcal G}\), where \({\mathcal G}\) is defined by \(\{\) G; G and \(G^{-1}\) are bounded on H, \(P_{\pm}GP_{\mp}\in {\mathcal S}\}\) corresponding to a pair of infinite-rank, complementary (i.e. \(P_++P_-=1)\) and self-adjoint projections \(P_+\) and \(P_-\) on H. Incidentally, in {\S}5 the authors deduce the index theorem for real, skew-adjoint Fredholm operators, obtained by \textit{M. F. Atiyah} and \textit{I. M. Singer} [Inst. Haut. Etud. Sci., Publ. Math. 37(1969), 5-26 (1970; Zbl 0194.555)] from Theorem 1.5.