The index of Dirac operators on manifolds with fibered boundaries (Q998095)

Let \(X\) be a compact spin manifold with boundary. Assume that the boundary is a fiber bundle. Give \(X\) a \(\Phi\)-metric, and let \(D\) be a generalized Dirac operator on \(X\). \(D\) determines an operator on the boundary of \(X\) and hence a family of operators on the boundary fibers. Assume that the spectra of these boundary fiber operators are bounded away from zero. \(D\) is Fredholm. The authors prove an index theorem for \(D\). Their index formula has two terms: the integral over \(X\) of the product of the manifold's \(\widehat{A}\)-form with the Chern character form of the auxiliary bundle; and the integral over the boundary's base of the product of the \(\widehat{A}\)-form of the base with the Bismut-Cheeger eta-form of the boundary family. The proof proceeds by using results of \textit{R. Melrose} and \textit{F. Rochon} [\(K\)-Theory 37, No. 1--2, 25--104 (2006; Zbl 1126.58010)] to show that the index does not change when the metric is deformed to a \(b\)-metric dependent on a parameter \(\epsilon >0\). The index formula in the \(b\)-metric is the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index formula. The authors calculate that, as \(\epsilon \rightarrow 0\), the interior integral in the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer formula converges to the interior integral asserted for the \(\Phi\)-metric. The asserted limiting value, as \(\epsilon \rightarrow 0\), of the boundary term is a consequence of results of \textit{J.-M. Bismut} and \textit{J. Cheeger} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 2, No. 1, 33--70 (1989; Zbl 0671.58037)].