Index Theory Of Elliptic Operators Foliations And Operator Algebras

Combining analysis, geometry, and topology, this volume provides an introduction to current ideas involving the application of $K$-theory of operator algebras to index theory and geometry. In particular, the articles follow two main themes: the use of operator algebras to reflect properties of geometric objects and the application of index theory in settings where the relevant elliptic operators are invertible modulo a $C^*$-algebra other than that of the compact operators. The papers in this collection are the proceedings of the special sessions held at two AMS meetings: the Annual meeting in New Orleans in January 1986, and the Central Section meeting in April 1986. Jonathan Rosenberg's exposition supplies the best available introduction to Kasparov's $KK$-theory and its applications to representation theory and geometry. A striking application of these ideas is found in Thierry Fack's paper, which provides a complete and detailed proof of the Novikov Conjecture for fundamental groups of manifolds of non-positive curvature. Some of the papers involve Connes' foliation algebra and its $K$-theory, while others examine $C^*$-algebras associated to groups and group actions on spaces.

This collection of papers by leading researchers provides a broad picture of current research directions in index theory. Based on lectures presented at the NSF-CBMS Regional Conference on K-Homology and Index Theory, held in August 1991 at the University of Colorado at Boulder, the book provides both a careful exposition of new perspectives in classical index theory and an introduction to currently active areas of the field. Presented here are two new proofs of the classical Atiyah-Singer Index Theorem, as well as index theorems for manifolds with boundary and open manifolds. Index theory for semi-simple p-adic groups and the geometry of discrete groups are also discussed. Through-out the book, the application of operator algebras emerges as a central theme. Aimed at graduate students and researchers, this book would be suitable as a text for an advanced graduate topics course on index theory.

This volume contains the proceedings of the AMS-IMS-SIAM Summer Research Conference on ``Geometric and Topological Invariants of Elliptic Operators,'' held in August 1988 at Bowdoin College. Some of the themes covered at the conference and appearing in the articles are: the use of more sophisticated asymptotic methods to obtain index theorems, the study of the $\eta$ invariant and analytic torsion, and index theory on open manifolds and foliated manifolds. The current state of noncommutative differential geometry, as well as operator algebraic and $K$-theoretic methods, are also presented in several the articles. This book will be useful to researchers in index theory, operator algebras, foliations, and mathematical physics. Topologists and geometers are also likely to find useful the view the book provides of recent work in this area. In addition, because of the expository nature of several of the articles, it will be useful to graduate students interested in working in these areas.

This book consists of a collection of original, refereed research and expository articles on elliptic aspects of geometric analysis on manifolds, including singular, foliated and non-commutative spaces. The topics covered include the index of operators, torsion invariants, K-theory of operator algebras and L2-invariants. There are contributions from leading specialists, and the book maintains a reasonable balance between research, expository and mixed papers.

The book deals with the localization approach to the index problem for elliptic operators. Localization ideas have been widely used for solving various specific index problems for a long time, but the fact that there is actually a fundamental localization principle underlying all these solutions has mostly passed unnoticed. The ignorance of this general principle has often necessitated using various artificial tricks and hindered the solution of new important problems in index theory. So far, the localization principle has been only scarcely covered in journal papers and not covered at all in monographs. The suggested book is intended to fill the gap. So far, it is the first and only monograph dealing with the topic. Both the general localization principle and its applications to specific problems, existing and new, are covered. The book will be of interest to working mathematicians as well as graduate and postgraduate university students specializing in differential equations and related topics.​

This book consists of reviewed original research papers and expository articles in index theory (especially on singular manifolds), topology of manifolds, operator and equivariant K-theory, Hopf cyclic cohomology, geometry of foliations, residue theory, Fredholm pairs and others, and applications in mathematical physics. The wide spectrum of subjects reflects the diverse directions of research for which the starting point was the Atiyah-Singer index theorem.

These volumes form an authoritative statement of the current state of research in Operator Algebras. They consist of papers arising from a year-long symposium held at the University of Warwick. Contributors include many very well-known figures in the field.