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Let $\overline{M}$ be a compact smoothly stratified pseudo-manifold endowed with a wedge metric $g$. Let $\overline{M}_\Gamma$ be a Galois $\Gamma$-covering. Under additional assumptions on $\overline{M}$, satisfied for example by Witt pseudo-manifolds, we show that the $L^2$-Betti numbers and the Novikov-Shubin invariants are well defined. We then establish their invariance under a smoothly stratified, strongly stratum preserving homotopy equivalence, thus extending results of Dodziuk, Gromov and Shubin to these pseudo-manifolds., Comment: 33 pages, proof of Lemma 4.10 and Theorem 4.11 clarified, Corollary 5.3 improved

Let G be a connected, linear real reductive group and let X be a G-proper manifold without boundary. We give a detailed account of both the large and small time behaviour of the heat-kernel of perturbed Dirac operators, as a map from the positive real line to the Lafforgue algebra. As a first application, we prove that certain delocalized eta invariants associated to perturbed Dirac operators are well defined. We then prove index formulas relating these delocalized eta invariants to Atiyah-Patodi-Singer delocalized indices on G-proper manifolds with boundary. We apply these results to the definition of rho-numbers associated to G-homotopy equivalences between closed G-proper manifolds and to the study of their bordism properties., Comment: This article contains an updated and extended version of part of arXiv:210800982(v2). It is independent of arXiv:210800982(v3), and the two papers together supersede arXiv:210800982(v2). The discussion of perturbations of Dirac operators in arXiv:210800982(v2) is corrected and included in this article

In this article, we survey the recent constructions of cyclic cocycles on the Harish-Chandra Schwartz algebra of a connected real reductive Lie group $G$ and their applications to higher index theory for proper cocompact $G$-actions., Comment: 41 pages. In this new arXiv version we correct a mistake in the printed version by avoiding a wrong decomposition formula for the Dirac operator. A detailed discussion can be found in arXiv:2108.00982(v3)

Let $G$ be a connected, linear real reductive group. We give sufficient conditions ensuring the well-definedness of the delocalized eta invariant $\eta_g (D_X)$ associated to a Dirac operator $D_X$ on a cocompact $G$-proper manifold $X$ and to the orbital integral $\tau_g$ defined by a semisimple element $g\in G$. Along the way, we give a detailed account of the large time behaviour of the heat kernel and of its short time bahaviour near the fixed point set of $g$. We prove that such a delocalized eta invariant enters as the boundary correction term in an index theorem computing the pairing between the index class and the 0-degree cyclic cocycle defined by $\tau_g$ on a $G$-proper manifold with boundary. More importantly, we also prove a higher version of such a theorem, for the pairing of the index class and the higher cyclic cocycles defined by the higher orbital integral $\Phi^P_g$ associated to a cuspidal parabolic subgroup $P

Let G be a finitely connected Lie group and let K be a maximal compact subgroup. Let M be a cocompact G-proper manifold with boundary, endowed with a G-invariant metric which is of product type near the boundary. Under additional assumptions on G, for example that it satisfies the Rapid Decay condition and is such that G/K has nonpositive sectional curvature, we define higher Atiyah-Patodi-Singer C^*-indices associated to smooth group cocycles on G and to a generalized G-equivariant Dirac operator D on M with L^2-invertible boundary operator D_\partial. We then establish a higher index formula for these C^*-indices and use it in order to introduce higher genera for M, thus generalizing to manifolds with boundary the results that we have established in Part 1. Our results apply in particular to a semisimple Lie group G. We use crucially the pairing between suitable relative cyclic cohomology groups and relative K-theory groups., Comment: Updated version: small corrections. Additivity of higher genera added

In this paper we continue the study of positive scalar curvature (psc) metrics on a depth-1 Thom-Mather stratified space $M_\Sigma$ with singular stratum $\beta M$ (a closed manifold of positive codimension) and associated link equal to $L$, a smooth compact manifold. We briefly call such spaces manifolds with $L$-fibered singularities. Under suitable spin assumptions we give necessary index-theoretic conditions for the existence of wedge metrics of positive scalar curvature. Assuming in addition that $L$ is a simply connected homogeneous space of positive scalar curvature, $L=G/H$, with the semisimple compact Lie group $G$ acting transitively on $L$ by isometries, we investigate when these necessary conditions are also sufficient. Our main result is that our conditions are indeed sufficient for large classes of examples, even when $M_\Sigma$ and $\beta M$ are not simply connected. We also investigate the space of such psc metrics and show that it often splits into many cobordism classes.

Let M be a compact smoothly stratified pseudomanifold with boundary, satisfying the Witt assumption. In this paper we introduce the de Rham signature and the Hodge signature of M, and prove their equality. Next, building also on recent work of Albin and Gell-Redman, we extend the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index theory established in our previous work under the hypothesis that M has stratification depth 1 to the general case, establishing in particular a signature formula on Witt spaces with boundary. In a parallel way we also pass to the case of a Galois covering M' of M with Galois group Gamma. Employing von Neumann algebras we introduce the de Rham Gamma-signature and the Hodge Gamma-signature and prove their equality, thus extending to Witt spaces a result proved by Lueck and Schick in the smooth case. Finally, extending work of Vaillant in the smooth case, we establish a formula for the Hodge Gamma-signature. As a consequence we deduce the fundamental result that equates the Cheeger-Gromov rho-invariant of the boundary of M' with the difference of the signatures of M and M'. We end the paper with two geometric applications of our results., Comment: 58 pages, 4 figures

Let $M$ be a compact complex manifold. In this paper we give a simple proof of the bimeromorphic invariance of the higher Todd genera of $M$, a result first proved implicitly by Brasselet-Sch\"urmann-Yokura using algebraic methods., Comment: Final version. To appear on Rendiconti di Matematica e delle sue Applicazioni

Using standard results from higher (secondary) index theory, we prove that the positive scalar curvature bordism groups of a cartesian product GxZ are infinite in dimension 4n if n>0 G a group with non-trivial torsion. We construct representatives of each of these classes which are connected and with fundamental group GxZ. We get the same result in dimension 4n+2 (n>0) if G is finite and contains an element which is not conjugate to its inverse. This generalizes the main result of Kazaras, Ruberman, Saveliev, "On positive scalar curvature cobordism and the conformal Laplacian on end-periodic manifolds" to arbitrary even dimensions and arbitrary groups with torsion., Comment: 7 pages. v3 corrected typos, updated references.Final version, to appear identically in Communications in Analysis and Geometry

Let $M_\Sigma$ be an $n$-dimensional Thom-Mather stratified space of depth $1$. We denote by $\beta M$ the singular locus and by $L$ the associated link. In this paper we study the problem of when such a space can be endowed with a wedge metric of positive scalar curvature. We relate this problem to recent work on index theory on stratified spaces, giving first an obstruction to the existence of such a metric in terms of a wedge $\alpha$-class $\alpha_w (M_\Sigma)\in KO_n$. In order to establish a sufficient condition we need to assume additional structure: we assume that the link of $M_\Sigma$ is a homogeneous space of positive scalar curvature, $L=G/K$, where the semisimple compact Lie group $G$ acts transitively on $L$ by isometries. Examples of such manifolds include compact semisimple Lie groups and Riemannian symmetric spaces of compact type. Under these assumptions, when $M_\Sigma$ and $\beta M$ are spin, we reinterpret our obstruction in terms of two $\alpha$-classes associated to the resolution of $M_\Sigma$, $M$, and to the singular locus $\beta M$. Finally, when $M_\Sigma$, $\beta M$, $L$, and $G$ are simply connected and $\dim M$ is big enough, and when some other conditions on $L$ (satisfied in a large number of cases) hold, we establish the main result of this article, showing that the vanishing of these two $\alpha$-classes is also sufficient for the existence of a well-adapted wedge metric of positive scalar curvature., Comment: 28 pages. A few minor corrections from previous version. To appear in Journal of Topology and Analysis

Let $\Gamma$ be a f.g. discrete group and let $\tilde M$ be a Galois $\Gamma$-covering of a smooth closed manifold $M$. Let $S_*^\Gamma(\tilde{M})$ be the analytic structure group, appearing in the Higson-Roe analytic surgery sequence $\to S_*^\Gamma(\tilde M)\to K_*(M)\to K_*(C_r^*\Gamma)\to$. We prove that for an arbitrary discrete group $\Gamma$ it is possible to map the whole Higson-Roe sequence to the long exact sequence of even/odd-graded noncommutative de Rham homology $\to H_{[*-1]}(\mathcal{A}\Gamma)\to H^{del}_{[*-1]}(\mathcal{A}\Gamma)\to H^{e}_{[*]}(\mathcal{A}\Gamma)\to$, with $\mathcal{A}\Gamma$ a dense homomorphically closed subalgebra of $C^*_r\Gamma$. Here, $ H_{*}^{del}(\mathcal{A}\Gamma)$ is the delocalized homology and $H_{*}^{e}(\mathcal{A}\Gamma)$ is the homology localized at the identity element. Then, under additional assumptions on $\Gamma$, we prove the existence of a pairing between $HC^*_{del}(\mathbb{C}\Gamma)$, the delocalized part of the cyclic cohomology of $\mathbb{C}\Gamma$, and $H^{del}_{*-1}(\mathcal{A}\Gamma)$. This, in particular, gives a pairing between $S^\Gamma_*(\tilde M)$ and $HC^{*-1}_{del}(\mathbb{C}\Gamma)$. We also prove the existence of a pairing between $S^\Gamma_*(\tilde M)$ and the relative cohomology $H^{[*-1]}(M\to B\Gamma)$. Both these parings are compatible with known pairings associated with the other terms in the Higson-Roe sequence. In particular, we define higher rho numbers associated to the rho class $\rho(\tilde D)\in S_*^\Gamma(\tilde M)$ of an invertible $\Gamma$-equivariant Dirac type operator on $\tilde M$. Finally, we provide a precise study for the behavior of all previous K-theoretic and homological objects and of the higher rho numbers under the action of the diffeomorphism group of $M$. Then, we establish new results on the moduli space of metrics of positive scalar curvature when $M$ is spin., Comment: 103 pages. Changes from the first version: the title has been modified; imprecisions have been corrected; more details are given; several new sections with many geometric applications have been added. v5: more introductory material, typos and small imprecisions corrected. Final version to appear in Memoirs AMS

Let $(X,h)$ be a compact and irreducible Hermitian complex space. This paper is devoted to various questions concerning the analytic K-homology of $(X,h)$. In the fist part, assuming either $\mathrm{dim}(\mathrm{sing}(X))=0$ or $\mathrm{dim}(X)=2$, we show that the rolled-up operator of the minimal $L^2$-$\overline{\partial}$ complex, denoted here $\overline{\eth}_{\mathrm{rel}}$, induces a class in $K_0 (X)\equiv KK_0(C(X),\mathbb{C})$. A similar result, assuming $\mathrm{dim}(\mathrm{sing}(X))=0$, is proved also for $\overline{\eth}_{\mathrm{abs}}$, the rolled-up operator of the maximal $L^2$-$\overline{\partial}$ complex. We then show that when $\mathrm{dim}(\mathrm{sing}(X))=0$ we have $[\overline{\eth}_{\mathrm{rel}}]=\pi_*[\overline{\eth}_M]$ with $\pi:M\rightarrow X$ an arbitrary resolution and with $[\overline{\eth}_M]\in K_0 (M)$ the analytic K-homology class induced by $\overline{\partial}+\overline{\partial}^t$ on $M$. In the second part of the paper we focus on complex projective varieties $(V,h)$ endowed with the Fubini-Study metric. First, assuming $\dim(V)\leq 2$, we compare the Baum-Fulton-MacPherson K-homology class of $V$ with the class defined analytically through the rolled-up operator of any $L^2$-$\overline{\partial}$ complex. We show that there is no $L^2$-$\overline{\partial}$ complex on $(\mathrm{reg}(V),h)$ whose rolled-up operator induces a K-homology class that equals the Baum-Fulton-MacPherson class. Finally in the last part of the paper we prove that under suitable assumptions on $V$ the push-forward of $[\overline{\eth}_{\mathrm{rel}}]$ in the K-homology of the classifying space of the fundamental group of $V$ is a birational invariant., Comment: Final version. To appear on Int. Math. Res. Not

We define and study, under suitable assumptions, the fundamental class, the index class and the rho class of a spin Dirac operator on the regular part of a spin stratified pseudomanifold. More singular structures, such as singular foliations, are also treated. We employ groupoid techniques in a crucial way; however, an effort has been made in order to make this article accessible to readers with only a minimal knowledge of groupoids. Finally, whenever appropriate, a comparison between classical microlocal methods and groupoids methods has been provided., Comment: 50 pages

Let G be a Lie group with finitely many connected components and let K be a maximal compact subgroup. We assume that G satisfies the rapid decay (RD) property and that G/K has non-positive sectional curvature. As an example, we can take G to be a connected semisimple Lie group. Let M be a G-proper manifold with compact quotient M/G. In this paper we establish index formulae for the C^*-higher indices of a G-equivariant Dirac-type operator on M. We use these formulae to investigate geometric properties of suitably defined higher genera on M. In particular, we establish the G-homotopy invariance of the higher signatures of a G-proper manifold and the vanishing of the A-hat genera of a G-spin, G-proper manifold admitting a G-invariant metric of positive scalar curvature., Comment: 20 pages, revised version, the main changes are in section 2.3

In work of Higson-Roe the fundamental role of the signature as a homotopy and bordism invariant for oriented manifolds is made manifest in how it and related secondary invariants define a natural transformation between the (Browder-Novikov-Sullivan-Wall) surgery exact sequence and a long exact sequence of C*-algebra K-theory groups. In recent years the (higher) signature invariants have been extended from closed oriented manifolds to a class of stratified spaces known as L-spaces or Cheeger spaces. In this paper we show that secondary invariants, such as the rho-class, also extend from closed manifolds to Cheeger spaces. We revisit a surgery exact sequence for stratified spaces originally introduced by Browder-Quinn and obtain a natural transformation analogous to that of Higson-Roe. We also discuss geometric applications.

Let M be an orientable topological manifold of dimension m, m greater or equal to 5, with fundamental group $\Gamma$. Let S(M) be the topological structure set, endowed with the group structure induced by its identification with Ranicki's algebraic structure set. We prove that the (rationalized) rho map $\rho_\Gamma: S(M)\rightarrow K_{m+1} (D^*_\Gamma)\otimes \mathbb{Q}$ is a homomorphism of abelian groups., Comment: Mistake found in the proof of our main theorem. Article under revision

We establish existence of the eta-invariant as well as of the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer and the Cheeger-Gromov rho-invariants for a class of Dirac operators on an incomplete edge space. Our analysis applies in particular to the signature, the Gauss-Bonnet and the spin Dirac operator. We derive an analogue of the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index theorem for incomplete edge spaces and their non-compact infinite Galois coverings with edge singular boundary. Our arguments employ microlocal analysis of the heat kernel asymptotics on incomplete edge spaces and the classical argument of Atiyah-Patodi-Singer. As an application, we discuss stability results for the two rho-invariants we have defined., Comment: 65 pages, 2 figures

Let $V$ be a compact and irreducible complex space of complex dimension $v$ whose regular part is endowed with a complete Hermitian metric $h$. Let $\pi:M\rightarrow V$ be a resolution of $V$. Under suitable assumptions on $h$ we prove that $$H^{v,q}_{2,\overline{\partial}}(\operatorname{reg}(V),g)\cong H^{v,q}_{\overline{\partial}}(M),\ q=0,...,v.$$ Then we show that the previous isomorphism applies to the case of Saper-type K\"ahler metrics and to the case of complete K\"ahler metrics with finite volume and pinched negative sectional curvatures., Comment: Final version. To appear on Mathematische Zeitschrift

Let $\Gamma$ be a finitely generated discrete group satisfying the rapid decay condition. We give a new proof of the higher Atiyah-Patodi-Singer theorem on a Galois $\Gamma$-coverings, thus providing an explicit formula for the higher index associated to a group cocycle $c\in Z^k (\Gamma;\mathbb{C})$ which is of polynomial growth with respect to a word-metric. Our new proof employs relative K-theory and relative cyclic cohomology in an essential way.

The main result of this paper is a new and direct proof of the natural transformation from the surgery exact sequence in topology to the analytic K-theory sequence of Higson and Roe. Our approach makes crucial use of analytic properties and new index theorems for the signature operator on Galois coverings with boundary. These are of independent interest and form the second main theme of the paper. The main technical novelty is the use of large scale index theory for Dirac type operators that are perturbed by lower order operators., Comment: 29 pages, AMS-LaTeX; v2: small corrections and (hopefully) improved exposition, as suggested by the referee. Final version, to appear in Annals of K-Theory

We develop a generalization to non-Witt spaces of the intersection homology theory of Goresky-MacPherson. The second author has described the self-dual sheaves compatible with intersection homology, and the other authors have described a generalization of Cheeger's L2 de Rham cohomology. In this paper we extend both of these cohomologies by describing all sheaf complexes in the derived category of constructible sheaves that are compatible with middle perversity intersection cohomology, though not necessarily self-dual. On Thom-Mather stratified spaces this refined intersection cohomology theory coincides with the analytic de Rham theory.

We prove the Novikov conjecture on oriented Cheeger spaces whose fundamental group satisfies the strong Novikov conjecture. A Cheeger space is a stratified pseudomanifold admitting, through a choice of ideal boundary conditions, an L2-de Rham cohomology theory satisfying Poincare duality. We prove that this cohomology theory is invariant under stratified homotopy equivalences and that its signature is invariant under Cheeger space cobordism. Analogous results, after coupling with a Mishchenko bundle associated to any Galois covering, allow us to carry out the analytic approach to the Novikov conjecture: we define higher analytic signatures of a Cheeger space and prove that they are stratified homotopy invariants whenever the assembly map is rationally injective. Finally we show that the analytic signature of a Cheeger space coincides with its topological signature as defined by Banagl., Comment: To appear in JNCG

We extend the study of the de Rham operator with ideal boundary conditions from the case of isolated conic singularities, as analyzed by Cheeger, to the case of arbitrary stratified pseudomanifolds. We introduce a class of ideal boundary operators and the notion of mezzoperversity, which intermediates between the standard lower and upper middle perversities in intersection theory, as interpreted in this de Rham setting, and show that the de Rham operator with these boundary conditions is Fredholm and has compact resolvent. We also prove an isomorphism between the resulting Hodge and L2 de Rham cohomology groups, and that these are independent of the choice of iterated edge metric. On spaces which admit ideal boundary conditions of this type which are also self-dual, which we call `Cheeger spaces', we show that these Hodge/de Rham cohomology groups satisfy Poincare Duality., Comment: v2: Slight changes to improve exposition, v3: Improved discussion of core domain, to appear in Crelle's journal

In this paper, we study the space of metrics of positive scalar curvature using methods from coarse geometry. Given a closed spin manifold M with fundamental group G, Stephan Stolz introduced the positive scalar curvature exact sequence, in analogy to the surgery exact sequence in topology. It calculates a structure group of metrics of positive scalar curvature on M (the object we want to understand) in terms of spin-bordism of BG and a somewhat mysterious group R(G). Higson and Roe introduced a K-theory exact sequence in coarse geometry which contains the Baum-Connes assembly map, with one crucial term K(D*G) canonically associated to G. The K-theory groups in question are the home of interesting index invariants and secondary invariants, in particular the rho-class in K_*(D*G) of a metric of positive scalar curvature on a spin manifold. One of our main results is the construction of a map from the Stolz exact sequence to the Higson-Roe exact sequence (commuting with all arrows), using coarse index theory throughout. Our main tool are two index theorems, which we believe to be of independent interest. The first is an index theorem of Atiyah-Patodi-Singer type. Here, assume that Y is a compact spin manifold with boundary, with a Riemannian metric g which is of positive scalar curvature when restricted to the boundary (and with fundamental group G). Because the Dirac operator on the boundary is invertible, one constructs a delocalized APS-index in K_* (D*G). We then show that this class equals the rho-class of the boundary. The second theorem equates a partitioned manifold rho-class of a positive scalar curvature metric to the rho-class of the partitioning hypersurface., Comment: 39 pages. v2: final version, to appear in Journal of Topology. Added more details and restructured the proofs, correction of a couple of errors. v3: correction after final publication of a (minor) technical glitch in the definition of the rho-invariant on p6. The JTop version is not corrected

In this paper we prove a variety of results about the signature operator on Witt spaces. First, we give a parametrix construction for the signature operator on any compact, oriented, stratified pseudomanifold X which satisfies the Witt condition. This construction, which is inductive over the `depth' of the singularity, is then used to show that the signature operator is essentially self-adjoint and has discrete spectrum of finite multiplicity, so that its index -- the analytic signature of X -- is well-defined. This provides an alternate approach to some well-known results due to Cheeger. We then prove some new results. By coupling this parametrix construction to a C*_r\Gamma-Mishchenko bundle associated to any Galois covering of X with covering group \Gamma, we prove analogues of the same analytic results, from which it follows that one may define an analytic signature index class as an element of the K-theory of C*_r\Gamma. We go on to establish in this setting and for this class the full range of conclusions which sometimes goes by the name of the signature package. In particular, we prove a new and purely topological theorem, asserting the stratified homotopy invariance of the higher signatures of X, defined through the homology L-class of X, whenever the rational assembly map K_* (B\Gamma)\otimes\bbQ \to K_*(C*_r \Gamma)\otimes \bbQ is injective., Comment: Amalgam and replacement of arXiv:0906.1568 and arXiv:0911.0888 with minor corrections

We prove a Godbillon-Vey index formula for longitudinal Dirac operators on a foliated bundle with boundary; in particular, we define a Godbillon-Vey eta invariant on the boundary-foliation; this is a secondary invariant for longitudinal Dirac operators on type-III foliations. Moreover, employing the Godbillon-Vey index as a pivotal example, we explain a new approach to higher index theory on geometric structures with boundary. This is heavily based on the interplay between the absolute and relative pairings of K-theory and cyclic cohomology for an exact sequence of Banach algebras which in the present context takes the form $0\to J\to A\to B\to 0$, with J dense and holomorphically closed in the C^*-algebra of the foliation and B depending only on boundary data. Of particular importance is the definition of a relative cyclic cocycle $(\tau_{GV}^r,\sigma_{GV})$ for the pair $A\to B$; $\tau_{GV}^r$ is a cyclic cochain on A defined through a regularization, \`a la Melrose, of the usual Godbillon-Vey cyclic cocycle $\tau_{GV}$; $\sigma_{GV}$ is a cyclic cocycle on B, obtained through a suspension procedure involving $\tau_{GV}$ and a specific 1-cyclic cocycle (Roe's 1-cocycle). We call $\sigma_{GV}$ the eta cocycle associated to $\tau_{GV}$. The Atiyah-Patodi-Singer formula is obtained by defining a relative index class $\Ind (D,D^\partial)\in K_* (A,B)$ and establishing the equality <\Ind (D),[\tau_{GV}]>=<\Ind (D,D^\partial), [\tau^r_{GV}, \sigma_{GV}]>$. The Godbillon-Vey eta invariant $\eta_{GV}$ is obtained through the eta cocycle $\sigma_{GV}$., Comment: 86 pages. This is the complete article corresponding to the announcement "Eta cocycles" by the same authors (arXiv:0907.0173)

This is a sequel to the paper "The signature package on Witt spaces, I. Index classes" by the same authors. In the first part we investigated, via a parametrix construction, the regularity properties of the signature operator on a stratified Witt pseudomanifold, proving, in particular, that one can define a K-homology signature class. We also established the existence of an analytic index class for the signature operator twisted by a C^*_r\Gamma Mischenko bundle and proved that the K-homology signature class is mapped to the signature index class by the assembly map. In this paper we continue our study, showing that the signature index class is invariant under rational Witt bordisms and stratified homotopies. We are also able to identify this analytic class with the topological analogue of the Mischenko symmetric signature recently defined by Banagl. Finally, we define Witt-Novikov higher signatures and show that our analytic results imply a purely topological theorem, namely that the Witt-Novikov higher signatures are stratified homotopy invariants if the assembly map in K-theory is rationally injective., Comment: Added references

We announce a Godbillon-Vey index formula for longitudinal Dirac operators on a foliated bundle $(X,\F)$ with boundary; in particular, we define a Godbillon-Vey eta invariant on the boundary foliation, that is, a secondary invariant for longitudinal Dirac operators on type III foliations. Our theorem generalizes the classic Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index formula for $(X,\F)$. Moreover, employing the Godbillon-Vey index as a pivotal example, we explain a new approach to higher index theory on geometric structures with boundary. This is heavily based on the interplay between the absolute and relative pairing of $K$-theory and cyclic cohomology for an exact sequence of Banach algebras, which in the present context takes the form $0\to J \to A \to B \to 0$ with J dense and holomorphically closed in the C^*-algebra of the foliation and B depending only on boundary data., Comment: Abstract shortened. Sect. 5 modified. References added. Will appear with title "Relative pairings and the APS index formula for the Godbillon-Vey cocycle" in the Contemporary Mathematics volume "Non-commutative Geometry and Global Analysis. Proceedings of the conference in honor of Henri Moscovici". The corresponding complete paper, with proofs, has been posted on the arXiv on February 14 2011

We give a parametrix construction for the signature operator on any compact, oriented, stratified pseudomanifold X which satisfies the Witt condition. This construction is inductive. It is then used to show that the signature operator is essentially self-adjoint and has discrete spectrum of finite multiplicity, so that its index -- the analytic signature of X -- is well-defined. We then show how to couple this construction to a C^*_r(Gamma) Mischenko bundle associated to any Galois covering of X with covering group Gamma. The appropriate analogues of these same results are then proved, and it follows that we may define an analytic signature class as an element of the K-theory of C^*_r(Gamma). In a sequel to this paper we establish in this setting the full range of conclusions for this class which sometimes goes by the name of the signature package., Comment: small changes to agree with part II

We study primary and secondary invariants of leafwise Dirac operators on foliated bundles. Given such an operator, we begin by considering the associated regular self-adjoint operator $D_m$ on the maximal Connes-Skandalis Hilbert module and explain how the functional calculus of $D_m$ encodes both the leafwise calculus and the monodromy calculus in the corresponding von Neumann algebras. When the foliation is endowed with a holonomy invariant transverse measure, we explain the compatibility of various traces and determinants. We extend Atiyah's index theorem on Galois coverings to these foliations. We define a foliated rho-invariant and investigate its stability properties for the signature operator. Finally, we establish the foliated homotopy invariance of such a signature rho-invariant under a Baum-Connes assumption, thus extending to the foliated context results proved by Neumann, Mathai, Weinberger and Keswani on Galois coverings., Comment: 65 pages

Let X be a compact manifold with boundary, and suppose that the boundary is the total space of a fibration with base Y and fibre Z. Let D be a generalized Dirac operator associated to a Phi-metric g on X. Under the assumption that D is fully elliptic we prove an index formula for D. The proof is in two steps: first, using results of Melrose and Rochon, we show that the index is unchanged if we pass to a certain b-metric h(s), with s a positive real number. Next we write the b- (i.e. the APS) index formula for h(s); the Phi-index formula follows by analyzing the limiting behaviour as s goes to zero of the two terms in the formula. The interior term is studied directly whereas the adiabatic limit formula for the eta invariant follows from work of Bismut and Cheeger., Comment: 12 pages. To appear in : Proceedings of the Joint BeNeLuxFra Conference in Mathematics, Ghent, 2005. Bulletin of the Belgian Mathematical Society - Simon Stevin

Let G be a discrete group, and let M be a closed spin manifold of dimension m>3 with pi_1(M)=G. We assume that M admits a Riemannian metric of positive scalar curvature. We discuss how to use the L2-rho invariant and the delocalized eta invariant associated to the Dirac operator on M in order to get information about the space of metrics with positive scalar curvatur1e. In particular we prove that, if G contains torsion and M is congruent 3 mod 4 then M admits infinitely many different bordism classes of metrics with positive scalar curvature. We show that this is true even up to diffeomorphism. If G has certain special properties then we obtain more refined information about the ``size'' of the space of metric of positive scalar curvature, and these results also apply if the dimension is congruent to 1 mod 4. For example, if G contains a central element of odd order, then the moduli space of metrics of positive scalar curvature has infinitely many components, if it is not empty. Some of our invariants are the delocalized eta-invariants introduced by John Lott. These invariants are defined by certain integrals whose convergence is not clear in general, and we show, in effect, that examples exist where this integral definitely does not converge, thus answering a question of Lott. We also discuss the possible values of the rho invariants of the Dirac operator and show that there are certain global restrictions (provided the scalar curvature is positive)., Comment: 21 pages; comma in metadata (author field) added. final version to appear in Pacific Journal of Mathematics

We discuss the behaviour of the signature index class of closed foliated bundles under the operation of cutting and pasting. Along the way we establish several index theoretic results: we define Atiyah-Patodi-Singer (APS) index classes for Dirac-type operators on foliated bundles with boundary; we prove a relative index theorem for the difference of two APS-index classes associated to different boundary conditions; we prove a gluing formula on closed foliated bundles that are the union of two foliated bundles with boundary; we establish a variational formula for APS-index classes of a 1-parameter family of Dirac-type operators on foliated bundles (this formula involves the noncommutative spectral flow of the boundary family). All these formulas take place in the $K$-theory of a suitable cross-product algebra. We then apply these results in order to find sufficient conditions ensuring the equality of the signature index classes of two cut-and-paste equivalent foliated bundles. We give applications to the question of when the Baum-Connes higher signatures of closed foliated bundles are cut-and-paste invariant., Comment: 43 pages. To appear in an AMS Contemporary Math. Proceedings volume on "Spectral Geometry of Manifolds with Boundary", edited by B. Booss-Bavnbek, G. Grubb and K. P. Wojciechowski. For related papers see http://www.mat.uniroma1.it/people/piazza/preprint.htm

Let G be a finitely generated discrete group. In this paper we establish vanishing results for rho-invariants associated to (i) the spin-Dirac operator of a spin manifold with positive scalar curvature (ii) the signature operator of the disjoint union of a pair of homotopy equivalent oriented manifolds with fundamental group G. The invariants we consider are more precisely - the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer rho-invariant associated to a pair of finite dimensional unitary representations. - the L2-rho invariant of Cheeger-Gromov - the delocalized eta invariant of Lott for a finite conjugacy class of G. We prove that all these rho-invariants vanish if the group G is torsion-free and the Baum-Connes map for the maximal group C^*-algebra is bijective. For the delocalized invariant we only assume the validity of the Baum-Connes conjecture for the reduced C^*-algebra. In particular, the three rho-invariants associated to the signature operator are, for such groups, homotopy invariant. For the APS and the Cheeger-Gromov rho-invariants the latter result had been established by Navin Keswani. Our proof re-establishes this result and also extends it to the delocalized eta-invariant of Lott. Our method also gives some information about the eta-invariant itself (a much more saddle object than the rho-invariant)., Comment: LaTeX2e, 60 pages; the gap pointed out by Nigel Higson and John Roe is now closed and all statements of the first version of the paper are proved (with some small refinements)

Building on the theory of elliptic operators, we give a unified treatment of the following topics: - the problem of homotopy invariance of Novikov's higher signatures on closed manifolds; - the problem of cut-and-paste invariance of Novikov's higher signatures on closed manifolds; - the problem of defining higher signatures on manifolds with boundary and proving their homotopy invariance., Comment: 54 pages. Survey-article. Related papers can be retrieved from http://www.mat.uniroma1.it/people/piazza

Let $\Gamma$ be a discrete finitely generated group. Let $\hat{M}\to T$ be a $\Gamma$-equivariant fibration, with fibers diffeomorphic to a fixed even dimensional manifold with boundary $Z$. We assume that $\Gamma\to \hat{M}\to \hat{M}/\Gamma$ is a Galois covering of a compact manifold with boundary. Let $(D^+ (\theta))_{\theta\in T}$ be a $\Gamma$-equivariant family of Dirac-type operators. Under the assumption that the boundary family is $L^2$-invertible, we define an index class in the K-theory of the cross-product algebra, $K_0 (C^0 (T)\rtimes_r \Gamma)$. If, in addition, $\Gamma$ is of polynomial growth, we define higher indeces by pairing the index class with suitable cyclic cocycles. Our main result is then a formula for these higher indeces: the structure of the formula is as in the seminal work of Atiyah, Patodi and Singer, with an interior geometric contribution and a boundary contribution in the form of a higher eta invariant associated to the boundary family. Under similar assumptions we extend our theorem to any $G$-proper manifold, with $G$ an \'etale groupoid. We employ this generalization in order to establish a higher Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index formula on certain foliations with boundary. Fundamental to our work is a suitable generalization of Melrose $b$-pseudodifferential calculus as well as the superconnection proof of the index theorem on $G$-proper manifolds recently given by Gorokhovsky and Lott., Comment: 56 pages

If M is a compact oriented manifold-with-boundary whose fundamental group is virtually nilpotent or Gromov-hyperbolic, we show that the higher signatures of M are oriented-homotopy invariants., Comment: 46 pages, some details added

Let X be a closed Riemannian manifold and let H\hookrightarrow X be an embedded hypersurface. Let X=X_+ \cup_H X_- be a decomposition of X into two manifolds with boundary, with X_+ \cap X_- = H. In this expository article, surgery -- or gluing -- formul\ae for several geometric and spectral invariants associated to a Dirac-type operator \eth_X on X are presented. Considered in detail are: the index of \eth_X, the index bundle and the determinant bundle associated to a family of such operators, the eta invariant and the analytic torsion. In each case the precise form of the surgery theorems, as well as the different techniques used to prove them, are surveyed.