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Erik van Erp

Publications and source records attributed to Erik van Erp.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Toeplitz Operators on Contact Manifolds and Equivariant K-homology

We present an equivariant generalization of Boutet de Monvel's index theorem for Toeplitz operators on contact manifolds. We prove that the Dirac operator and the Szegö projection determine the same class in equivariant $K$-homology, generalizing a theorem of Baum-Douglas-Taylor. We do not assume that the contact manifold is the boundary of a strictly pseudoconvex domain. The proof proceeds by a deformation linking the principal symbols of the classical and Heisenberg pseudodifferential calculi. At the level of symbols, the projection defining the Dirac class deforms to the principal Heisenberg symbol of the Szegö projection. This deformation implies equality of the corresponding classes in K-homology. This, in turn, gives an equivariant generalization of Boutet de Monvel's index formula for Toeplitz operators.

math.KT↗
arXiv2025

A note on traces for the Heisenberg calculus

In previous work, we gave a local formula for the index of Heisenberg elliptic operators on contact manifolds. We constructed a cocycle in periodic cyclic cohomology which, when paired with the Connes-Chern character of the principal Heisenberg symbol, calculates the index. A crucial ingredient of our index formula was a new trace on the algebra of Heisenberg pseudodifferential operators. The construction of this trace was rather involved. In the present paper, we clarify the nature of this trace.

math.FA↗
arXiv2022

Cyclic cohomology and the extended Heisenberg calculus of Epstein and Melrose

In this paper we present a formula for the index of a pseudodifferential operator with invertible principal symbol in the extended Heisenberg calculus of Epstein and Melrose. Our results build on the work we did in a previous paper (arXiv:2010.02900), where we restricted attention to the Heisenberg calculus proper.

math.OA↗
arXiv2020

The Heisenberg Calculus, Index Theory and Cyclic (Co)homology

A hypoelliptic operator in the Heisenberg calculus on a compact contact manifold is a Fredholm operator. Its symbol determines an element in the K-theory of the noncommutative algebra of Heisenberg symbols. We construct a periodic cyclic cocycle which, when paired with the Connes-Chern character of the principal Heisenberg symbol, calculates the index. Our index formula is local, i.e. given as a local expression in terms of the principal symbol of the operator and a connection on TM and its curvature. We prove our index formula by reduction to Boutet de Monvel's index theorem for Toeplitz operators.

math.OA↗
arXiv2016

K-homology and Fredholm Operators II: Elliptic Operators

This is an expository paper which gives a proof of the Atiyah-Singer index theorem for elliptic operators. Specifcally, we compute the geometric K-cycle that corresponds to the analytic K-cycle determined by the operator. This paper and its companion ("K-homology and index theory II: Dirac Operators") was written to clear up basic points about index theory that are generally accepted as valid, but for which no proof has been published. Some of these points are needed for the solution of the Heisenberg-elliptic index problem in our paper "K-homology and index theory on contact manifolds" Acta. Math. 2014.

math.DG↗
arXiv2016

K-homology and Fredholm operators I: Dirac Operators

This is an expository paper which gives a proof of the Atiyah-Singer index theorem for Dirac operators, presenting the theorem as a computation of the K-homology of a point. This paper and its follow up ("K-homology and index theory II: Elliptic Operators") was written to clear up basic points about index theory that are generally accepted as valid, but for which no proof has been published. Some of these points are needed for the solution of the Heisenberg-elliptic index problem in our paper "K-homology and index theory on contact manifolds" Acta. Math. 2014.

math.DG↗
arXiv2014

The Geometry of the Osculating Nilpotent Group Structures of the Heisenberg Calculus

We explore the geometry that underlies the osculating nilpotent group structures of the Heisenberg calculus. For a smooth manifold $M$ with a distribution $H\subseteq TM$ analysts use explicit (and rather complicated) coordinate formulas to define the nilpotent groups that are central to the calculus. Our aim in this paper is to provide insight in the intrinsic geometry that underlies these coordinate formulas. First, we introduce `parabolic arrows' as a generalization of tangent vectors. The definition of parabolic arrows involves a mix of first and second order derivatives. Parabolic arrows can be composed, and the group of parabolic arrows can be identified with the nilpotent groups of the (generalized) Heisenberg calculus. Secondly, we formulate a notion of exponential map for the fiber bundle of parabolic arrows, and show how it explains the coordinate formulas of osculating structures found in the literature on the Heisenberg calculus. The result is a conceptual simplification and unification of the treatment of the Heisenberg calculus.

math.AP↗
arXiv2014

Groupoid Crossed Products of Continuous-Trace C*-Algebras

We show that if $(A,G,α)$ is a groupoid dynamical system with $A$ continuous trace, then the crossed product $A\rtimes_αG$ is Morita equivalent to the C*-algebra $C*(\underline G,\underline E)$ of a twist $\underline E$ over a groupoid $\underline G$ equivalent to $G$. This is a groupoid analogue of the well known result for the crossed product of a group acting on an elementary C*-algebra.

math.OA↗
arXiv2012

K-homology and index theory on contact manifolds

Let X be a closed connected contact manifold. On X there is a naturally arising class of hypoelliptic (but not elliptic) operators which are Fredholm. In this paper we solve the index problem for this class of operators. The solution is achieved by combining Van Erp's earlier partial result with the Baum-Douglas isomorphism of analytic and geometric K-homology.

math.OA↗
arXiv2011

Contact structures of arbitrary codimension and idempotents in the Heisenberg algebra

A contact manifold is a manifold equipped with a distribution of codimension one that satisfies a `maximal non-integrability' condition. A standard example of a contact structure is a strictly pseudoconvex CR manifold, and operators of analytic interest are the tangential Cauchy-Riemann operator and the Szego projector onto its kernel. The Heisenberg calculus is the natural pseudodifferential calculus developed originally for the analysis of these operators. We introduce a `non-integrability' condition for a distribution of arbitrary codimension that directly generalizes the definition of a contact structure. We call such distributions polycontact structures. We prove that the polycontact condition is equivalent to the existence of generalized Szego projections in the Heisenberg calculus, and explore geometrically interesting examples of polycontact structures.

math.DG↗
arXiv2010

An index formula for the extended Heisenberg algebra of Epstein, Melrose and Mendoza

The extended Heisenberg algebra for a contact manifold has a symbolic calculus that accommodates both Heisenberg pseudodifferential operators as well as classical pseudodifferential operators. We derive here a formula for the index of Fredholm operators in this extended calculus. This formula incorporates in a single expression the Atiyah-Singer formula for elliptic operators, as well as Boutet de Monvel's Toeplitz index formula.

math.FA↗
arXiv2010

Noncommutative topology and the world's simplest index theorem

This is an expository article. It discusses an approach to hypoelliptic Fredholm index theory based on noncommutative methods (groupoids, C*-algebras, K-theory). The paper starts with an explicit index theorem for scalar second order differential operators on 3-manifolds that are Fredholm but not elliptic. This low-brow index formula is expressed in terms of winding numbers. We then proceed to show how this theorem is a special case of a much more general index theorem for subelliptic operators on contact manifolds. Finally we discuss the noncommutative topology that is employed in the proof of this theorem. We present these results as an instance in which noncommutative topology is fruitful in proving a very explicit (analytic/geometric) classical result.

math.DG↗
arXiv2010

The Index of Hypoelliptic Operators on Foliated Manifolds

We present an index theorem for certain hypoelliptic differential operators on foliated manifolds. Our proof is a development of Alain Connes tangent groupoid proof of the Atiyah-Singer index theorem. The paper is largely self-contained.

math.DG↗
arXiv2009

The Atiyah-Singer index formula for subelliptic operators on contact manifolds, Part II

We present a new solution to the index problem for hypoelliptic operators in the Heisenberg calculus on contact manifolds, by constructing the appropriate topological K-theory cocycle for such operators. Its Chern character gives a cohomology class to which the Atiyah-Singer index formula can be applied. Such a K-cocycle has already been constructed by Boutet de Monvel for Toeplitz operators, and, more recently, by Melrose and Epstein for the class of Hermite operators. Our construction applies to general hypoelliptic pseudodifferential operators in the Heisenberg calculus. As in the Hermite Index Formula of Melrose and Epstein, our construction gives a vector bundle automorphism of the symmetric tensors of the contact hyperplane bundle. This automorphism is constructed directly from the invertible Heisenberg symbol of the operator, and is easily computed in the case of differential operators.

math.DG↗
arXiv2008

The Atiyah-Singer index formula for subelliptic operators on contact manifolds, Part I

The Atiyah-Singer index theorem is a topological formula for the index of an elliptic differential operator. The topological index depends on a cohomology class that is constructed from the principal symbol of the operator. On contact manifolds, the important Fredholm operators are not elliptic, but hypoelliptic. Their symbolic calculus is noncommutative, and involves analysis on the Heisenberg group. For a hypoelliptic differential operator in the Heisenberg calculus on a contact manifold we construct a symbol class in the K-theory of a noncommutative C*-algebra of symbols. There is a canonical map from this analytic K-theory group to the deRham cohomology of the manifold, which gives a class to which the Atiyah-Singer formula can be applied. We prove that the index formula holds for these hypoelliptic operators. Our methods derive from Connes' tangent groupoid proof of the index theorem.

math.DG↗