Index Theory and Operator Algebras: Proceedings of a Cbms Regional Conference Held August 6-10, 1991 With Support from the National Science Foundati

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.