Eta-invariants, torsion forms and flat vector bundles

Abstract

We present a new proof, as well as a C/Q extension (and also certain C/Z extension), of the Riemann–Roch–Grothendieck theorem of Bismut–Lott for flat vector bundles. The main techniques used are the computations of the adiabatic limits of η-invariants associated to the so-called sub-signature operators. We further show that the Bismut–Lott analytic torsion form can be derived naturally from transgressions of η-forms appearing in the adiabatic limit computations.