The Geometry of Spherical Space Form Groups

In this volume, the geometry of spherical space form groups is studied using the eta invariant. The author reviews the analytical properties of the eta invariant of Atiyah-Patodi-Singer and describes how the eta invariant gives rise to torsion invariants in both K-theory and equivariant bordism. The eta invariant is used to compute the K-theory of spherical space forms, and to study the equivariant unitary bordism of spherical space forms and the Pinc and Spinc equivariant bordism groups for spherical space form groups. This leads to a complete structure theorem for these bordism and K-theory groups.There is a deep relationship between topology and analysis with differential geometry serving as the bridge. This book is intended to serve as an introduction to this subject for people from different research backgrounds.This book is intended as a research monograph for people who are not experts in all the areas discussed. It is written for topologists wishing to understand some of the analytic details and for analysists wishing to understand some of the topological ideas. It is also intended as an introduction to the field for graduate students.