We interpret the generalised gauge symmetry introduced in string theory and M-Theory as a special case of Grothendieck's stability equivalence relation in the definition of the 0th K-group and we calculate the Euler number of the elliptic de Rham complex twisted by a flat connection. Then using Polyakov's classical equivalence of flat bundles with non-linear sigma models we define a new topological invariant for foliations using techniques from noncommutative geometry, in particular the Connes' pairing between K-Theory and cyclic cohomology. This new invariant classifies foliations up to Morita equivalence.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:580811 |
| Date | January 1996 |
| Creators | Zois, Ioannis |
| Contributors | Tsou, Sheung Tsun |
| Publisher | University of Oxford |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:c350f73e-5e44-4942-8674-4321f5075b1e |
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