In quest of a generalized Callias index theorem

Abstract

We give a prescription for how to compute the Callias index, using as regulator an exponential function. We find agreement with old results in all odd dimensions. We show that the problem of computing the dimension of the moduli space of self-dual strings can be formulated as an index problem in even-dimensional (loop-)space. We think that the regulator used in this Letter can be applied to this index problem.