Differential K-theory and localization formula for $\eta$-invariants

Abstract

In this paper, we obtain a localization formula in differential K-theory for $S^1$-action. Then by combining an extension of Goette's result on the comparison of two types of equivariant $\eta$-invariants, we establish a version of localization formula for equivariant $\eta$-invariants. An important step of our approach is to construct a pre-$\lambda$-ring structure in differential K-theory which is interesting in its own right.