Heat kernel asymptotics for Laplace type operators and matrix KdV hierarchy

Abstract

We study the heat kernel asymptotics for the Laplace type differential operators on vector bundles over Riemannian manifolds. In particular this includes the case of the Laplacians acting on differential p-forms. We extend our results obtained earlier for the scalar Laplacian and present closed formulas for all heat invariants associated with these operators. As another application, we present new explicit formulas for the matrix Korteweg-de Vries hierarchy.