Equivariant Elliptic Cohomology and Rigidity

Abstract

Equivariant elliptic cohomology with complex coefficients was defined axiomatically by Ginzburg, Kapranov and Vasserot and constructed by Grojnowski. We give an invariant definition of S^1-equivariant elliptic cohomology, and use it to give an entirely cohomological proof of the rigidity theorem of Witten for the elliptic genus. We also state and prove a rigidity theorem for families of elliptic genera.