2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/99800The Chern classes of a K-theory class which is represented by a vector bundle with connection admit refinements to Cheeger-Simons classes in Deligne cohomology. In the present paper we consider similar refinements in the case where the classes in K-theory are represented by geometric families of Dirac operators. In low dimensions these refinements correspond to the exponentiated eta-invariant, the determinant line bundle with Quillen metric and Bismut-Freed connection, and Lott's index gerbe with connection and curving. We give a unified treatement of these cases as well as their higher generalizations. Our main technical tool is a variant of local index theory for Dirac operators of families of manifolds with corners.Revised version (some arguments expanded and examples added) 147 pagesDifferential GeometryK-Theory and Homology58J28text