Direct images, fields of Hilbert spaces, and geometric quantization

Abstract: Geometric quantization often produces not one Hilbert space to represent the quantum states of a classical system but a whole family $H_s$ of Hilbert spaces, and the question arises if the spaces $H_s$ are canonically isomorphic. [ADW] and [Hi] suggest to view $H_s$ as fibers of a Hilbert bundle $H$, introduce a connection on $H$, and use parallel transport to identify different fibers. Here we explore to what extent this can be done. First we introduce the notion of smooth and analytic fields of Hilbert spaces, and prove that if an analytic field over a simply connected base is flat, then it corresponds to a Hermitian Hilbert bundle with a flat connection and path independent parallel transport. Second we address a general direct image problem in complex geometry: pushing forward a Hermitian holomorphic vector bundle $E-->Y$ along a non-proper map $Y-->S$. We give criteria for the direct image to be a smooth field of Hilbert spaces. Third we consider quantizing an analytic Riemannian manifold $M$ by endowing $TM$ with the family of adapted K\"ahler structures from arxiv:1004.4069 [LSz]. This leads to a direct image problem. When $M$ is homogeneous, we prove the direct image is an analytic field of Hilbert spaces. For certain such $M$---but not all---the direct image is even flat; which means that in those cases quantization is unique.