Deformation Theory of Asymptotically Conical Spin(7)-Instantons

Abstract: We develop the deformation theory of instantons on asymptotically conical $Spin(7)$-manifolds where the instanton is asymptotic to a fixed nearly $G_2$-instanton at infinity. By relating the deformation complex with spinors, we identify the space of infinitesimal deformations with the kernel of the twisted negative Dirac operator on the asymptotically conical $Spin(7)$-manifold. Finally we apply this theory to describe the deformations of Fairlie-Nuyts-Fubini-Nicolai (FNFN) $Spin(7)$-instantons on $\mathbb{R}^8$, where $\mathbb{R}^8$ is considered to be an asymptotically conical $Spin(7)$-manifold asymptotic to the cone over $S^7$. We calculate the virtual dimension of the moduli space using Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index theorem and the spectrum of the twisted Dirac operator.