Hi,


I am a physicist and currently doing my bachelor thesis about geometric quantization.
In the book by Bates and Weinstein I encountered the Maslov index, which seems to be very important :-).


But unfortunately my education didn't include anything in the direction of algebra beyond the scope of basic linear algebra. My present research about this topic showed that the Maslov class is an element of the integral cohomology of the manifold. But I couldn't find an introduction or something like this to 'integral cohomology' and I was lost in the big realm of cohomology.
(For example: What is the difference of de Rham cohomology, Cech cohomology, Cech - de Rham cohomology and the needed integral cohomogogy). 


So could someone provide me with a "path" along the topics I have to study to be able to understand Maslov classes. 


Thanks in advance,
Tobias!



Where to start with research regarding maslov index/class
May I recommend self-study with <http://www.maths.ed.ac.uk/~aar/maslov.htm> ?


