Complex-valued Ray–Singer torsion

In the spirit of Ray and Singer we define a complex-valued analytic torsion using non-selfadjoint Laplacians. We establish an anomaly formula which permits to turn this into a topological invariant. Conjecturally this analytically defined invariant computes the complex-valued Reidemeister torsion, including its phase. We establish this conjecture in some non-trivial situations.