arXiv research

Higher gauge theory via differential nonabelian cohomology

In the background effective field theory of heterotic string theory, the Green-Schwarz anomaly cancellation mechanism plays a key role. Here we reinterpret it and its magnetic dual version in terms of differential twisted String- and differential twisted Fivebrane-structures that generalize the notion of Spin-structure…

We consider a simple and natural coboundary operator, on the Lie algebra valued differential forms on a manifold, which in the abelian case reduces to usual exterior derivative of such forms. Using the corresponding de Rham cohomology Lie superalgebra H*(M,G) we obtain numerical smooth invariants--as opposed to homotop…

The proper action functional of (4k+3)-dimensional U(1)-Chern-Simons theory including the instanton sectors has a well known description: it is given on the moduli space of fields by the fiber integration of the cup product square of classes in degree-(2k+2) differential cohomology. We first refine this statement from …

Numerical experiments support conjecture about opers and nonabelian Hodge.

We define the fundamental quandle of a spatial graph and several invariants derived from it. In the category of graph tangles, we define an invariant based on the walks in the graph and cocycles from nonabelian quandle cohomology.

The higher gauge field in 11-dimensional supergravity -- the C-field -- is constrained by quantum effects to be a cocycle in some twisted version of differential cohomology. We argue that it should indeed be a cocycle in a certain twisted nonabelian differential cohomology. We give a simple and natural characterization…

We construct a 2-dimensional twisted nonabelian multiplicative integral. This is done in the context of a Lie crossed module (an object composed of two Lie groups interacting), and a pointed manifold. The integrand is a connection-curvature pair, that consists of a Lie algebra valued 1-form and a Lie algebra valued 2-f…

Bundle gerbes are a higher version of line bundles, we present nonabelian bundle gerbes as a higher version of principal bundles. Connection, curving, curvature and gauge transformations are studied both in a global coordinate independent formalism and in local coordinates. These are the gauge fields needed for the con…

Abelian gerbes and twisted bundles describe the topology of the NS-NS 3-form gauge field strength H. We review how they have been usefully applied to study and resolve global anomalies in open string theory. Abelian 2-gerbes and twisted nonabelian gerbes describe the topology of the 4-form field strength G of M-theory.…

We introduce Dolbeault cohomology valued characteristic classes of Higgs bundles over complex manifolds. Flat vector bundles have characteristic classes lying in odd degree de Rham cohomology and a theorem of Reznikov says that these must vanish in degrees three and higher over compact Kähler manifolds. We provide a si…

The aim of this paper is to review and discuss in detail local aspects of principal bundles with groupoid structure. Many results, in particular from the second and third section, are already known to some extents, but, due to the lack of a ``unified'' point of view on the subject, I decided nonetheless to (re)define a…

Cencelj and Dranishnikov showed that for certain nilpotent groups $G$, $K(G_{ab},1) \in \text{AE}(X)$ is equivalent to $K(G,1) \in \text{AE}(X)$ for any compacta $X$ (here $G_{ab}$ is the abelianization of $G$). We examine the same problem for solvable groups. We also give an elementary proof of this fact for any nilpo…

In this paper we prove some properties of the nonabelian cohomology $H^1(A,G)$ of a group $A$ with coefficients in a connected Lie group $G$. When $A$ is finite, we show that for every $A$-submodule $K$ of $G$ which is a maximal compact subgroup of $G$, the canonical map $H^1(A,K)\to H^1(A,G)$ is bijective. In this cas…

We develop a Chern character map for twisted equivariant non-abelian cohomology.

We classify indecomposable racks of order p^2 (p a prime). There are 2p^2 - 2p - 2 isomorphism classes, among which 2p^2 - 3p - 1 correspond to quandles. In particular, we prove that an indecomposable quandle of order p^2 is affine (=Alexander). One of the results yielding this classification is the computation of the …

New surface observables yield 2-knot invariants in nonabelian theories.

Sharp bounds found on nonabelian quotients of surface braid groups.

The worldvolume theory of coincident M5-branes is expected to contain a nonabelian 2-form/nonabelian gerbe gauge theory that is a higher analog of self-dual Yang-Mills theory. But the precise details -- in particular the global moduli / instanton / magnetic charge structure -- have remained elusive. Here we deduce from…

We prove an analogue of the Atiyah-Bott-Berline-Vergne localization formula in the setting of equivariant basic cohomology of $K$-contact manifolds. As a consequence, we deduce analogues of Witten's nonabelian localization and the Jeffrey-Kirwan residue formula, which relate equivariant basic integrals on a contact man…

Researchers study injectivity of magnetic and thermostatic nonabelian ray transforms on compact surfaces.

We give a definition of differentiable cohomology of a Lie group G (possibly infinite-dimensional) with coefficients in any abelian Lie group. This differentiable cohomology maps both to the cohomology of the group made discrete and to Lie algebra cohomology. We show that the secondary characteristic classes of Beilins…

By adapting the Cheeger-Simons approach to differential cohomology, we establish a notion of differential cohomology with compact support. We show that it is functorial with respect to open embeddings and that it fits into a natural diagram of exact sequences which compare it to compactly supported singular cohomology …

Maps links in 3-manifolds to links in branched covers, relating quantum field theories.

Constructs equivariant cohomology models for differentiable stacks.

We study two notions of relative differential cohomology, using the model of differential characters. The two notions arise from the two options to construct relative homology, either by cycles of a quotient complex or of a mapping cone complex. We discuss the relation of the two notions of relative differential cohomo…

Modernizes higher-dimensional supergravity, linking it to flux quantization.

We consider spectral sequences in smooth generalized cohomology theories, including differential generalized cohomology theories. The main differential spectral sequences will be of the Atiyah-Hirzebruch (AHSS) type, where we provide a filtration by the Cech resolution of smooth manifolds. This allows for systematic st…

The main goal of the present paper is the construction of twisted generalized differential cohomology theories and the comprehensive statement of its basic functorial properties. Technically it combines the homotopy theoretic approach to (untwisted) generalized differential cohomology developed by Hopkins-Singer and la…

We characterize primary operations in differential cohomology via stacks, and illustrate by differentially refining Steenrod squares and Steenrod powers explicitly. This requires a delicate interplay between integral, rational, and mod p cohomology, as well as cohomology with U(1) coefficients and differential forms. A…

For a compact Lie group acting on a smooth manifold, we define the differential cohomology of a certain quotient stack involving principal bundles with connection. This produces differential equivariant cohomology groups that map to the Cartan-Weil equivariant forms and to Borel's equivariant integral cohomology. We sh…

A key open problem in M-theory is the mechanism of "gauge enhancement", which supposedly makes M-branes exhibit the nonabelian gauge degrees of freedom that are seen perturbatively in the limit of 10d string theory. In fact, since only the twisted K-theory classes represented by nonabelian Chan-Paton gauge fields on D-…

The paper constructs cohomology classes on curve strata.

Study cohomology of odd symplectic manifolds, linking to Lagrangian submanifolds and BV Laplacians.

Let h be a rationally even cohomology theory and h^ the natural differential refinement, as defined by Hopkins and Singer. We consider the possible definitions of the relative differential cohomology groups, generalizing the analogous picture for the Deligne cohomology, and we show the corresponding long exact sequence…

In this paper it is shown that multiplicative cohomology theories that are rationally even -- a technical condition that is often satisfied -- the Hopkins-Singer construction of generalized differential cohomology has a unital, graded commutative multiplicative structure. To this end, an explicit integration and a diff…

These course note first provide an introduction to secondary characteristic classes and differential cohomology. They continue with a presentation of a stable homotopy theoretic approach to the theory of differential extensions of generalized cohomology theories including products and Umkehr maps.

This article studies the nonabelian localization results of Beasley and Witten, and considers the analogue of these results when the gauge group is U(1). It compares these results with results of Manoliu on abelian Chern-Simons theory, showing that the dependence on the coupling constant is the same.

Lectures on topological field theories and differential cohomology.

We extend Massey products from cohomology to differential cohomology via stacks, organizing and generalizing existing constructions in Deligne cohomology. We study the properties and show how they are related to more classical Massey products in de Rham, singular, and Deligne cohomology. The setting and the algebraic m…

We prove that the first order theory of nonabelian free groups eliminates the "there exists infinitely many" quantifier (in eq). Equivalently, since the theory of nonabelian free groups is stable, it does not have the finite cover property. We also extend our results to torsion-free hyperbolic groups under some conditi…

Deligne cohomology can be viewed as a differential refinement of integral cohomology, hence captures both topological and geometric information. On the other hand, it can be viewed as the simplest nontrivial version of a differential cohomology theory. While more involved differential cohomology theories have been expl…

Review and generalize Haefliger's differentiable cohomology for diffeomorphisms and flat Cartan groupoids.

A new cohomology, induced by a vector field, is defined on pairs of differential forms ($1$--differentiable forms) in a manifold. It is proved a link with the classical de Rham cohomology and an $1$-differentable cohomology of Lichnerowicz type associated to an one form. Also, the case when the manifold is complex and …

A bicategory approach to differential cohomology is presented. Based on the axioms of Bunke-Schick, a symmetric monoidal groupoid is associated to differential refinements of cohomology theories. It is proven that such differential refinements are unique up to equivalence of the corresponding symmetric monoidal groupoi…

We construct the Atiyah-Hirzebruch spectral sequence (AHSS) for twisted differential generalized cohomology theories. This generalizes to the twisted setting the authors' corresponding earlier construction for differential cohomology theories, as well as to the differential setting the AHSS for twisted generalized coho…

Modern differential cohomology explained with applications.

We study differential cohomology on categories of globally hyperbolic Lorentzian manifolds. The Lorentzian metric allows us to define a natural transformation whose kernel generalizes Maxwell's equations and fits into a restriction of the fundamental exact sequences of differential cohomology. We consider smooth Pontry…