English

Chern-simons forms on associated bundles, and boundary terms

Differential Geometry 2007-05-23 v1

Abstract

Let EE be a principle bundle over a compact manifold MM with compact structural group GG. For any GG-invariant polynomial PP, The transgressive forms TP(ω)TP(\omega) defined by Chern and Simons are shown to extend to forms ΦP(ω)\Phi P(\omega) on associated bundles BB with fiber a quotient F=G/HF=G/H of the group. These forms satisfy a heterotic formula dΦP(ω)=P(Ω)P(Ψ),d\Phi P(\omega)=P(\Omega)-P(\Psi), relating the characteristic form P(Ω)P(\Omega) to a fiber-curvature characteristic form. For certain natural bundles BB, P(Ψ)=0P(\Psi)=0, giving a true transgressive form on the associated bundle, which leads to the standard obstruction properties of characteristic classes as well as natural expressions for boundary terms.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.math/0601182,
  title  = {Chern-simons forms on associated bundles, and boundary terms},
  author = {David L. Johnson},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/0601182},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

15 pages, no figures, AMS-LaTeX