English

Generalized cohomological field theories in the higher order formalism

K-Theory and Homology 2023-05-09 v3 Algebraic Topology Category Theory Quantum Algebra

Abstract

In the classical Batalin--Vilkovisky formalism, the BV operator Δ\Delta is a differential operator of order two with respect to the commutative product. In the differential graded setting, it is known that if the BV operator is homotopically trivial, then there is a tree level cohomological field theory induced on the homology; this is a manifestation of the fact that the homotopy quotient of the operad of BV algebras by Δ\Delta is represented by the operad of hypercommutative algebras. In this paper, we study generalized Batalin--Vilkovisky algebras where the operator Δ\Delta is of the given finite order. In that case, we unravel a new interesting algebraic structure on the homology whenever Δ\Delta is homotopically trivial. We also suggest that the sequence of algebraic structures arising in the higher order formalism is a part of a "trinity" of remarkable mathematical objects, fitting the philosophy proposed by Arnold in the 1990s.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2112.06015,
  title  = {Generalized cohomological field theories in the higher order formalism},
  author = {Vladimir Dotsenko and Sergey Shadrin and Pedro Tamaroff},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2112.06015},
  year   = {2023}
}

Comments

v3: further minor changes (several formulas corrected, the explanation of acyclicity of a Koszul-type complex made more precise)