English

A Non-Trivial $(\mathbf{R},+)$ Principal Bundle over a Contractible Base?

Differential Geometry 2025-11-21 v2

Abstract

We investigate the properties of a specific quotient space construction, the "warped projection'" π:WαDα\pi: W_\alpha \to D_\alpha, over a smoothly contractible base. In a previous version of this work, it was claimed that this structure constituted a non-trivial principal bundle. We revisit this claim and observe that, due to the existence of flat functions in the smooth category, the projection fails indeed to satisfy the strict condition of local triviality along the plots, required for diffeological bundles. However, the structure remains rich: it possesses a smooth, free, and fiber-transitive group action. Drawing on the concept of vector pseudo-bundles introduced by Christensen and Wu, we propose that this object is best understood as a non-trivial principal pseudo-bundle. This example thus serves to clarify the boundary between strict bundles and generalized pseudo-bundles in the context of singular base spaces.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2508.08708,
  title  = {A Non-Trivial $(\mathbf{R},+)$ Principal Bundle over a Contractible Base?},
  author = {Patrick Iglesias-Zemmour},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2508.08708},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

Version 2 corrects the claim that this structure is a principal bundle. We show that due to the existence of flat functions, the projection fails the condition of local triviality along plots. The object is re-characterized as a non-trivial principal pseudo-bundle

R2 v1 2026-07-01T04:45:41.528Z