English

Primary operations in differential cohomology

Algebraic Topology 2023-09-11 v4 Mathematical Physics Differential Geometry math.MP

Abstract

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. Along the way we develop computational techniques in differential cohomology, including a K\"unneth decomposition, that should also be useful in their own right, and point to applications to higher geometry and mathematical physics.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1604.05988,
  title  = {Primary operations in differential cohomology},
  author = {Daniel Grady and Hisham Sati},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1604.05988},
  year   = {2023}
}

Comments

36 pages; corrections made to the statement and proof of the K\"unneth formula

R2 v1 2026-06-22T13:36:53.419Z