Lie groups of bundle automorphisms and their extensions

Abstract

We describe natural abelian extensions of the Lie algebra $\aut(P)$ of infinitesimal automorphisms of a principal bundle over a compact manifold $M$ and discuss their integrability to corresponding Lie group extensions. Already the case of a trivial bundle $P = M \times K$ is quite interesting. In this case, we show that essentially all central extensions of the gauge algebra $C^\infty(M,\fk)$ can be obtained from three fundamental types of cocycles with values in one of the spaces $\fz := C^\infty(M,V)$, $\Omega^1(M,V)$ and $\Omega^1(M,V)/\dd C^\infty(M,V)$. These cocycles extend to $\aut(P)$, and, under the assumption that $TM$ is trivial, we also describe the space $H^2({\cal V}(M),\fz)$ classifying the twists of these extensions. We then show that all fundamental types have natural generalizations to non-trivial bundles and explain under which conditions they extend to $\aut(P)$ and integrate to global Lie group extensions.