Transgression and Clifford algebras

Abstract

Let $W$ be a differential (not necessarily commutative) algebra which carries a free action of a polynomial algebra $SP$ with homogeneous generators $p_1, >..., p_r$. We show that for $W$ acyclic, the cohomology of the quotient $H(W/<p_1, ..., p_r>)$ is isomorphic to a Clifford algebra $\text{Cl}(P,B)$, where the (possibly degenerate) bilinear form $B$ depends on $W$. This observation is an analogue of an old result of Borel in a non-commutative context. As an application, we study the case of $W$ given by the quantized Weil algebra $\qWg = \Ug \otimes \Clg$ for $\Lieg$ a reductive Lie algebra. The resulting cohomology of the canonical Weil differential gives a Clifford algebra, but the bilinear form vanishes on the space of primitive invariants of the semi-simple part. As an application, we consider the deformed Weil differential (following Freed, Hopkins and Teleman).