Classifying bi-invariant 2-forms on infinite-dimensional Lie groups

Abstract

A bi-invariant differential 2-form on a Lie group G is a highly constrained object, being determined by purely linear data: an Ad-invariant alternating bilinear form on the Lie algebra of G. On a compact connected Lie group these have an known classification, in terms of de Rham cohomology, which is here generalised to arbitrary finite-dimensional Lie groups, at the cost of losing the connection to cohomology. This expanded classification extends further to all Milnor regular infinite-dimensional Lie groups. I give some examples of (structured) diffeomorphism groups to which the result on bi-invariant forms applies. For symplectomorphism and volume-preserving diffeomorphism groups the spaces of bi-invariant 2-forms are finite-dimensional, and related to the de Rham cohomology of the original compact manifold. In the particular case of the infinite-dimensional projective unitary group PU(H) the classification invalidates an assumption made by Mathai and the author about a certain 2-form on this Banach Lie group.