Massey products and deformations

Abstract

The classical deformation theory of Lie algebras involves different kinds of Massey products of cohomology classes. Even the condition of extendibility of an infinitesimal deformation to a formal one-parameter deformation of a Lie algebra involves Massey powers of two dimensional cohomology classes which are not powers in the usual definition of Massey products in the cohomology of a differential graded Lie algebra. In the case of deformations with other local bases, one deals with other, more specific Massey products. In the present work a construction of generalized Massey products is given, depending on an arbitrary graded commutative, associative algebra. In terms of these products, the above condition of extendibility is generalized to deformations with arbitrary local bases. Dually, a construction of generalized Massey products on the cohomology of a differential graded commutative associative algebra depends on a nilpotent graded Lie algebra. For example, the classical Massey products correspond to the Lie algebra of strictly upper triangular matrices, while the matric Massey products correspond to the Lie algebra of block strictly upper triangular matrices.