Homotopy Batalin-Vilkovisky algebras

This paper provides an explicit cofibrant resolution of the operad encoding Batalin-Vilkovisky algebras. Thus it defines the notion of homotopy Batalin-Vilkovisky algebras with the required homotopy properties. To define this resolution we extend the theory of Koszul duality to operads and properads that are defind by quadratic and linear relations. The operad encoding Batalin-Vilkovisky algebras is shown to be Koszul in this sense. This allows us to prove a Poincare-Birkhoff-Witt Theorem for such an operad and to give an explicit small quasi-free resolution for it. This particular resolution enables us to describe the deformation theory and homotopy theory of BV-algebras and of homotopy BV-algebras. We show that any topological conformal field theory carries a homotopy BV-algebra structure which lifts the BV-algebra structure on homology. The same result is proved for the singular chain complex of the double loop space of a topological space endowed with an action of the circle. We also prove the cyclic Deligne conjecture with this cofibrant resolution of the operad BV. We develop the general obstruction theory for algebras over the Koszul resolution of a properad and apply it to extend a conjecture of Lian-Zuckerman, showing that certain vertex algebras have an explicit homotopy BV-algebra structure.Comment: Last version before publication. To appear in Journal of Noncommutative Geometry. 57 page

Rational visibility of a Lie group in the monoid of self-homotopy equivalences of a homogeneous space

Let M be a homogeneous space admitting a left translation by a connected Lie group G. The adjoint to the action gives rise to a map from G to the monoid of self-homotopy equivalences of M.The purpose of this paper is to investigate the injectivity of the homomorphism which is induced by the adjoint map on the rational homotopy. In particular, the visible degrees are determined explicitly for all the cases of simple Lie groups and their associated homogeneous spaces of rank one which are classified by Oniscik.Comment: 28 page