On generalized symmetric powers and a generalization of Kolmogorov-Gelfand-Buchstaber-Rees theory

The classical Kolmogorov-Gelfand theorem gives an embedding of a (compact Hausdorff) topological space X into the linear space of all linear functionals C(X)^* on the algebra of continuous functions C(X). The image is specified by algebraic equations: f(ab)=f(a)f(b) for all functions a, b on X; that is, the image consists of all algebra homomorphisms of C(X) to numbers. Buchstaber and Rees have found that not only X, but all symmetric powers of X can be embedded into the space C(X)^*. The embedding is again given by algebraic equations, but more complicated. Algebra homomorphisms are replaced by the so-called "n-homomorphisms", the notion that can be traced back to Frobenius, but which explicitly appeared in Buchstaber and Rees's works on multivalued groups. We give a further natural generalization of Kolmogorov-Gelfand-Buchstaber-Rees theory. Symmetric powers of a space X or of an algebra A are replaced by certain "generalized symmetric powers" Sym^{p|q}(X) and S^{p|q}A, which we introduce, and n-homomorphisms, by the new notion of "p|q-homomorphisms". Important tool of our study is a certain "characteristic function" R(f,a,z), which we introduce for an arbitrary linear map of algebras f, and whose functional properties with respect to the variable z reflect algebraic properties of the map f.Comment: LaTeX, 7 pages (3+4). In this new version we slightly edited the main text, and added to it an Appendix giving details of some constructions and a short direct proof of Buchstaber--Rees's main theore

Geometric constructions on the algebra of densities

The algebra of densities \Den(M) is a commutative algebra canonically associated with a given manifold or supermanifold $M$. We introduced this algebra earlier in connection with our studies of Batalin--Vilkovisky geometry. The algebra \Den(M) is graded by real numbers and possesses a natural invariant scalar product. This leads to important geometric consequences and applications to geometric constructions on the original manifold. In particular, there is a classification theorem for derivations of the algebra \Den(M). It allows a natural definition of bracket operations on vector densities of various weights on a (super)manifold $M$, similar to how the classical Fr\"{o}licher--Nijenhuis theorem on derivations of the algebra of differential forms leads to the Nijenhuis bracket. It is possible to extend this classification from "vector fields" (derivations) on \Den(M) to "multivector fields". This leads to the striking result that an arbitrary even Poisson structure on $M$ possesses a canonical lifting to the algebra of densities. (The latter two statements were obtained by our student A.Biggs.) This is in sharp contrast with the previously studied case of an odd Poisson structure, where extra data are required for such a lifting.Comment: LaTeX, 23 p

A short proof of the Buchstaber-Rees theorem

We give a short proof of the Buchstaber-Rees theorem concerning symmetric powers. The proof is based on the notion of a formal characteristic function of a linear map of algebras.Comment: 11 pages. LaTeX2

QQ-manifolds and Higher Analogs of Lie Algebroids

We show how the relation between $Q$-manifolds and Lie algebroids extends to ``higher'' or ``non-linear'' analogs of Lie algebroids. We study the identities satisfied by a new algebraic structure that arises as a replacement of operations on sections of a Lie algebroid. When the base is a point, we obtain a generalization of Lie superalgebras.Comment: 12 pages. LaTeX2

Vector fields on mapping spaces and a converse to the AKSZ construction

The well-known AKSZ construction (for Alexandrov--Kontsevich--Schwarz--Zaboronsky) gives an odd symplectic structure on a space of maps together with a functional $S$ that is automatically a solution for the classical master equation $(S,S)=0$. The input data required for the AKSZ construction consist of a volume element on the source space and a symplectic structure of suitable parity on the target space, both invariant under given homological vector fields on the source and target. In this note, we show that the AKSZ setup and their main construction can be naturally recovered from the single requirement that the `difference' vector field arising on the mapping space be gradient (or Hamiltonian). This can be seen as a converse statement for that of AKSZ. We include a discussion of properties of vector fields on mapping spaces.Comment: Minor editing in version

QQ-Manifolds and Mackenzie Theory

Double Lie algebroids were discovered by Kirill Mackenzie from the study of double Lie groupoids and were defined in terms of rather complicated conditions making use of duality theory for Lie algebroids and double vector bundles. In this paper we establish a simple alternative characterization of double Lie algebroids in a supermanifold language. Namely, we show that a double Lie algebroid in Mackenzie's sense is equivalent to a double vector bundle endowed with a pair of commuting homological vector fields of appropriate weights. Our approach helps to simplify and elucidate Mackenzie's original definition; we show how it fits into a bigger picture of equivalent structures on `neighbor' double vector bundles. It also opens ways for extending the theory to multiple Lie algebroids, which we introduce here.Comment: This is a substantial re-work of our earlier paper arXiv:math.DG/0608111. In particular, we included various details as well as some new statements that may have independent interes

"Nonlinear pullbacks" of functions and L∞L_{\infty}-morphisms for homotopy Poisson structures

We introduce mappings between spaces of functions on (super)manifolds that generalize pullbacks with respect to smooth maps but are, in general, nonlinear (actually, formal). The construction is based on canonical relations and generating functions. (The underlying structure is a formal category, which is a "thickening" of the usual category of supermanifolds; it is close to the category of symplectic micromanifolds and their micromorphisms considered recently by A. Weinstein and A. Cattaneo--B. Dherin--Weinstein.) There are two parallel settings, for even and odd functions. As an application, we show how such nonlinear pullbacks give $L_{\infty}$-morphisms for algebras of functions on homotopy Schouten or homotopy Poisson manifolds.Comment: 25 pages. LaTeX2e. Exposition in this version has been substantially reworke

Operators on superspaces and generalizations of the Gelfand-Kolmogorov theorem

(Write-up of a talk at the Bialowieza meeting, July 2007.) Gelfand and Kolmogorov in 1939 proved that a compact Hausdorff topological space $X$ can be canonically embedded into the infinite-dimensional vector space $C(X)^*$, the dual space of the algebra of continuous functions $C(X)$ as an "algebraic variety" specified by an infinite system of quadratic equations. Buchstaber and Rees have recently extended this to all symmetric powers \Sym^n(X) using their notion of the Frobenius $n$-homomorphisms. We give a simplification and a further extension of this theory, which is based, rather unexpectedly, on results from super linear lgebra.Comment: LaTeX, 7 pages. Based on a talk at the Bialowieza meeting, July 200