Magnetic translation groups as group extension

Extensions of a direct product T of two cyclic groups Z_n1 and Z_n2 by an Abelian (gauge) group G with the trivial action of T on G are considered. All possible (nonequivalent) factor systems are determined using the Mac Lane method. Some of resulting groups describe magnetic translation groups. As examples extensions with G=U(1) and G=Z_n are considered and discussed.Comment: 10 page

A loop group extension of the odd Chern character

We show that the universal odd Chern form, defined on the stable unitary group $U$, extends to the loop group $LU$ in a way that is closed with respect to an equivariant-type differential. This provides an odd analogue to the Bismut-Chern form. We also describe the associated transgression form, the so-called Bismut-Chern-Simons form, and explicate some properties it inherits as a differential form on the space of maps of a cylinder into the stable unitary group. As a corollary, we obtain the Chern character homomorphism from odd K-theory to the periodic cohomology of the free loop space, represented geometrically on the level of differential forms.Comment: 12 pages, comments welcom

A seven-term exact sequence for the cohomology of a group extension

In this paper, we construct a seven-term exact sequence involving the cohomology groups of a group extension. Although the existence of such a sequence can be derived using spectral sequence arguments, there is little knowledge about some of the maps occuring in the sequence, limiting its usefulness. Here we present a construction using only very elementary tools, always related to the notion of conjugation in a group. This results in a complete and usable description of all the maps, which we describe both on cocycle level as on the level of the interpretations of low dimensional cohomology groups (e.g. group extensions).Comment: Updated version, new cocycle description adde