Unimodular homotopy algebras and Chern-Simons theory

Abstract

Quantum Chern-Simons invariants of differentiable manifolds are analyzed from the point of view of homological algebra. Given a manifold M and a Lie (or, more generally, an L-infinity) algebra g, the vector space H^*(M) \otimes g has the structure of an L-infinity algebra whose homotopy type is a homotopy invariant of M. We formulate necessary and sufficient conditions for this L-infinity algebra to have a quantum lift. We also obtain structural results on unimodular L-infinity algebras and introduce a doubling construction which links unimodular and cyclic L-infinity algebras.Comment: 37 pages, expanded introduction and made minor correction