Universal enveloping crossed module of a Lie crossed module (Q2263811): Difference between revisions

Crossed modules of Lie algebras are interesting from several points of view: Crossed modules can be interpreted as easy (``strict'') Lie 2-algebras, they represent 3-cohomology classes and are linked to extension theory. Similar statements apply to crossed modules of associative algebras. The article under review investigates the interplay between crossed modules of Lie and associative algebras, leading to the construction of a universal enveloping crossed module for a crossed module of Lie algebras. We have shown in [\textit{Y. Frégier} and \textit{F. Wagemann}, Int. Math. Res. Not. 2011, No. 15, 3471--3501 (2011; Zbl 1236.16031)] that the enveloping functor \(U\) leads naturally from a crossed module of Lie algebras to a crossed module of Hopf algebras, but not to a crossed module of associative algebras. The authors of the present article construct such a crossed module of associative algebras. The key idea is to use the equivalence of crossed modules and \(\text{cat}^1\)-Lie algebras, i.e. Lie algebras \(L_1\) with a subalgebra \(L_0\) and homomorphisms \(s,t: L_1\to L_0\) which are the identity on \(L_0\) and whose kernels commute. A similar equivalence is true for crossed modules of associative algebras. Now the universal enveloping crossed module is obtained by dividing out of the term-by-term application of the functor \(U\) to the \(\text{cat}^1\)-Lie algebra associated to a given crossed module a subspace such that the quotient becomes a \(\text{cat}^1\)-associative algebra. The equivalence with crossed modules of associative algebras then gives the wanted enveloping crossed module. The authors use their main construction to show that it gives a left adjoint to the natural functor which associates to a crossed module of associative algebras the underlying Lie crossed module. They show furthermore that this adjunction induces an equivalence between the corresponding categories of modules (over crossed modules).