Four equivalent versions of nonabelian gerbes (Q372513): Difference between revisions

Let \(\Gamma\) be a Lie \(2\)-group, i.e. a Lie groupoid such that the objects and morphisms are Lie groups and the structure maps are Lie group homomorphisms. In this paper, the authors demonstrate the equivalence of four constructions of smooth \(\Gamma\)-gerbes in analogy with equivalent constructions of smooth \(G\)-bundles where \(G\) is a Lie group. In the case that \(\Gamma\) is the automorphism \(2\)-group of a Lie group \(G\), these correspond to nonabelian \(G\)-gerbes. Specifically, the authors consider smooth, nonabelian Čech \(\Gamma\)-cocycles considered by \textit{J. Giraud} [Cohomologie non abelienne. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer-Verlag (1971; Zbl 0226.14011)] and \textit{L. Breen} [Prog. Math. 86, 401--476 (1990; Zbl 0743.14034)], classifying maps as defined by \textit{J. C. Baez} and \textit{D. Stevenson} [Abel Symposia 4, 1--31 (2009; Zbl 1182.55015)], \(\Gamma\)-bundle gerbes using a definition equivalent to that given by \textit{P. Aschieri} et al. [Commun. Math. Phys. 254, No. 2, 367--400 (2005; Zbl 1092.53020)], and principal \(\Gamma\)-\(2\)-bundles as defined by \textit{T. Bartels} [``Higher gauge theory I: 2-bundles'', \url{arXiv:math/0410328}]. Using the equivalence of these four notions, the authors demonstrate that principal \(\Gamma\)-\(2\)-bundles form a \(2\)-stack over smooth manifolds, and that the \(2\)-stacks of principal \(\Gamma\)-\(2\)-bundles and principal \(\Omega\)-\(2\)-bundles are equivalent when \(\Gamma\) and \(\Omega\) are weakly equivalent Lie \(2\)-groups.