Morita invariance of intrinsic characteristic classes of Lie algebroids (Q1755861)

A Lie algebroid \(A\) over a manifold \(M\) gives rise to intrinsic characteristic classes in Lie algebroid cohomology, the best known of which is the modular class of the Lie algebroid which is the obstruction to the existence of an invariant transverse measure, see [\textit{S. Evens} et al., Q. J. Math., Oxf. II. Ser. 50, No. 200, 417--436 (1999; Zbl 0968.58014)]. It is fair to say that the modular class of a Lie algebroid is the best understood of the intrinsic characteristic classes. The purpose of the paper under review is to show that intrinsic characteristic classes of Lie algebroids are invariant under \textit{weak Morita equivalent}. Two Lie algebroids \(A\rightarrow M\) and \(B \rightarrow N\) are weak Morita equivalence if there are submersions \(N \overset{s}{\leftarrow} \Sigma \overset{t}{\rightarrow} M\) and a Lie algebroid isomorphism \((\Phi, \text{id}) : s^!(B) \rightarrow t^!(A)\) between the pullbacks of \(B\) and \(A\) to \(\Sigma\). This notion establishes a correspondence between the cohomology classes of \(A\) and \(B\). This raises the question of whether the intrinsic characteristic classes are also related. The author proves the following result (directly quoted from the paper): Theorem. Intrinsic characteristic classes are functorial with respect to transverse maps: if \(\phi: N \rightarrow M\) is transverse to a Lie algebroid \(A\) on \(M\), then \(\text{char}(\phi^!(A)) = \phi^* \text{char}(A)\). As noted by the author in the introduction of the paper, various versions of this result have already appeared in the literature -- the reader should consult the paper for a list. The paper splits into three sections. Naturally, the first is the introduction. In the second section, the author recalls the notion of primary, secondary and intrinsic characteristic classes of Lie algebroids. The main theorem is proved in Section three.