Central extensions of gauge groups revisited (Q1130219)

Let \(X\) be a compact manifold, \(G\) a Lie group, and \({\mathcal G}=\text{Map}(X,G)\) the group of differentiable maps from \(X\) into \(G\). It is well known that, for \(G\) simple and simply connected, the universal covering group \(U{\mathcal G}\) has a universal central extension by \(\Omega(X)/Z^1_{\mathbb Z}(X)\), where \(\Omega^1(X)\) is the space of 1-forms on \(X\) and \(Z^1_{\mathbb Z}(X)\) is its subspace of closed 1-forms with integral periods. The authors present an explicit construction of this central extension. The construction is adapted to the corresponding extension of \(\text{Aut}(E)\), the gauge group of automorphisms of a vector bundle \(E\).