Extensions of Hopf algebras and their cohomological description (Q1322529)

Structure theory of algebraic objects often uses subobjects and their associated quotient objects, to access the structure of the total object or to construct the total object. The total object is called an extension of the quotient object by the subobject. The set of all extensions (modulo some equivalence relation) is often described by a certain cohomology. This concept is well-developed for groups, even for group objects in arbitrary categories. Since commutative or cocommutative Hopf algebras are such group objects, their extensions have been studied in this way at various places in the literature. Noncommutative, noncocommutative Hopf algebras, however, are not such group objects, although they appear as quantum ``groups''. They are not even equationally defined algebraic objects. Under weak assumptions -- the subobject must be a commutative Hopf algebra, the quotient object a cocommutative Hopf algebra -- the author shows, that there is still a group structure (analogous to the Baer multiplication for group extensions) on the set of Hopf algebra extensions. She also shows that this group is isomorphic to an interesting cohomology group, which in its definition uses the multiplication as well as the comultiplication in Hopf algebras. Smash products, crossed products, bismash products and other constructions for Hopf algebras turn out to be special cases of the extensions studied here.