Chern-Simons forms on associated bundles, and boundary terms (Q2467177)

This paper extends Chern-Simons forms on principal bundles to associated bundles. We start recalling the Chern-Simons construction [\textit{S. Chern} and \textit{J. Simons}, Ann. Math. (2) 99, 48--69 (1974; Zbl 0283.53036)]. Let \(E\) be a principal bundle on a compact manifold \(M\), with compact structural group \(G\), connection form \(\omega\), and curvature \(\Omega\). Given \(P\) a \(G\)-invariant polynomial on the Lie algebra of \(G\), the form \(P(\Omega)\) is horizontal, \(G\)-invariant and exact on \(E\) (and inducing a characteristic form on \(M\)). Chern and Simons gave an explicit formula for the transgression forms \(T P(\omega)\), that satisfy \(d T P(\omega)= P(\Omega)\). In fact, \(TP(\omega)\) is determined by this property and natural with respect to connection preserving \(G\)-maps. In this paper, an associated bundle \(B\) over \(M\) is considered, so that the fibers of \(B\) are the homogeneous space \(G/H\). The connection \(\omega\) on \(E\) induces a connection \(\psi\) on \(B\), with curvature \(\Psi\). The main theorem of the paper proves the existence of a form \(\Phi P(\omega)\) on \(E\) that is \(H\)-invariant, horizontal with respect to the projection \(E\to B\), and satisfies: \[ d\Phi P(\omega)= P(\Omega)-P(\Psi). \] Moreover, \(\Phi P(\omega)\) can be explicitly written in terms of \(P\), \(\omega-\psi\), \(\Psi\) and \(\Omega\). In certain circumstances, it can be shown that \(P(\Psi)=0\), and therefore \(\Phi P(\omega)\) represents a secondary characteristic form of \(P(\Omega)\) on \(B\). This occurs in particular for the Gauss-Bonnet integrand on the unit tangent bundle, which gives the connection between the Chern-Simons class on the Riemannian connection of an even-dimensional manifold \(M\) and the formulas for the boundary term described by Chern. Among other examples, the paper includes a secondary cohomology class obtained in this way that differs from that obtained from the original construction of Chern and Simons.