Topological T-duality for general circle bundles (Q2514185)

The author aims to extend known results on topological T-duality from principal torus bundles to general torus bundles. In the present paper, this is fully accomplished in the rank one case: T-duality for oriented circle bundles (principal \(\mathrm{SO}(2)\)-bundles) is extended to general circle bundles (principal \(\mathrm{O}(2)\)-bundles). For the oriented case, see for example [\textit{P. Bouwknegt} et al., Comm. Math. Phys. 249, No. 2, 383--415 (2004; Zbl 1062.81119); \textit{P. Bouwknegt} et al., Adv. Theor. Math. Phys. 9, No. 5, 749--773 (2005; Zbl 1129.53013); \textit{U. Bunke} et al., Rev. Math. Phys. 18, No. 10, 1103--1154 (2006; Zbl 1116.55007)]. The main technical complication in passing from the oriented to the non-orientable case is the need to work with cohomology with local coefficients: a principal \(\mathrm{O}(2)\)-bundle over a space \(M\) determines a system of local coefficients \({\mathbb Z}_{\xi}\) on \(M\) corresponding to the representation \(\pi_1(M)\to \mathrm{O}(2) \twoheadrightarrow \{\pm 1\} =\mathrm{Aut}(\mathbb Z)\). Once local coefficients are incorporated, the theory generalizes nicely. In particular, T-duals exist and are unique. Moreover, the twisted \(K\)-groups and the twisted real cohomology groups of T-dual pairs are isomorphic, up to certain shifts and twists, and the isomorphisms are compatible with an appropriate form of the Chern character. The following annotated table of contents may provide a rough overview over the paper. { 1. Introduction } { 2. Local coefficients } { 3. Affine torus bundles } -- a cohomological classification of affine torus bundles over a fixed base Affine torus bundles form an intermediate class between principal and general torus bundles. However, torus bundles of rank at most three are always affine. In particular, the author obtains a classification of general circle bundles over a space \(M\), in terms of pairs \((\xi, c)\) with \(\xi\in H^1(M,{\mathbb Z}/2)\) and \(c\in H^2(M,{\mathbb Z}_{\xi})\). { 4. Topological T-duality of circle bundles } -- definition, existence and uniqueness More precisely, T-duality is studied for pairs \((E\to M, h)\) consisting of a circle bundle \(E\to M\) and a ``flux'' \(h\in H^3(E,{\mathbb Z})\). (There appears to be a typo in the main definition (Def. 4.1): the fluxes should live in the cohomology of \(E\) rather than \(F\).) { 5. Differential form approach to T-duality } -- T-duality isomorphisms for real cohomology Here, attention is restricted to circle bundles over a smooth manifold \(M\) together with a flux \(H\in H^3(E,{\mathbb R})\) represented by a differential form. { 6. Twisted \(K\)-theory } -- T-duality isomorphisms for twisted \(K\)-theory In the non-orientable context, the T-duality isomorphism requires a version of \(K\)-theory twisted by classes in \(H^1(M,{\mathbb Z}/2)\times H^3(M,{\mathbb Z})\). Such a theory is developed in terms of graded bundle gerbes. { 7. The twisted Chern character } { 8. Courant algebroids } Courant algebroids can be associated with smooth circle bundles with real fluxes in such a way that the Courant algebroids of T-dual pairs are isomorphic. { 9. Examples } T-duality is illustrated with computations of the twisted cohomology and \(K\)-theory of the Klein bottle (the unique non-orientable circle bundle over the circle, T-dual to itself) and of non-orientable circle bundles over compact surfaces.