Vector bundle valued differential forms on \(\mathbb{N}Q\)-manifolds (Q2629767)

The subject of the paper under review is to identify and describe a large class of geometric structures on Lie algebroids by means of differential forms on a \(\mathbb{N}Q\)-manifold with values in a (nongraded) vector bundle (the focus is on differential forms which are essentially concentrated in the zeroth degree). Recall that an \(\mathbb{N}Q\)-manifold \(\mathcal{M}\) is a nonnegatively \(\mathbb{Z}\)-graded manifold endowed with a homological vector field. In degree one such structures are well known to encode Lie algebroids, and this extends to higher degrees as well. In this context, differential forms on \(\mathcal{M}\) which are preserved by the homological vector field encode various geometric structures on (nongraded) manifolds which can be expressed in terms of (higher) Lie algebroids. For instance, Poisson structures correspond to degree-1 symplectic \(\mathbb{N}Q\)-manifolds [\textit{D. Roytenberg}, Contemp. Math. 315, 169--185 (2002; Zbl 1036.53057)]. Similar correspondences hold for Jacobi manifolds [\textit{J. Grabowski}, J. Geom. Phys. 68, 27--58 (2013; Zbl 1280.53070); \textit{R. A. Mehta}, Lett. Math. Phys. 103, No. 7, 729--741 (2013; Zbl 1294.53073)], Courant algebroids [Roytenberg, loc. cit.] and Lie algebroids equipped with an IM foliation [\textit{M. Jotz Lean} and \textit{C. Ortiz}, Indag. Math., New Ser. 25, No. 5, 1019--1053 (2014; Zbl 1393.58014)]. Specifically, the author describes vector bundle valued differential forms on \(\mathbb{N}Q\)-manifolds in terms of non-graded data and uses this description to reprove the above-mentioned correspondence. Moreover, using this description the author manages to extend this correspondence to Dirac manifolds and conformal Poisson manifolds, and more generally to Lie algebroids equipped with Spencer operators [\textit{M. Crainic} et al., Math. Z. 279, No. 3--4, 939--979 (2015; Zbl 1408.58015)]. This includes Lie algebroids equipped with an IM multisymplectic structure [\textit{H. Bursztyn} et al., in: Geometry, mechanics, and dynamics. The legacy of Jerry Marsden. Selected papers presented at a focus program, Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences, 2012. New York, NY: Springer. 57--73 (2015; Zbl 1335.53107)].