Odd Chern-Simons theory, Lie algebra cohomology and characteristic classes (Q608912)

The paper under review investigates the generic 3D topological field theory within the Alexandrov-Kontsevich-Schwarz-Zaboronski (AKSZ) and the Batalin-Vilkovisky (BV) framework. The BV formalism is used to construct explicitly cocycles of the Lie algebra of formal Hamiltonian vector fields. It is shown that the perturbative partition function gives rise to secondary characteristic classes. The paper also studies a toy model which is an odd analogue of Chern-Simons theory. Some explicit computation of two point functions is given. It is shown that its perturbation theory is identical to the Chern-Simons theory. A concrete example of the homomorphism taking Lie algebra cocycles to \(Q\)-characteristic classes is given. The Rozansky-Witten model is reinterpreted in this light.