A simple construction of the Rumin algebra (Q6122519)

The Rumin complex [\textit{M. Rumin}, C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I 310, No. 6, 401--404 (1990; Zbl 0694.57010)] is a cochain complex which is adapted to a contact structure, computing the de Rham cohomology groups. The \textit{Rumin algebra} is a specific contact invariant \(C_\infty\)-algebra of differential forms which computes the de Rham cohomology algebra. Its higher products \(m_{k},k\geq4\) all vanish. \textit{D. M. J. Calderbank} and \textit{T. Diemer} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 537, 67--103 (2001; Zbl 0985.58002)] showed that a curved Bernstein-Gelfand-Gelfand sequence [\textit{A. Čap} et al., Ann. Math. (2) 154, No. 1, 97--113 (2001; Zbl 1159.58309)] for a parabolic geometry carries a curved \(A_{\infty}\)-structure. \textit{R. L. Bryant} et al. [Adv. Stud. Pure Math. 82, 13--40 (2019; Zbl 1453.53014)] pointed out how to recover the Rumin complex from the BGG sequence for the trivial representation, and their observation extends to the Rumin algebra. \textit{M. Rumin}'s work [in: The proceedings of the 24th winter school ``Geometry and physics'', Srní, Czech Republic, January 17--24, 2004. Palermo: Circolo Matemático di Palermo. 139--196 (2005; Zbl 1105.58012)] on the Rumin complex of a Carnot-Carathéodory space included a realization of the Rumin complex as a deformation retract of the Rumin complex. While none of these authors explicitly computed the \(C_{\infty}\)-structure, the author [``The bigraded Rumin complex via differential forms'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:2108.13911}] gave ad hoc formulas for \(m_k\) in a manner resembling a construction of \textit{C.-J. Tsai} et al. [J. Differ. Geom. 103, No. 1, 83--143 (2016; Zbl 1353.53085)] on symplectic manifolds. This paper aims to present a simple and explicit construction of the Rumin algebra. The key ingredients are a natural contact-invariant deformation retract of the de Rham algebra and an explicit formula [\textit{M. Markl}, in: The proceedings of the 25th winter school ``Geometry and physics'', Srní, Czech Republic, January 15--22, 2006. Palermo: Circolo Matemático di Palermo. 139--151 (2006; Zbl 1112.18007)] for the transfer of the Homotopy Transfer Theorem [\textit{M. Markl}, in: The proceedings of the 25th winter school ``Geometry and physics'', Srní, Czech Republic, January 15--22, 2006. Palermo: Circolo Matemático di Palermo. 139--151 (2006; Zbl 1112.18007); \textit{T. V. Kadeishvili}, Russ. Math. Surv. 35, No. 3, 231--238 (1980; Zbl 0521.55015); translation from Usp. Mat. Nauk 35, No. 3(213), 183--188 (1980); \textit{J.-L. Loday} and \textit{B. Vallette}, Algebraic operads. Berlin: Springer (2012; Zbl 1260.18001)]. The deformation retract coincides with those of \textit{D. M. J. Calderbank} and \textit{T. Diemer} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 537, 67--103 (2001; Zbl 0985.58002)] and \textit{M. Rumin}'s work [in: The proceedings of the 24th winter school ``Geometry and physics'', Srní, Czech Republic, January 17--24, 2004. Palermo: Circolo Matemático di Palermo. 139--196 (2005; Zbl 1105.58012)], while the application of the Homotopy Transfer Principle explains the ad hoc formulas of the author [``The bigraded Rumin complex via differential forms'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:2108.13911}].