An invitation to higher gauge theory (Q639906)

Higher gauge theory is a generalization of the familiar gauge theory, which is concerned with transports of point particles, to higher-dimensional objects. It should not be surprising that the emerging theory should be applicable to string theory and loop quantum gravity, both of which agree that we need higher-dimensional extended objects, though always disputing in almost all other points concerned. This paper is to sketch how to generalize the theory of parallel transport from point particles to \(1\)-dimensional objects with such a bare minimum of such prerequisites as manifolds, differential forms, Lie groups, Lie algebras and the traditional theory of bundles and connections. In place of a connection, which tells us how particles transform as they move along paths, one should speak of a \(2\)-connection, which tells us how strings transform as they sweep out surfaces. Six interesting examples, such as the Poincaré \(2\)-group leading to spin foam model for Minkowski spacetime, are discussed. For more applications, one can visit, e.g., [\textit{H. Sati}, Proceedings of Symposia in Pure Mathematics 81, 181--236 (2010; Zbl 1210.81089), J. Aust. Math. Soc. 90, No. 1, 93--108 (2011; Zbl 1217.81131)].