The Atiyah algebroid of the path fibration over a Lie group (Q844120)

This paper studies the differential geometry of the Atiyah algebroid of the path fibration over a Lie group. Let \(G\) be a connected Lie group and \(LG\) its loop group. The authors consider the Atiyah algebroid \(A=T(PG)/LG\) where \(PG\) is the principal \(LG\)-bundle defined by quasi-periodic paths in \(G\). After some recalls about Lie algebroids, the authors introduce a symmetric bilinear form on \(g\) and the corresponding central extension of \(Lg\). The paper is then devoted to the lifting problem of \(A\). It is first proved that the cohomology class of the Cartan 3-form arises as an obstruction. Then higher analogues of the equation involving the Cartan form are obtained. Finally, considering the \(G\)-equivariant extensions, the authors recover the closed invariant forms on the loop group studied by Pressley and Segal.