Lie algebroid structures on double vector bundles and representation theory of Lie algebroids (Q846980)

This paper gives a study of the VB-algebroids. It is known that there is a one-to-one correspondence between VB-algebroids and certain flat Lie algebroid superconnections. This bijection enables the authors to construct characteristic classes for all VB-algebroids. The classification of all regular VB-algebroids is then obtained. A remarkable fact is that the authors found a characteristic class of Lie algebroids which does not appear in the usual representation theory of Lie algebroids.