caa a22 4500 445385936 CHVBK 20180317143032.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170323e20110901xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10714-010-1070-9 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10714-010-1070-9 An invitation to higher gauge theory [Elektronische Daten] [John Baez, John Huerta] In this easy introduction to higher gauge theory, we describe parallel transport for particles and strings in terms of 2-connections on 2-bundles. Just as ordinary gauge theory involves a gauge group, this generalization involves a gauge ‘2-group'. We focus on 6 examples. First, every abelian Lie group gives a Lie 2-group; the case of U(1) yields the theory of U(1) gerbes, which play an important role in string theory and multisymplectic geometry. Second, every group representation gives a Lie 2-group; the representation of the Lorentz group on 4d Minkowski spacetime gives the Poincaré 2-group, which leads to a spin foam model for Minkowski spacetime. Third, taking the adjoint representation of any Lie group on its own Lie algebra gives a ‘tangent 2-group', which serves as a gauge 2-group in 4d BF theory, which has topological gravity as a special case. Fourth, every Lie group has an ‘inner automorphism 2-group', which serves as the gauge group in 4d BF theory with cosmological constant term. Fifth, every Lie group has an ‘automorphism 2-group', which plays an important role in the theory of nonabelian gerbes. And sixth, every compact simple Lie group gives a ‘string 2-group'. We also touch upon higher structures such as the ‘gravity 3-group', and the Lie 3-superalgebra that governs 11-dimensional supergravity. The Author(s), 2010 Category nationallicence Gerbe nationallicence Higher gauge theory nationallicence String nationallicence 2-category nationallicence 2-group nationallicence Baez John Department of Mathematics, University of California, 92521, Riverside, CA, USA aut Huerta John Department of Mathematics, University of California, 92521, Riverside, CA, USA aut General Relativity and Gravitation Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 43/9(2011-09-01), 2335-2392 0001-7701 43:9<2335 2011 43 10714 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-010-1070-9 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-010-1070-9 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Baez John Department of Mathematics, University of California, 92521, Riverside, CA, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Huerta John Department of Mathematics, University of California, 92521, Riverside, CA, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- General Relativity and Gravitation Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 43/9(2011-09-01), 2335-2392 0001-7701 43:9<2335 2011 43 10714 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer