2012/11/29 by Markus Upmeier, Upmeier, Markus
Mathematics · #Advanced Topics in Algebra #Algebraic Topology (math.AT) #Algebraic structures and combinatorial models #FOS: Mathematics #Geometric Topology (math.GT) #Homotopy and Cohomology in Algebraic Topology #math.AT #math.GT
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1211.6832
openalex publication_date 2012/11/29 · arxiv created 2013/02/28 · arxiv updated 2013/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
A bicategory approach to differential cohomology is presented. Based on the axioms of Bunke-Schick, a symmetric monoidal groupoid is associated to differential refinements of cohomology theories. It is proven that such differential refinements are unique up to equivalence of the corresponding symmetric monoidal groupoids and the existing uniqueness results for rationally-even theories are interpreted in this framework. Moreover we show how the bicategory formalism may be used to give a simple construction of a differential refinement for any generalized cohomology theory, based on a refinement of the Chern character to a strict transformation of bicategories.