Heaps of Linear Connections and Their Endomorphism Truss

Abstract

We examine the heap of linear connections on anchored vector bundles and Lie algebroids. Naturally, this covers the example of affine connections on a manifold. We present some new interpretations of classical results via this ternary structure of connections. Endomorphisms of linear connections are studied, and their ternary structure, in particular the endomorphism truss, is explicitly presented. We remark that the use of ternary structures in differential geometry is novel and that the endomorphism truss of linear connections provides a concrete geometric example of a truss.