Multiplicative vector fields on bundle gerbes

Abstract

Infinitesimal symmetries of S1-bundle gerbes are modelled by multiplicative vector fields on Lie groupoids. It is shown that a connective structure on a bundle gerbe gives rise to a natural horizontal lift of multiplicative vector fields to the bundle gerbe, and that the 3-curvature presents the obstruction to the horizontal lift being a morphism of Lie 2-algebras. Connection-preserving multiplicative vector fields on a bundle gerbe with connective structure are shown to inherit a natural Lie 2-algebra structure; moreover, this Lie 2-algebra is canonically quasi-isomorphic to the Poisson-Lie 2-algebra of the 2-plectic base manifold (M,χ), where χ is the 3-curvature of the connective structure. As an application of this result, we give analogues of a formula of Kostant in the 2-plectic and quasi-Hamiltonian contexts.