# Odd Jacobi structures and BV-gauge systems

Abstract
In this paper we define Grassmann odd analogues of Jacobi structures on supermanifolds. We then examine their potential use in the Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism of classical gauge theories.

arXiv:1101.1844v1 [math-ph]

In my latest preprint I construct a Grassmann odd analogue of Jacobi structures on supermanifolds.

Without any details (being slack with signs) an odd Jacobi structure on a supermanifold is an ” almost Schouten structure”, $$S$$ that is an odd function on the total space of the cotangent bundle of the supermanifold quadratic in fibre coordinates and a homological vector field $$Q$$ on the supermanifold together with the compatibility conditions

$$L_{Q}S = \{\mathcal{Q}, S \} = 0$$,
$$\{S, S \} = 2 S \mathcal{Q}$$,

where $$\mathcal{Q} \in C^{\infty}(T^{*}M)$$ is the “Hamiltonian” or principle symbol of the Homological vector field. The brackets here are the canonical Poisson brackets on the cotangent bundle.

An odd Lie bracket can then be constructed on $$C^{\infty}(M)$$

$$[f,g] = \pm \{ \{ S,f \},g\} \pm \{ \mathcal{Q},fg \}$$.

So, this odd bracket satisfies all the properties of a Schouten bracket i.e. symmetry and the Jacobi identity, but the Leibniz rule is not identically satisfied. There is an “anomaly” to the Leibniz rule of the form

$$[f,gh] = \pm [f,g]h \pm g [f,h] \pm [f,1] gh$$

In the preprint I examine the basic properties of odd Jacobi manifolds. The definition and study of odd Jacobi manifolds appears to be missing from the previous literature despite the wide interest in Schouten manifolds and Q-manifolds in mathematical physics.

One should note that for classical or even Jacobi structures (if you know what these are) the Reeb vector field has no constrain on it like being homological. For odd structures the homological condition is essential.

I also consider if the classical BV-antifield formalism can be generalised to odd Jacobi manifolds. In short, does one require the antibracket to be a Schouten bracket or can one weaken the Leibniz rule? I show that it looks possible to extend the BV formalism, classically anyway to odd Jacobi manifolds with the extra condition that the extended classical action not just be a Maurer-Cartan element,

$$[s,s] = 0$$,

but in addition should be Q-closed,

$$Qs =0$$.

Much work needs to be done to generalise the BV formalism to odd Jacobi manifolds including adding the required gradings of ghost number, antifield number etc as well as understanding the quantum aspects.

UPDATE: 22 March 2011. I have found a mistake in one of the examples I suggest. This is corrected and an updated version of the preprint will appear in due course. The mistake does not really effect the rest of the preprint.