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Differential geometry of Cartan connections

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 Publ. Math. Debrecen
47/3-4 (1995), 349–375

DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS

Dmitri V. Alekseevsky
Peter W. Michor
Erwin Schrödinger International Institute
of Mathematical Physics, Wien, Austria

Table of contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2. Cartan connections and generalized Cartan connections . . . . . . . . . 3
3. The relation between principal Cartan connections and principal connections 7
4. Flat Cartan connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5. Flat Cartan connections associated with a flat G-structure . . . . . . . 16
6. The canonical Cartan connection for a G-structure of first or second order 20

1. Introduction
In this article a general theory of Cartan connections is developed and some
applications are indicated. The starting idea is to consider a Cartan connection
as a deformation of a local Lie group structure on the manifold, i.e. a 1-form λ
with values in a Lie algebra h which is non degenerate and satisfies the Maurer-
Cartan equation. Such a Maurer-Cartan form λ may be considered as a flat Cartan
connection. Many notions and results of the geometry of group manifolds are still
valid in this more general setting.
More precisely, for a Lie subalgebra g of h we define a Cartan connection of type
h/g on a manifold P of dimension n = dim h as a h-valued 1-form κ : T P → h
which defines an isomorphism κx : Tx P → h for any x ∈ P and such that

[ζX , ζY ] = ζ[X,Y ]

holds for X ∈ h and Y ∈ g, where the linear mapping ζ : h → X(P ) from h into
the Lie algebra X(P ) of vector fields on P is given by ζX (x) = κ−1
x (X). If g = h
then ζ defines a free transitive action of the Lie algebra h on the manifold P in
the sense of [5] and κ is the Maurer-Cartan form of the associated structure of
the local Lie group structure on P . In the general case, when g 6= h, we only

1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. 53B05, 53C10.

Key words and phrases. Cartan connection, G-structure, characteristic classes, prolongation.
Supported by Project P 7724 PHY of ‘Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung’.

Typeset by AMS-TEX
1
2 DMITRI V. ALEKSEEVSKY PETER W. MICHOR

have a free action ζ|g of the Lie algebra g on P . So we may think of the Cartan
connection κ as a deformed Maurer-Cartan form, where the deformation is breaking
the symmetry from h to g. If the action of g on P can be integrated to a free action
of a corresponding Lie group G on P with smooth orbit space M = P/G, the notion
of Cartan connection reduces to the well known notion of a Cartan connection on
the principal bundle p : P → M .
In 2.3 and 2.4 we describe two situations when a Cartan connection arises nat-
urally. First under a reduction of a principal bundle p : Q → M with a principal
connection to a principal subbundle p : P → M . Second when a G-structure with
a connection is given: more precisely, it the Lie algebra admits a reductive decom-
position h = g ⊕ m we may identify a Cartan connection of type h/g on a principal
G-bundle p : P → M with a G-structure on M together with a principal connection
in p : P → M .
Dropping the condition that the 1-form κ is non-degenerate we come to the
notion of generalized Cartan connection. It is closely related with the the notion of
a principal connection form on a g-manifold, defined in [5], see 2.6. In the end of
section 2 we define for an arbitrary generalized Cartan connection κ such notions
as the curvature 2-form
K = dκ + 12 [κ, κ]∧ ,
the Bianchi identity
dK + [κ, K]∧ = 0,
the covariant exterior derivative

dκ : Ωphor (P ; W )g → Ωp+1 g
hor (M ; V ) , dκ (Ψ) = dΨ + ρ∧ (κ)Ψ,

where Ωphor (M ; W )g is the space of horizontal g-equivariant p-forms with values in

the g-module defined by a representation ρ : h → gl(W ).
In 2.9 we associate with a generalized Cartan connection κ of type h/g the
Chern-Weil homomorphism

γ : S(h∗ )h → Ωhor (P )g

of the algebra of h-invariant polynomials on h into the algebra of g-invariant closed

horizontal differential forms on P and prove that the characteristic cohomology
class [γ(f )] does not depend on the particular choice of the generalized Cartan
connection.
In section 3 we study relations between principal Cartan connections of a prin-
cipal G-bundle p : P → M and principal connections on the H-bundle p : P [H] =
P ×G H → M , where H ⊃ G is a Lie group associated to h. We also establish a
canonical linear isomorphism

Ωhor (P ; W )G → Ωhor (P [H]; W )H

between the respective spaces of equivariant horizontal forms with values in a repre-
sentation space W of H. As a corollary we obtain that the characteristic classes as-
sociated with Cartan connections in section 2 are the classical characteristic classes
of the principal bundle P [H] → M .
 DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS 3

Section 4 deals with a flat Cartan connection of type h/h on a manifold P .

We give a simple conceptual proof of the result that any flat generalized Cartan
connection on a simply connected manifold P , i.e. an h-valued 1-form κ on P which
satifies the (left) Maurer-Cartan equation, is the left logalithmic derivative of a
mapping ϕ : P → H into a Lie group H corresponding to h; so ‘κ = ϕ−1 .dϕ’.
Moreover the mapping ϕ is uniquely determined up to a left translation.
A generalized Cartan-connection κ : T P → h induces a homomorphism

κ∗ : Λ(h∗ ) → Ω(P )
f 7→ f ◦ (κ ⊗∧ · · · ⊗∧ κ)

of the complex of exterior forms on the Lie algebra h into the complex of differential
forms P and (following [10]) defines a a characteristic class of a flat generalized
Cartan connection as the image of of cohomology classes of the Lie algebra h under
the induced homomorphism of cohomologies. This construction may also sometimes
be applied for the infinite dimensional case.
In section 5 we describe a flat Cartan connection associated with a flat G-
structure p : P → M . It defines a Cartan connection on the total space P ∞
of the infinite prolongation p∞ : P ∞ → M , which consists of all infinite jets of
holonomic sections of p.
In the last section 6 we review shortly the theory of prolongation of G-structures
in the sense of [22]. Under some conditions we define a canonical Cartan connection
of type (V ⊕ g∞ )/g on the total space of the full prolongation of a G-structure of
first or second order.

2. Cartan connections and generalized Cartan connections

2.1. Cartan connections. Let h be a finite dimensional Lie algebra and let g
be a subalgebra of h. Let P be a smooth manifold with dim P = dim h. By an
h-valued absolute parallelism on P we mean a 1-form κ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h) with values
in h which is non-degenerate in the sense that κx : Tx P → h is invertible for all
x ∈ P . Thus its inverse induces a linear mapping ζ : h → X(P ) which is given by
ζX (x) = (κx )−1 (X). Vector fields of the form ζX are called parallel. In general, ζ
is not a Lie algebra homomorphism.
Definition. In this setting a Cartan connection of type h/g on the manifold P is
an h-valued absolute parallelism κ : T P → h such that
(1) [ζX , ζY ] = ζ[X,Y ] for X ∈ h and Y ∈ g.
So the inverse mapping ζ : h → X(P ) preserves Lie brackets if one of the arguments
is in g. In particular, the restriction of ζ to g is a Lie algebra homomorphism, and
in particular P is a free g-manifold.
2.2. Principal Cartan connections on a principal G-bundle. Let p : P → M
be a principal bundle with structure group G whose Lie algebra is g. We shall
denote by r : P × G → P the principal right action and by ζ : g → X(P ) the
fundamental vector field mapping, a Lie algebra homomorphism, which is given by
ζX (x) = Te (rx ).X. Its ‘inverse’ is then defined on the vertical bundle V P , it is
given by κG : V P → g, κG (ξx ) = Te (rx )−1 (ξx ); we call it the vertical parallelism.
4 DMITRI V. ALEKSEEVSKY PETER W. MICHOR

Let us now assume that g is a subalgebra of a Lie algebra h with dim h = dim P .
A h/g-Cartan connection κ : T P → h on P is called a principal Cartan connection
of the principal bundle p : P → M , if the following two conditions are satisfied:
(1) κ|V P = κG , i.e. κ is an extension of the natural vertical parallelism.
(2) κ is G-equivariant, i.e. κ ◦ T (rg ) = Ad(g −1 ) ◦ κ for all g ∈ G. If G is
connected this follows from 2.1,(1).
This is the usual concept of Cartan connection as used e.g. in [13], p. 127.
Remark. Let κ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h) be a h/g-Cartan connection on a manifold P . Assume
that all parallel vector fields ζ(g) are complete. Then they define a locally free
action of a connected Lie group G with Lie algebra g. If this action is free and if
the orbit space M := P/G is a smooth manifold (this is the case if the action is
also proper), then p : P → M is a principal G-bundle and κ is a principal Cartan
connection on it.
2.3. Principal Cartan connections and a reduction of a principal bundle
with a connection. Let H be a Lie group with Lie algebra h, let p : Q → M be a
principal H-bundle, and let ω : T Q → h be a principal connection form on Q. Let
us denote by H = ker ω the horizontal distribution of the connection ω. Then we
have

(1) Tq Q = Vq Q ⊕ Hq ,

where V Q = ker T (p) ⊂ T Q is the vertical subbundle. We assume now that G is

a Lie subgroup of H and that the principal bundle Q → M admits a reduction of
the structure group to a principal G-bundle p = p|P : P → M . So the embedding
P → Q is a principal bundle homomorphism over the group homomorphism G → H:

P −−−−→ Q
 

p|P y
p
y
M M

Note that for the vertical bundles we have Tu P ∩ Vu Q = Vu P , but the intersection
Tu P ∩ Hu may be arbitrary. We have the following characterization of the two
extremal cases when this last intersection is maximal or minimal.
Proposition. (A) In the situation above the following conditions are equivalent:
(1) For any u ∈ P the horizontal subspace Hu = ker ωu is contained in Tu P ,
and thus Tu P = Vu P ⊕ Hu .
(2) The connection ω on Q is induced from a principal connection on P → M
on the associated bundle Q = P ×G H, where G acts on H by conjugation.
(3) The holonomy group of the connection ω is contained in G.
(B) The restriction ω|P = incl∗ ω of ω on P is a Cartan connection of the principal
bundle p : P → M if and only if Tu P ∩ Hu = 0 for each u ∈ P , and if dim M =
dimh/g. 
 DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS 5

2.4. Cartan connections as G-structures with connections. We estab-

lish here a bijective correspondence between principal Cartan connections and G-
structures with a connection.
Let G ⊂ GL(V ), V = Rn , be a linear Lie group. We recall that a G-structure on
an n-dimensional manifold M is a principal G-bundle p : P → M together with a
displacement form θ : T P → V , i.e. a V -valued 1-form which is G-equivariant and
strictly horizontal in the sense that ker θ = V P .
We assume now that G is a reductive Lie subgroup of a Lie group H such that

h = V ⊕ g, [g, V ] ⊂ V

is the reductive decomposition of the Lie algebra of H, and that the adjoint rep-
resentation of G in V is faithful. Then we may identify G with a subgroup of
GL(V ).
Proposition. In this situation let κ : T P → h = V ⊕ g be a Cartan connection
on the principal G-bundle p : P → M , and let θ = prV ◦ κ and ω = prg ◦ κ be its
components in V and g, respectively.
Then θ is a displacement form and ω is a connection form on p : P → M , so
that (p : P → M, θ) is a G-structure with a connection form ω.
Conversely, if (p : P → M, θ) is a G-structure with a connection ω, then κ = θ+ω
is a principal Cartan connection for the principal G-bundle p : P → M . 
2.5. Generalized Cartan connections. For a principal G-bundle π : P → M
as in 2.2, if κ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h)G is a G-equivariant extension of κG : V P → g, we call it
a generalized principal h/g-Cartan connection.
More general, let P be a smooth manifold, let h be a Lie algebra with dim h =
dim P . We then consider a free action of a Lie subalgebra g of h on P , i.e. an
injective Lie algebra homomorphism ζ : g → X(P ). A generalized h/g-Cartan
connection κ on the g-manifold P is then a g-equivariant h-valued one form

κ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h)g := {ϕ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h) : LζX κ = ad(X) ◦ κ for all X ∈ g}

which reproduces the generators of the g-fundamental vector fields on P : for all
X ∈ g we have κ(ζX (x)) = X.
2.6. Generalized Cartan connections and principal connection forms. Let
P be a smooth manifold with a free action of a Lie algebra g. In [5] we define the
notion of a principal connection on P as follows: A principal connection form on
P is a g-valued g-equivariant 1-form ω ∈ Ω(P ; g)g which reproduces the generators
of the fundamental vector fields on P , so ω(ζX ) = X for X ∈ g.
As a generalization of proposition 2.3 we establish now relations between gener-
alized Cartan connections and principal connection forms.
Proposition. Let g be a reductive subalgebra of a Lie algebra h with reductive
decomposition
h = V ⊕ g, [g, V ] ⊂ V.
Let κ : T P → h be a generalized Cartan connection on a g-manifold P with a free
action of the Lie algebra g.
6 DMITRI V. ALEKSEEVSKY PETER W. MICHOR

Then the g-component ω = prg ◦ κ is a principal connection form on the g-

manifold P . In particular, κ defines a g-invariant horizontal distribution H :=
κ−1 (V ) ⊂ T P which is a complementary subbundle of the ‘vertical’ distribution
ζg (P ) ⊂ P spanned by the g-action, and which is g-invariant:
[ζg , Γ(H)] ⊂ Γ(H),
where Γ(H) ⊂ X(P ) is the space of section of the bundle H.
Remark. It is a natural idea to consider the V -component θ = prV ◦ κ of κ as
some analogon of the notion of displacement form. Clearly θ is g-equivariant and
horizontal: ker θ ⊃ ζg (P ). But it will be strictly horizontal (ker θ = ζg (P )) if and
only if κ is a Cartan connection. In general we only have ker θ = ζg (P ) ⊕ K, where
K = ker(κ|H) is a g-invariant distribution, possibly of non-constant rank.
2.7. Curvature and Bianchi identity. For a generalized Cartan connection
κ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h)g we define the curvature K by K = dκ + 21 [κ, κ]∧ , where we used the
graded Lie bracket on Ω(P ; h) given in [5], 4.1 . From the graded Jacobi identity
in Ω(P ; h) we get then easily the Bianchi identity
dK + [κ, K]∧ = 0.
Then K is horizontal, i.e. kills all ζX for X ∈ g, and is g-equivariant, K ∈
Ω2hor (P ; h)g . If κ is a generalized principal Cartan connection on a principal G-
bundle, then K is even G-equivariant, K ∈ Ω2hor (P ; h)G .
If κ is a Cartan connection then an easy computation shows that
ζ κ (K(ζX
κ
, ζYκ )) = [ζX
κ
, ζYκ ]X(P ) − ζ κ ([X, Y ]h ).
2.8. Covariant exterior derivative. For a generalized h/g-Cartan connection
κ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h)g and any representation ρ : h → GL(W ) we define the covariant
exterior derivative

dκ : Ωphor (P ; W )g → Ωp+1
hor (P ; W )
g

dκ Ψ = dΨ + ρ∧ (κ)Ψ.
For a principal Cartan connection on a principal G-bundle we even have
dκ (Ωphor (P ; W )G ) ⊂ Ωp+1 G
hor (P ; W ) .
Nk ∗
2.9. Chern-Weil forms. If f ∈ Lk (h) := ( h ) is a k-linear function on h and
if ψi ∈ Ωpi (P ; h) we can construct the following differential forms

ψ1 ⊗∧ · · · ⊗∧ ψk ∈ Ωp1 +···+pk (P ; h ⊗ · · · ⊗ h),

f ψ1 ,...,ψk := f ◦ (ψ1 ⊗∧ · · · ⊗∧ ψk ) ∈ Ωp1 +···+pk (P ).
The exterior derivative of the latter one is clearly given by
d(f ◦ (ψ1 ⊗∧ · · · ⊗∧ ψk )) = f ◦ d(ψ1 ⊗∧ · · · ⊗∧ ψk ) =
P 
k p1 +···+pi−1
=f◦ i=1 (−1) ψ1 ⊗∧ · · · ⊗∧ dψi ⊗∧ · · · ⊗∧ ψk .

Note that the form f ψ1 ,...,ψk is g-invariant and horizontal if all ψi ∈ Ωphor
i
(P ; h)g and
k g
f ∈ L (h) is invariant under the adjoint action of g on h. It is then the pullback
of a form on M . For a principal Cartan connection one may replace g by G.
 DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS 7

2.10. Lemma. Let κ be a generalized h/g-Cartan connection on P . Let f ∈

Lk (h)h be h-invariant under the adjoint action then the differential form f K :=
f K,...,K is closed in Ω2k g
hor (M ) .

Proof. The same computation as in the proof of [5], 7.4 with ω and Ω replaced by
κ and K. 
2.11. Proposition. Let κ0 and κ1 be two generalized h/g-Cartan connections
on P with curvature forms K0 , K1 ∈ Ω2 (P ; h)g , and let f ∈ Lk (h)h . Then the
cohomology classes of the two closed forms f K0 and f K1 in H 2k (Ω∗hor (P )g ) agree.
If P → M is a principal G-bundle and if κ1 and κ2 are principal generalized
Cartan connections on it, then the cohomology classes of the two closed forms f K0
an f K1 agree in H 2k (M ).
Proof. Literally the same proof as for [5], 7.5 applies, with ω and Ω replaced by κ
and K. 

3. The relation between principal Cartan

connections and principal connections
In this section we follow the notation and concepts of [14], chapter III, which we
also explain here.
3.1. Extension of the structure group. Given a principal bundle π : P → M
with structure group G and G ⊂ H we consider the left action of G on H (by
left translation) and the associated bundle π : P [H] = P ×G H → M . Recall
from [14], 10.7 the G-bundle projection q : P × H → P [H] = P ×G H. Since
q(u.g, h) = q(u, gh) we get T q(T r(Xu , Zg ), Yh ) = T q(Xu , T λg .Yh + T ρh .Zg ). This
is then a principal H-bundle with principal H-action r̃ : P [H] × H → P [H] given
by r̃(q(u, h), h0 ) = q(u, hh0 ). Since G ⊂ H is G-equivariant we get a homomorphism
of principal bundles over G ⊂ H

P AA w P [H]
π AA
C  π

M
3.2. Lemma. In the situation of 3.1 the generalized Cartan connections in the
space Ω1 (P ; h)G correspond canonically and bijectively to the H-principal connec-
tions in Ω1 (P [H]; h)H .
P [H]
Proof. For Y ∈ h the fundamental vector field ζY on P H is given by
P [H]
ζY (q(u, h)) = T (r̃)(T q(0u , 0h ), Y ) = T(u,h) q(0u , T λh .Y ).

For a generalized Cartan connection κ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h)G we define for Xu ∈ Tu P and

Y ∈ h:

(q [ κ) : T P [H] → h
(1) (q [ κ)(T(u,h) q(Xu , Te λh .Y )) := Y + Ad(h−1 )κu (Xu )
8 DMITRI V. ALEKSEEVSKY PETER W. MICHOR

We claim that (q [ κ) ∈ Ω1 (P [H]; h)H is well defined and is a principal connection.

It is well defined: for g ∈ G we have

(q [ κ)(T(u,h) q(T rg .Xu , T λg−1 Te λh .Y )) = Y + Ad((g −1 h)−1 )κu (T rg .Xu )

= Y + Ad(h−1 ) Ad(g) Ad(g −1 )κu (Xu )
= (q [ κ)(T(u,h) q(Xu , Te λh .Y ))

P
Moreover T(u,h) q(Xu , Yh ) = 0 if and only if (Xu , Yh ) = (ζX (u), −T ρh .X) for some
X ∈ g, but then

(q [ κ)(ζX
P
(u), −T ρh .X) = (q [ κ)(ζX
P
(u), −Te λh . Ad(h−1 )X)
= − Ad(h−1 )X + Ad(h−1 )κu (ζX
P
(u)) = 0.

We check that it is H-equivariant:

(q [ κ)(T (r̃k ).T(u,h) q.(Xu , Te λh .Y )) = (q [ κ)(T(u,hk) q.(Xu , T ρk .Te λh .Y ))

= (q [ κ)(T(u,hk) q.(Xu , Te λhk .T ρk .T λk−1 .Y ))
= (q [ κ)(T(u,hk) q.(Xu , Te λhk . Ad(k −1 )Y ))
= Ad(k −1 )Y + Ad(k −1 .h−1 )κu (Xu )
= Ad(k −1 )(q [ κ)(T(u,h) q.(Xu , Te λh .Y )).

Next we check that it reproduces the infinitesimal generators of fundamental vector

fields:
P [H]
(q [ κ)(ζY (q(u, h)) = (q [ κ)(T(u,h) q(0u , T λh .Y )) = Y

Now let ω ∈ Ω1 (P [H]; h)H be a principal connection form. Then the pull back
[ −1
(q ) ω of ω to the G-subbundle P ⊂ p[H] is in Ω1 (P ; h)G and clearly reproduces
the infinitesimal generators of G-fundamental vector fields, so it is a generalized
Cartan connection. Explicitely we have ((q [ )−1 ω)(Xu ) := ω(T(u,e) q(Xu , 0e )) and
with this formula it is easy to check that the two construction are inverse to each
other. 
3.3. Theorem. Let π : P → M be a principal bundle with structure group G, let
H be a Lie group containing G and let ρ : H → GL(W ) be a finite dimensional
linear representation of H.
Then there is a canonical linear isomorphism

q [ : Ωphor (P ; W )G → Ωphor (P [H]; W )H

which intertwines the covariant exterior derivatives of any generalized Cartan con-
nection κ on P with values in h and of its canonically associated principal connec-
tion q [ κ on P [H]:

dq[ κ ◦ q [ = q [ ◦ dκ : Ωphor (P ; W )G → Ωp+1

hor (P [H]; W )
G
 DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS 9

If K ∈ Ω2hor (P ; h)G is the curvature of a generalized Cartan connection κ in the

sense of 2.7 then q [ K ∈ Ω2hor (P [H]; h)H is the principal curvature of the principal
connection q [ κ on P [H].
Proof. For Ψ ∈ Ωphor (P ; h)G we define q [ Ψ ∈ Ωphor (P [H]; h)H by

(1) (q [ Ψ)q(u,h) (T q(ξu1 , Te λh .Y 1 ), T q(ξu2 , Te λh .Y 2 ), . . . ) =

= Ad(h−1 )Ψu (ξu1 , ξu2 , . . . ).

This is well defined and horizontal, since a vector T q(ξu , T λh .Y ) is vertical in P [H]
if and only if it is of the form T q(ζX P
(u), Te λh (Z − Ad(h−1 )X)) for some Z ∈ h and
X ∈ g, and the right hand side vanishes if one such vector appears in the left hand
side. Note that q [ Ψ is well defined only if Ψ is horizontal. It is easily seen that q [ Ψ
is H-equivariant.
If Φ ∈ Ωphor (P [H]; h)H then the pull back of Φ to the subbundle P gives a
form (q [ )−1 Φ ∈ Ωphor (P ; h)G . We have the explicit formula ((q [ )−1 Φ)(ξu1 , ξu2 , . . . ) =
Φ(T q(ξu1 , 0e ), T q(ξu2 , 0e ), . . . ), and using this it is easy to show that the two con-
structions are inverse to each other:

((q [ )(q [ )−1 Φ)q(u,h) (T q(ξu1 , T λh .Y 1 ), . . . ) = Ad(h−1 )((q [ )−1 Φ)u (ξu1 , ξu2 , . . . )
= Ad(h−1 )Φ(T(u,e) q(ξu1 , 0e ), . . . ) = Φ(T (r̃h ).T(u,e) q(ξu1 , 0e ), . . . )
= Φ(T(u,h) q(ξu1 , T λh .0e ), . . . ) = Φ(T(u,h) q(ξu1 , T λh .Y ), . . . ),

since Φ is horizontal, and

((q [ )−1 (q [ )Ψ)u (ξu1 , ξu2 , . . . ) = ((q [ )−1 Ψ)q(u,e) (T q(ξu1 , 0e ), . . . ) = Ψu (ξu1 , . . . ).

Claim 1: dq[ κ ◦ q [ = q [ ◦ dκ : Ωphor (P ; W )G → Ωp+1hor (P [H]; W )

G
holds for a
generalized Cartan connection κ on P . Here dq[ κ is given by dq[ κ Φ = χ∗ dΦ for any
form Φ ∈ Ω(P [H], V ) with values in a vector space V , where χ is the horizontal
projection induced by q [ κ. In [4], 1.4 it is proved that for Φ ∈ Ωhor (P [H]; W )H
the formula dq[ κ Φ = dΦ + [q [ κ, Φ]∧ holds. On the other hand we have dκ Ψ =
dΨ + ρ∧ (κ)Ψ for Ψ ∈ Ωhor (P ; W )G by definition 2.8.
To compute d(q [ Ψ) we need vector fields. So let ξi ∈ X(P )G be G-equivariant
vector fields on P , and for Yi ∈ h let LYi denote the left invariant vector field on H,
LYi (h) = T λh .Yi . Then the vector field ξi × LYi is G-equivariant and factors thus
to a vector field on the associated bundle as indicated in the following diagram:

P ×H
ξ i × L Yi
w TP × TH
u u
q Tq

P [H] P ×G H
× LYi
ξi^
w TP × TG TH T (P [H])

So the vector fields ξi × LYi on P × H and ξi^

× LYi on P [H] are q-related and thus
we have

(2) [ξi^ × LYj ] = [ξi , ξj^

× LYi , ξj^ ] × L[Yi ,Yj ]
10 DMITRI V. ALEKSEEVSKY PETER W. MICHOR

Now we compute
 
d(q [ Ψ) ξ0^
× LY0 , . . . , ξp^
× LYp =
p
X   
= (−1)i (ξi^
× LYi ) q [ Ψ ξ0^
× LY0 , . . . , ci , . . . , ξp^
× LYp
i=0
X h i 
+ (−1)i+j (q [ Ψ) × LYi , ξi^
ξi^ × LYi , ξ0^
× LY0 , . . . , ci , . . . , cj , . . . .
i<j

Since we have
 
(3) (q [ Ψ)q(u,h) ξ1^
× LY1 , . . . , ξp^
× LYp =
= (q [ Ψ)q(u,h) (T q(ξ1 (u), Te λh .Y1 ), . . . , T q(ξp (u), Te λh .Yp ))
= Ad(h−1 ).Ψu (ξ1 (u), . . . , ξp (u)) ∈ h
we get
  
× LY0 ) q [ Φ ξ1^
(ξ0^ × LY1 , . . . , ξp^
× LYp (q(u, h)) =
= (Th (Ad ◦ Inv).Te λh .Y0 ).Ψu (ξ1 , . . . , ξp ) + Ad(h−1 )(ξ0 Ψ(ξ1 , . . . , ξp ))
= −[Y0 , Ad(h−1 ).Ψu (ξ1 , . . . , ξp )] + Ad(h−1 )(ξ0 Ψ(ξ1 , . . . , ξp )).
Inserting we get
 
d(q [ Ψ) ξ0^
× LY0 , . . . , ξp^
× LYp (q(u, h)) =
p
X
=− (−1)i [Yi , Ad(h−1 ).Ψu (ξ0 , . . . , ξbi , . . . ξp )]+
i=0
+ Ad(h−1 ).(dΨ)u (ξ0 , . . . , ξp ).
Next we compute
 
[q [ κ,q [ Ψ]∧ ξ0^
× LY0 , . . . , ξp^
× LYp (q(u, h)) =
p
X h    i
= × LYi , (q [ Ψ)(q(u,h)) ξ0^
(−1)i (q [ κ)q(u,h) ξi^ × LY0 , . . . , ci , . . .
i=0
p
X
= (−1)i [Yi + Ad(h−1 )κu (ξi ), Ad(h−1 )Ψu (ξ0 , . . . , ξbi , . . . , ξp )]h
i=0
p
X
= (−1)i [Yi , Ad(h−1 ).Ψu (ξ0 , . . . , ξbi , . . . ξp )]+
i=0
+ Ad(h−1 ).[κ, Ψ]∧ (ξ0 , . . . , ξp )(u).
On the other hand we have
 
(q [ ◦ dκ Ψ)(q(u,h)) ξ0^ × LYp = Ad(h−1 ).(dκ Ψ)u (ξ0 , . . . , ξp )
× LY0 , . . . , ξp^
= Ad(h−1 ).(dΨ + [κ, Ψ])u (ξ0 , . . . , ξp ),
 DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS 11

so the claim follows by comparing the last three expressions.

Claim 2: q [ K = d(q [ κ) + 21 [q [ κ, q [ κ]∧ for a generalized Cartan connection κ on
P with curvature K = dκ + 21 [κ, κ]∧ .
We have K ∈ Ω2hor (P ; h)G but κ is not horizontal, so we must redo parts of the
above computations. We use the same vector fields as in the proof of Claim 1.
Since by 3.2,(1) we have
 
(4) (q [ κ)q(u,h) ξ1^
× LY1 = (q [ κ)q(u,h) (T q(ξ1 (u), Te λh .Y1 ))
= Y1 + Ad(h−1 ).κu (ξ1 )

we get again the same formula as for Ψ

 
× LY0 (q [ κ)q(u,h) ξ1^
ξ0^ × LY1
= −[Y0 , Ad(h−1 )κu (ξ1 )] + Ad(h−1 )(ξ0 κ(ξ1 ))(u).

This leads to
 
d(q [ κ) ξ0^
× LY0 , ξ1^
× LY1 =
= −[Y0 , Ad(h−1 )κu (ξ1 )] + [Y1 , Ad(h−1 )κu (ξ0 )] − [Y0 , Y1 ]
+ Ad(h−1 )(dκu (ξ0 , ξ1 )).

Again from (4) we get

 
1 [ [ ∧
2 [q κ, q κ] × LY0 , ξ1^
ξ0^ × LY1 (q(u, h)) =
= 12 [Y0 + Ad(h−1 )κu (ξ0 ), Y1 + Ad(h−1 )κu (ξ1 )]
− 21 [Y1 + Ad(h−1 )κu (ξ1 ), Y0 + Ad(h−1 )κu (ξ0 )]
= [Y0 , Ad(h−1 )κu (ξ1 )] − [Y1 , Ad(h−1 )κu (ξ0 )] + [Y0 , Y1 ]
+ 1
2 Ad(h−1 ).[κ, κ]∧ (ξ0 , ξ1 )(u)

from which now the result follows. 

3.4. Corollary. The characteristic class for an invariant f ∈ Lk (h)H constructed

in proposition 2.11 with the help of generalized Cartan connections on P is exactly
the characteristic class of the principal bundle P [H] associated to f . Since P [H]
admits a reduction of the structure group to G, this class is a characteristic class
of P , associated to f |g ∈ Lk (g)G . If f |g = 0 then the form f K of proposition 2.11
is exact.

Proof. This follows from well known properties of characteristic classes of principal
bundles. 
12 DMITRI V. ALEKSEEVSKY PETER W. MICHOR

4. Flat Cartan connections

4.1. Flat Cartan connections. Let P be a smooth manifold. A Cartan con-
nection κ : T P → h is said to be flat if its curvature K = dκ + 21 [κ, κ]∧ (see 2.7)
vanishes. In this case the subalgebra g ⊂ h does not play any role. The inverse
mapping ζ : h → X(P ), given by ζX (x) = (κx )−1 (X) is then a homomorphism
of Lie algebras, and it defines a free transitive action of the Lie algebra h on the
manifold P in the sense of [5], 2.1. The inverse statement is also valid, see [5], 5.1.
A flat generalized Cartan connection is then a form κ : T P → h which satisfies
the Maurer-Cartan equation dκ + 12 [κ, κ]∧ (without the assumtion that it is non-
degenerate).

4.2. Let H be a connected Lie group with Lie algebra h, multiplication µ : H ×H →

H, and for g ∈ H let µg , µg : H → H denote the left and right translation,
µ(g, h) = g.h = µg (h) = µh (g). For a smooth mapping ϕ : P → H let us use the
left trivialization of T H and consider the left logarithmic derivative δ l ϕ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h),
given by δ l ϕx := T (µϕ(x)−1 ) ◦ Tx ϕ : Tx P → Tϕ(x) H → h. Similarly we consider the
−1
right logarithmic derivative δ r ϕ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h) which is given by δ r ϕx := T (µϕ(x) ) ◦
Tx ϕ : Tx P → Tϕ(x) H → h. The following result can be found in [17], [18], [19], or in
[11] (proved with moving frames); see also [5], 5.2. We include a simple conceptual
proof and we consider all variants.

Proposition. For a smooth mapping ϕ : P → H the left logarithmic derivative

δ l ϕ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h) satisfies the (right) Maurer-Cartan equation dδ l ϕ+ 12 [δ l ϕ, δ l ϕ]∧ = 0.
If conversely a 1-form κ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h) satisfies dκ + 12 [κ, κ]∧ = 0 then for each
simply connected subset U ⊂ P there exists a smooth function ϕ : U → H with
δ l ϕ = κ|U , and ϕ is uniquely detemined up to a right translation in H.
For a smooth mapping ϕ : P → H the right logarithmic derivative δ r ϕ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h)
satisfies the (left) Maurer-Cartan equation dδ r ϕ − 12 [δ r ϕ, δ r ϕ]∧ = 0.
If a 1-form κ ∈ Ω1 (P ; h) satisfies dκ− 12 [κ, κ]∧ = 0 then for each simply connected
subset U ⊂ P there exists a smooth function ϕ : U → H with δ r ϕ = κ|U , and ϕ is
uniquely determined up to a left translation in H.

Proof. Let us treat first the right logarithmic derivative since it leads to a principal
connection for a bundle with right principal action. We consider the trivial principal
bundle pr1 : P × H → P with right principal action. Then the submanifolds
{(x, ϕ(x).g) : x ∈ P } for g ∈ H form a foliation of P ×G whose tangent distribution
is transversal to the vertical bundle P × T H ⊂ T (P × H) and is invariant under
the principal right H-action. So it is the horizontal distribution of a principal
connection on P × H → H. For a tangent vector (Xx , Yg ) ∈ Tx P × Tg H the
horizontal part is the right translate to the foot point (x, g) of (Xx , Tx ϕ.Xx ), so
the decomposition in horizontal and vertical parts according to this distribution is

−1 −1
(Xx , Yg ) = (Xx , T (µg ).T (µϕ(x) ).Tx ϕ.Xx ) + (0x , Yg − T (µg ).T (µϕ(x) ).Tx ϕ.Xx ).

Since the fundamental vector fields for the right action on H are the left invariant
 DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS 13

vector fields, the corresponding connection form is given by

−1
ω r (Xx , Yg ) = T (µg−1 ).(Yg − T (µg ).T (µϕ(x) ).Tx ϕ.Xx ),
r
ω(x,g) = T (µg−1 ) − Ad(g −1 ).δ r ϕx ,
(1) ω r = κlH − (Ad ◦ Inv).δ r ϕ,

where κlH : T H → h is the left Maurer-Cartan form on H (the left trivialization),

given by (κlH )g = T (µg−1 ). Note that κlH is the principal connection form for the
(unique) principal connection p : H → point with right principal action, which is
flat so that the right (from right action) Maurer-Cartan equation holds in the form

(2) dκl + 12 [κl , κl ]∧ = 0.

The principal connection ω r is flat since we got it via the horizontal leaves, so
the principal curvature form vanishes:

(3) 0 = dω r + 12 [ω r , ω r ]∧
= dκlH + 12 [κlH , κlH ]∧ − d(Ad ◦ Inv) ∧ δ r ϕ − (Ad ◦ Inv).dδ r ϕ
− [κlH , (Ad ◦ Inv).δ r ϕ]∧ + 12 [(Ad ◦ Inv).δ r ϕ, (Ad ◦ Inv).δ r ϕ]∧
= −(Ad ◦ Inv).(dδ r ϕ − 12 [δ r ϕ, δ r ϕ]∧ ),

where we used (2) and since for X ∈ g we have:

Ad(exp(−tX).g −1 ) = − ad(X) Ad(g −1 )

∂ 

d(Ad ◦ Inv)(T (µg )X) = ∂t 0
= − ad(κlH (T (µg )X))(Ad ◦ Inv)(g),
(4) d(Ad ◦ Inv) = −(ad ◦κlH )(Ad ◦ Inv).

So we have dδ r ϕ − 12 [δ r ϕ, δ r ϕ]∧ as asserted.

If conversely we are given a 1-form κr ∈ Ω1 (P ; h) with dκr − 12 [κr , κr ]∧ = 0 then
we consider the 1-form ω r ∈ Ω1 (P × H; h), given by the analogon of (1),

(5) ω r = κlH − (Ad ◦ Inv).κr

Then ω r is a principal connection form on P ×H, since it reproduces the generators

in h of the fundamental vector fields for the principal right action, i.e. the left
invariant vector fields, and ω r is H-equivariant:

((µg )∗ ω r )h = ωhg
r
◦ (Id × T (µg )) = T (µg−1 .h−1 ).T (µg ) − Ad(g −1 .h−1 ).κr
= Ad(g −1 ).ωhr .

The computation in (3) for κr instead of δ r ϕ shows that this connection is flat.
So the horizontal bundle is integrable, and pr1 : P × H → P , restricted to each
horizontal leaf, is a covering. Thus it may be inverted over each simply connected
subset U ⊂ P , and the inverse (Id, ϕ) : U → P × H is unique up to the choice
14 DMITRI V. ALEKSEEVSKY PETER W. MICHOR

of the branch of the covering, and the choice of the leaf, i.e. ϕ is unique up to a
right translation by an element of H. The beginning of this proof then shows that
δ r ϕ = κr |U .
For the left logarithmic derivative δ l ϕ the proof is similar, and we discuss only the
essential deviations. First note that on the trivial principal bundle pr1 : P ×H → P
with left principal action of H the fundamental vector fields are the right invariant
vector fields on H, and that for a principal connection form ω l the curvature form is
given by dω l − 21 [ω l , ω l ]∧ . Look at the proof of [14], 11.2 to see this. The connection
form is then given by
(1’) ω l = κrH − Ad .δ l ϕ,
−1
where the right Maurer-Cartan form (κrH )g = T (µg ) : Tg H → h now satifies the
left Maurer-Cartan equation
1
(2’) dκrH − [κrH , κrH ]∧ = 0.
2
Flatness of ω l now leads to the computation
(3’) 0 = dω l − 12 [ω l , ω l ]∧
= dκrH − 12 [κrH , κrH ]∧ − d Ad ∧δ l ϕ − Ad .dδ l ϕ
+ [κrH , Ad .δ l ϕ]∧ − 12 [Ad .δ l ϕ, Ad .δ l ϕ]∧
= − Ad .(dδ l ϕ + 12 [δ l ϕ, δ l ϕ]∧ ),
where we used
d Ad(T (µg )X) = ∂ 

∂t 0 Ad(exp(tX).g) = ad(X) Ad(g)
= ad(κrH (T (µg )X)) Ad(g),
(4’) d Ad = (ad ◦κrH ) Ad .
The rest of the proof is obvious. 
4.3. Characteristic classes for flat Cartan connections. A generalized Car-
tan connection κ : T P → h on the manifold P induces a homomorphism

κ∗ : Λ(h∗ ) → Ω(P ),
f 7→ f κ = f ◦ (κ ⊗∧ · · · ⊗∧ κ)
of the algebra of exterior forms on h into the algebra of differential forms on P .
Let us assume now that the Cartan connection κ is flat. Then κ∗ commutes with
the exterior differentials and is a homomorphism of differential complexes, since we
have by 2.9
k
X
d(f (κ, . . . , κ)) = (−1)i−1 f (κ, . . . , dκ, . . . , κ)
i=1
k
X
= (−1)i−1 f (κ, . . . , − 21 [κ, κ]∧ , . . . , κ)
i=1
= (df )(κ, . . . , κ) k + 1 times.
 DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS 15

Thus we have an associated homomorphism κ∗ : H ∗ (h, R) → H ∗ (P ). The nontrivial

elements of its image are called characteristic classes for the flat Cartan connection
κ. In [6] a similar construction is applied even for infinite dimensional manifolds.
4.4. Let κ : T P → h be a flat generalized Cartan connection on the manifold
P , so dκ + 21 [κ, κ]∧ = 0 holds. Let H be a connected Lie group with Lie algebra
h. Suppose that there exists a smooth mapping ϕ : P → H with δ l ϕ = κ. By
proposition 4.2 such a ϕ is unique up to a right translation in H, and it exists
if e.g. P is simply connected. Clearly ϕ is a local diffeomorphism if and only if
κ is a Cartan connection (non degenerate). Such a mapping ϕ is called Cartan’s
developing, see also [5], 5.2. It gives a convenient way to express the characteristic
classes of 4.3, by the following easy results.
Lemma. Let κ : T P → h be a flat generalized Cartan connection such that a
Cartan’s developing ϕ : P → H exists. Then the following diagram commutes

Λk (h∗ ) AA κ∗ w Ω (P )
k

AC
L A hhϕhj
h ∗

Ωk (H)

where L is the extension to left invariant differential forms.

Proof. Plug in the definitions. 
4.5. Cartan connections with constant curvature. Let κ : T P → h be a
Cartan connection of type h/g on a manifold P . Then its curvature belongs to the
space Ω2 (P ; h) ∼
= h ⊗ Ω2 (P ). Using the absolute parallelism on P defined by κ we
may associate with κ the function

k :P → h ⊗ Λ2 h∗
k(u)(X, Y ) : = K(ζX (u), ζY (u)) for u ∈ P and X, Y ∈ h.

We say that the Cartan connection κ has constant curvature if this function k is
constant.

5. Flat Cartan connections associated with a flat G-structure

5.1. G-structures. By a G-structure on a smooth finite dimensional manifold
M we mean a principal fiber bundle p : P → M together with a representation
ρ : G → GL(V ) of the structure group in a real vector space V of dimension dim M
and a 1-form σ (called the soldering form) on M with values in the associated
bundle P [V, ρ] = P ×G V which is fiber wise an isomorphism and identifies Tx M
with P [V ]x for each x ∈ M . Then σ corresponds uniquely to a G-equivariant 1-
form θ ∈ Ω1hor (P ; V )G which is strongly horizontal in the sense that its kernel is
exactly the vertical bundle V P . The form θ is called the displacement form of the
G-structure.
If the representation ρ : G → GL(V ) is faithful so that G ⊂ GL(V ) is a linear Lie
group, then a G-structure (P, p, M, G, V, θ) is a subbundle of the linear frame bundle
16 DMITRI V. ALEKSEEVSKY PETER W. MICHOR

GL(V ; T M ) of M . To see this recall the projection q : P × V → P ×G V = P [V ]

onto the associated bundle and the mapping τ = τ V : P ×M P [V ] → V which is
uniquely given by q(ux , τ (ux , vx )) = vx and which satisfies τ (ux , q(ux , v)) = v and
τ (ux .g, vx ) = ρ(g −1 )τ (ux , vx ), see [14], 10.7. Then we have the smooth mapping
over the identity on M ,
σ −1
(1) P → GL(V ; P [V ]) −−→ GL(V ; T M ),
ux 7→ τ (ux , )−1 ,

which is G-equivariant and thus an embedding.

Let p : P → M and p0 : P 0 → M 0 be two G-structures with the same representa-
tion ρ : G → GL(V ), with soldering forms σ, σ 0 , and with displacement forms θ, θ0 ,
respectively. We are going to define the notion of an isomorphism of G-structures.
For G ⊂ GL(V ) an isomorphism of G-structures is a diffeomorphism ϕ : M →
M 0 such that the natural prolongation GL(V ; T ϕ) : GL(V ; T M ) → GL(V ; T M 0 )
to the frame bundles maps the subbundle P ⊂ GL(V ; T M ) to the subbundle P 0 ⊂
GL(V ; T M 0 ).
In the general case an isomorphism of G-structures with the same representation
ρ : G → GL(V ) is an isomorphism of principal G-bundles
ϕ̄
P −−−−→ P0
 
py
  0
(2) yp
M −−−−→ M
ϕ

whose induced isomorphism ϕ̄ ×G Idρ(G) of of principal ρ(G)-bundles coincides on

P ×G ρ(G) ⊂ GL(V, T M ) with the restriction of the natural prologation GL(V ; T ϕ)
of ϕ to the linear frame bundle, and which preserves the displacement forms: ϕ̄∗ θ0 =
θ0 ◦ T ϕ̄ = θ : T P → V .
A G-structure (P, p, M, G, V, θ) is called flat if it is locally (in a neighborhood of
any point x ∈ M ) isomorphic to the standard flat G-structure pr1 : V × G → V
with displacement form d pr1 : T (V × G) → V . Then the soldering form is just the
identity σ = Id : T V = V × V → V × V , the linear frame bundle is GL(V ; T V ) =
V ×GL(V ) and the associated ρ(G)-bundle is the subbundle V ×ρ(G) ⊂ V ×GL(V ).
The standard examples of flat G-structures are foliations with structure group
 
GL(p) ∗
,
0 GL(n − p)
and symplectic structures.
Suppose that G = ρ(G) ⊂ GL(V ) and let us consider a local diffeomorphism
defined near 0 and respecting 0 in V (we write ϕ : V, 0 → V, 0). It is a local
automorphism of the standard flat G-structure pr1 : V × G → V with displacement
form d pr1 : T (V × G) → V if and only if the following condition holds:
(3) dϕ(x) : V → V is in G ⊂ GL(V ) for all x in the domain of ϕ,
because only then its natural prolongation GL(V ; T ϕ) to the linear frame bundle
maps G-frames to G-frames.
 DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS 17

5.2. The infinite dimensional Lie group GL∞ (V ). Let V be a real vector
space of dimension n, and let J ∞ (V, V ) be the linear space of all infinite jets of
smooth mappings V → V , equipped with the initial topology with respect to all
projections J ∞ (V, V ) → J k (V, V ), which is a nuclear Fréchet space topology.
We shall use the calculus of Frölicher and Kriegl in infinite dimensions, see [9],
[15], [16], where a smooth mapping is one which maps smooth curves to smooth
curves. On the spaces which we are going to use here the smooth mappings with
values in finite dimensional spaces are just those which locally factor over some
finite dimensional quotient like J k (V, V ) and are smooth there.
Then we consider the closed linear subspace gl∞ (V ) ⊂ J ∞ (V, V ) of infinite
jets of smooth mappings V → V which map the origin to the origin. Note that
composition is defined on gl∞ (V ) and is smooth, but is linear only in one (the left)
component. Then we consider the open subset GL∞ (V ) of all infinite jets of local
diffeomorphisms of V , defined near and respecting 0. This is a smooth Lie group
in the sense that composition and inversion are smooth. Its Lie algebra is gl∞ (V )
which we may view as the full prolongation
(1) gl∞ (V ) = gl(V ) × gl1 (V ) × gl2 (V ) × gl3 (V ) × . . . ,
where glk (V ) = S k V ∗ ⊗V is the space of homogeneous polynomials V → V of order
k. One may view gl∞ (V ) also as the vector space {j0∞ X : X ∈ X(V ), X(0) = 0}
with the bracket
[j0∞ X, j0∞ Y ] = −j0∞ [X, Y ]
and with the smooth (unique) exponential mapping exp : gl∞ (V ) → GL∞ (V ) given
by
exp(j0∞ X) = j0∞ (FlX
1 ),

where FlXt is the flow of the vector field X on V . It is well known that exp :
gl∞ (V ) → GL∞ (V ) is not surjective onto any neighborhood of the identity, see
[23].
See [14], section 13, for a detailed discussion of the finite jet groups GLk (V ); the
book [16] will contain a thorough discussion of GL∞ (V ).
5.3. The infinite prolongation of a linear Lie group G and its Lie alge-
bra. Let G ⊂ GL(V ) be a closed linear Lie group. We denote by G∞ ⊂ GL∞ (V )
the subgroup of all infinite jets j0∞ ϕ of local automorphisms ϕ of the standard flat
G-structure pr1 : V ×G → V , defined near 0 and respecting 0. Note that these ϕ are
exactly the local diffeomorphisms ϕ : V, 0 → V, 0 such that dϕ(x) ∈ G ⊂ GL(V ) for
all x ∈ V near 0, by the discussion in 5.1. Then G∞ is a group with multiplication
and inversion

j0∞ ϕ ◦ j0∞ ψ := j0∞ (ϕ ◦ ψ),

(j0∞ ϕ)−1 = j0∞ (ϕ−1 ),
respectively. We will not address the question here in which sense G∞ is a Lie
group. We continue just on a formal level.
The infinitesimal automorphisms respecting 0 of the standard flat G-structure
on V are then those local vector fields X defined near 0 and vanishing at 0 in V
whose local flows FlX
t consist of automorphisms of the G-structure.
18 DMITRI V. ALEKSEEVSKY PETER W. MICHOR

Lemma. The infinitesimal automorphisms are exactly the vector fields X defined
near 0 and vanishing near 0 such that dX(x) ∈ g ∈ L(V, V ), where g is the Lie
algebra of G.
Proof. Namely, c(t) = d(FlX t )(x) is a curve in G ⊂ GL(V ) if and only if the
following expression lies in g:
d d
c0 (t).c(t)−1 = (d(FlX X
t )(x)).d(Flt )(x)
−1
= d( FlX )(x).d(FlX
t )(x)
−1
dt dt t
−1
= d(X ◦ FlX X
t )(x).d(Flt )(x)

= d(X(FlX
t )(x)). 

We consider now the infinite jets j0∞ X of all these infinitesimal automorphisms
respecting 0. These jets form a sub vector space g∞ ⊂ gl∞ (V ) which we may view
as the full prolongation
(1) g∞ = g × g2 × g3 × g4 × . . . ,
where gk = g∞ ∩ S k V ∗ ⊗ V is the space of homogeneous polynomials V → V of
order k in g∞ . Then g∞ is a Lie algebra with the bracket
[j0∞ X, j0∞ Y ] = −j0∞ [X, Y ]
and with the smooth (unique) exponential mapping exp : g∞ → G∞ given by
exp(j0∞ X) = j0∞ (FlX
1 ),

where FlX t is the flow of the vector field X on V . We expect that in general
exp : g∞ → G∞ is not surjective onto any neighborhood of the identity.
Now we consider the Lie algebra of all infinitesimal automorphisms of the stan-
dard flat G-structure pr1 : V ×G → V , i.e. all local vector fields X defined near 0 in
V such that the local flows FlXt are automorphisms. As above one sees that these
are the vector fields X with dX(x) ∈ g ⊂ gl(V ) for all x, without the restriction
that they should vanish at 0. Let a∞ be the Lie algebra of all infinite jets j0∞ X of
such fields, again with bracket
[j0∞ X, j0∞ Y ] = −j0∞ [X, Y ].
By decomposing into monomials we have again
(2) a∞ = V × g × g2 × g3 × g4 × . . . = V ⊕ g∞ .
We have an adjoint representation Ad : G∞ → Aut(a∞ ) which is given by
Ad(j0∞ ϕ)j0∞ X = j0∞ (ϕ∗ X) = j0∞ (T ϕ−1 ◦ X ◦ ϕ)
In a formal sense we have also the left Maurer-Cartan form on G∞ . First let us
define the tangent bundle T G∞ as the set of all (j0∞ ϕ0 , j0∞ dt
d
|0 ϕt ) where ϕt is a
smooth curve of local automorphisms of the standard flat G-structure, respecting
0, smooth in the sense that (t, x) 7→ ϕt (x) is smooth. Then we define the left
Maurer-Cartan form κlG∞ by
(3) κlG∞ (j0∞ ϕ0 , j0∞ dt
d
|0 ϕt ) := j0∞ (T ϕ−1
0 ◦
d
dt |0 ϕt ).
 DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS 19

5.4. Proposition. Let θ0 = d pr1 : T (V × G) → V be the displacement form of

the standard flat G-structure. Then

κ0 := θ0 ⊕ κlG∞ : T (V × G∞ ) = T V × T G∞ → V ⊕ g∞ = a∞

is a flat Cartan connection on the manifold V × G∞ with values in the Lie algebra
a∞ .
Proof. Note first that the left Maurer-Cartan form κlG∞ given in 5.3.(3) is really
a trivialization of the tangent bundle T G∞ because of the lemma in 5.3, and we
show that it satisfies the Maurer-Cartan equation:
Let X (and later also Y ) be a local vector field defined near 0 and vanishing
at 0, which is an infinitesimal automorphism of the standard flat G-structure, so
that j0∞ X is a typical element in g∞ . Let j0∞ ϕ ∈ G∞ be a typical element, so
ϕ : V, 0 → V, 0 is a local automorphism. Then

Lj0∞ X : G∞ 3 j0∞ ϕ 7→ T (j0∞ ϕ) ◦ j0∞ X = j0∞ (T ϕ ◦ X)

is the left invariant vector field on G∞ generated by j0∞ X. We have

[Lj0∞ X , Lj0∞ Y ] = L[j0∞ X,j0∞ Y ] = L−j0∞ [X,Y ] ,

and the Maurer-Cartan equation follows as usual:

(dκlG∞ )(Lj0∞ X , Lj0∞ Y ) = 0 − 0 − κlG∞ (L[j0∞ X,j0∞ Y ] ) = −[j0∞ X, j0∞ Y ] =

1
= −[κlG∞ (Lj0∞ X ), κlG∞ (Lj0∞ Y )] = − [κlG∞ , κlG∞ ]∧ (Lj0∞ X , Lj0∞ Y ).
2
One may now easily carry over to κ0 this result. 
5.5. The infinite prolongation of a flat G-structure. Let again G ⊂ GL(V )
be a linear Lie group, and let (P, p, M, G, V, θ) be a flat G-structure. We denote
by p∞ : P ∞ → M the infinite prolongation of this G-structure which is defined as
follows:
The total space P ∞ is the space of all infinite jets j0∞ ϕ of local isomorphisms
ϕ : V, 0 → M of the standard flat G-structure onto the given one. Then obviously
the group G∞ acts freely from the right on P ∞ , and also transitive on the fiber.
We have the mapping
∞
τP : P ∞ ×M P ∞ → G∞
∞
τ P (j0∞ ϕ, j0∞ ψ) := j0∞ (ϕ−1 ◦ ψ)

(see [14], 10.2) describing the principal G∞ -bundle structure, which is locally iso-
morphic to the trivial bundle V ×G∞ . The local isomorphisms ϕ : V, 0 → M induce
on P ∞ a flat Cartan connection

κ : T P ∞ → a∞ = V ⊕ g∞

which locally is just given as the push forward via j0∞ ϕ of the canonical flat Cartan
connection κ0 on V × G∞ .
20 DMITRI V. ALEKSEEVSKY PETER W. MICHOR

6. The canonical Cartan connection for

a G-structure of first or second order
6.1. Let G ⊂ GL(V ) be a linear Lie group with Lie algebra g. We assume that
the G-module V ⊗ Λ2 V ∗ admits a decomposition

(1) V ⊗ Λ2 V ∗ = δ(g ⊗ V ∗ ) ⊕ d

where δ : V ⊗ V ∗ ⊗ V ∗ → V ⊗ Λ2 V ∗ is the Spencer operator of alternation, and

where d is a G-submodule.
We now recall the definition of the torsion function of a G-structure and the
construction of its first prolongation in the sense of [22]. Let p : P → M be a
G-structure on a manifold M with a displacement form θ : T P → V , see 5.1. The
1-jet jx1 s of a local section s : M ⊃ U → P near x ∈ M may be identified with its
image jx1 s(Tx M ) = H, a horizontal linear subspace H ⊂ Ts(x) P . So the first jet
bundle J 1 P → P may be identified with the space of all horizontal linear subspaces
in fibers of T P → P .
Then the restriction θ|H to such a horizontal space of the displacement form θ is
a linear isomorphism θ|H : H → V and we may use it to define the torsion function

t : J 1 (P ) → V ⊗ Λ2 V ∗
t(H)(v, w) := dθ((θ|H)−1 (v), (θ|H)−1 (w))

We consider P 1 := t−1 (d). It is a sub fiber bundle of J 1 (P ) and the abelian vector
group G1 := g ⊗ V ∗ ∩ V ⊗ S 2 V ∗ ⊂ Hom(V, g) acts on P 1 freely by g 1 : P 1 3 H 7→
g 1 (H) := {h + ζgP1 (θ(h)) (p(H)) : h ∈ H} where ζ P : g → X(P ) is the fundamental
vector field mapping. The orbits of P 1 under this G1 -action are fibers of the natural
projection p1 : P 1 → P , hence p1 : P 1 → P becomes a principal G1 -bundle.
Moreover, there exists a natural displacement form θ1 on P 1 . In order to define
it we denote by ΦH : Tu P → Vu P the projection onto the vertical bundle Vu P
along the horizontal subspace H ⊂ Tu P . Then we have a well defined g-valued
p1 -horizontal 1-form ω ∈ Ω1 (P 1 ; g)G given by ζωPH (X) (p1 (H)) = ΦH (TH (p1 ).X). It
is part of the universal connection form on the bundle of all connections J 1 (P ).
The 1-form
θ1 = ω + θ ◦ T (p1 ) : T P 1 → g n V
with values in the semidirect product g n V is the desired displacement form. It is
equivariant with respect to the free action of the semidirect product G n G1 , where
G1 acts on g × V by (g 1 , (X, v)) 7→ (X + g 1 (v), v). So we have proved the main
parts of
6.2. Lemma. The fibration p1 : P 1 → M is a principal fiber bundle with structure
group G n G1 .
The fibration p1 : P 1 → P is a principal bundle with structure group G1 and a
G -structure on P with the displacement form θ1 . Moreover the form θ1 : T P 1 →
1

g n V is G n G1 -equivariant.
 DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS 21

6.3. G-structures of type 1. We assume now that the first prolongation G1 of

the group G is trivial. Any G-structure with such a structure group G is then called
a G-structure of type 1. In this case the projection p1 : P 1 → P is a diffeomorphism
and the displacement form θ1 = ω + (p1 )∗ θ may be identified with a G-equivariant
1-form on P with values in V1 := g n V . This form is a Cartan connection in the
principal bundle p : P → M of type (g n V )/g.
Proposition. Let G ⊂ GL(V ) be a linear Lie group of type 1 satisfying condition
6.1.(1). Then for any G-structure (P, p, M, G, θ) the displacement form θ1 of the
first prolongation p1 : P 1 → P defines a Cartan connection on P of type (g n V )/g.
6.4. G-structures of type 2. We say that G ⊂ GL(V ) is a linear Lie group
of type 2, if the first prolongation G1 ⊂ GL(V1 ) is not trivial, but the second
prolongation (G1 )1 is trivial. So we have
g ⊗ V ∗ ∩ V ⊗ S 2 V ∗ 6= 0, g ⊗ S 2 V ∗ ∩ V ⊗ S 3 V ∗ = 0.
We assume also that the condition 6.1.(1) is satisfied.
Let (P, p, M, G, θ) be a G-structure and let p1 : P 1 → P be its first prolongation
with the displacement form θ1 : T P 1 → V1 = gng. We note that the G1 -submodule
δ(g1 ⊗ V1∗ ) of V1 ⊗ Λ2 V1∗ is not a direct summand. However, we may assume (at
least when G is reductive) that there exists a G-submodule d1 such that
(1) V1 ⊗ Λ2 V1∗ = δ(g1 ⊗ V1∗ ) ⊕ d1 .
This is the case if there exist G-submodules d1 , d2 , d3 such that
g ⊗ Λ2 V∗ = R(g) ⊕ d1 ,
R(g) = δ(g1 ⊗ V ∗ ) ⊕ d2 ,
g ⊗ V ∗ = g1 ⊕ d3 ,
where R(g) is the space of curvature tensors of type g, i.e. the space of closed (with
respect to the Spencer differential) g-valued 2-forms, and where d2 may be identified
with the second Spencer cohomology space.
We denote by t1 : J 1 P 1 → V1 ⊗ Λ2 V1∗ the torsion function of the G1 -structure
p : P 1 → P . The inverse image P 2 = t−1
1 1 1 1
1 (d ) defines a submanifold of J P . The
2 2 1
natural projection p : P → P is a diffeomorphism since by assumption the second
prolongation G2 of the group G is trivial. In other words, we have a canonical field
of horizontal subspaces in T P 1 . Note that it is not a principal connection since it is
not invariant under the group G1 . Using this field of horizontal subspaces in T P 1
we may extend the canonical vertical parallelism V P 1 → g n g1 of the principal
G n G1 -bundle p1 : P 1 → M to a G-quivariant 1-form ω1 on P 1 . The g-component
of ω1 is the g-valued 1-form ω from 6.1.
The form
θ2 = (p1 )∗ θ + ω1 : T P 1 → V × g × g1 = a∞
is non degenerate, G-equivariant, and it prolongs the vertical parallelism V P 1 →
gng1 of the principal GnG1 -bundle p1 : P 1 → M . Hence it is a Cartan connection
of type a∞ /(gng1 ), where a∞ = V ×g×g1 is the full prolongation of the Lie algebra
g ⊂ gl(V ).
Summarizing we have
22 DMITRI V. ALEKSEEVSKY PETER W. MICHOR

6.5. Proposition. Let p : P → M be a G-structure of type 2 satisfying the

conditions 6.1.(1) and 6.4.(1).
Then on the total space P 1 of the first prolongation p1 : P 1 → P of the bundle
p : P → M there exists a canonically defined Cartan connection of type a∞ /g,
where a∞ = V × g × g1 is the full prolongation of the Lie algebra g of G.

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D. V. Alekseevsky: gen. Antonova 2 kv 99, 117279 Moscow B-279, Russia

P. W. Michor: Institut für Mathematik, Universität Wien, Strudlhofgasse 4,

 DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF CARTAN CONNECTIONS 23

A-1090 Wien, Austria; and Erwin Schrödinger International Institute of Mathe-

matical Physics, Pasteurgasse 6/7, A-1090 Wien, Austria
E-mail address: [email protected]

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