L∞-algebras and higher analogues of Dirac sturctures and Courant albegroids

Abstract

We define a higher analogue of Dirac structures on a manifold $M$. Under a regularity assumption, higher Dirac structures can be described by a foliation and a (not necessarily closed, non-unique) differential form on $M$, and are equivalent to (and simpler to handle than) the multi-Dirac structures recently introduced in the context of field theory by Vankerschaver et al. We associate an $L_\infty$-algebra of observables to every higher Dirac structure, extending work of Baez et al. on multisymplectic forms. Further, applying a recent result of Getzler, we associate an $L_\infty$-algebra to any manifold endowed with a closed differential form $H$, via a higher analogue of split Courant algebroid twisted by $H$. Finally, we study the relations between the $L_\infty$-algebras appearing above.