Global theory of graded manifolds

Abstract

A theory of graded manifolds can be viewed as a generalization of differential geometry of smooth manifolds. It allows one to work with functions which locally depend not only on ordinary real variables, but also on [Formula: see text]-graded variables which can either commute or anticommute, according to their degree. To obtain a consistent global description of graded manifolds, one resorts to sheaves of graded commutative associative algebras on second countable Hausdorff topological spaces, locally isomorphic to a suitable “model space”. This paper aims to build robust mathematical foundations of geometry of graded manifolds. Some known issues in their definition are resolved, especially the case where positively and negatively graded coordinates appear together. The focus is on a detailed exposition of standard geometrical constructions rather than on applications. Necessary excerpts from graded algebra and graded sheaf theory are included.