Non-Abelian Gerbes with Connections in Higher Gauge Theory

Explore the advanced mathematical concepts of non-Abelian gerbes with connections in higher gauge theory through this comprehensive lecture. Delve into the extension of Abelian gerbe theory to the non-Abelian setting, examining the challenges and intricacies involved in defining connections on non-Abelian gerbes. Learn about the topological construction of non-Abelian gerbes and the complexities of formulating connections on these structures. Discover the application of these concepts through an illustration of lifting a principal bundle corresponding to an instanton–anti-instanton pair to a string 2-group bundle. Gain insights into the potential role of string structures in M5-brane dynamics. This 2-hour and 39-minute talk, delivered by Dominik Rist from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, offers a deep dive into higher forms as gauge potentials in physics, including the Kalb–Ramond B-field in string theory and its low-energy supergravity limits.