3-form Yang-Mills based on 2-crossed modules

Abstract: In this paper, we study the higher Yang-Mills theory in the framework of higher gauge theory. It was shown that the 2-form electromagnetism can be generalized to the 2-form Yang-Mills theory with the group $U(1)$ replaced by a crossed module of Lie groups. To extend this theory to even higher structure, we develop a 3-form Yang-Mills theory with a 2-crossed module of Lie groups. First, we give an explicit construction of non-degenerate symmetric $G$-invariant forms on the 2-crossed module of Lie algebras. Then, we derive the 3-Bianchi-Identities for 3-curvatures. Finally, we create a 3-form Yang-Mills action and obtain the corresponding field equations.