Lie 2-algebroids and matched pairs of 2-representations - a geometric approach

Abstract: Li-Bland's correspondence between linear Courant algebroids and Lie $2$-algebroids is explained and shown to be an equivalence of categories. Decomposed VB-Courant algebroids are shown to be equivalent to split Lie 2-algebroids in the same manner as decomposed VB-algebroids are equivalent to 2-term representations up to homotopy (Gracia-Saz and Mehta). Several classes of examples are discussed, yielding new examples of split Lie 2-algebroids. We prove that the bicrossproduct of a matched pair of $2$-representations is a split Lie $2$-algebroid and we explain this result geometrically, as a consequence of the equivalence of VB-Courant algebroids and Lie $2$-algebroids. This explains in particular how the two notions of double" of a matched pair of representations are geometrically related. In the same manner, we explain the geometric link between the two notions of double of a Lie bialgebroid.