Discrete Vector Bundles with Connection and the Bianchi Identity

We develop a discrete theory of vector bundles with connection that is natural with respect to appropriate mappings of the base space. The main objects are discrete vector bundle valued cochains. The central operators are a discrete exterior covariant derivative and a combinatorial wedge product. We demonstrate the key properties of these operators and show that they are natural with respect to the mappings referred to above. We give a new interpretation in terms of a double averaging of anti-symmetrized cup product which serves as our discrete wedge product. We also formulate a well-behaved definition of metric compatible discrete connections. We characterize when a discrete vector bundle with connection is trivializable or has a trivial lower rank subbundle. This machinery is used to define discrete curvature as linear maps and we show that our formulation satisfies a discrete Bianchi identity.