Index and Cartan decomposition of a real semisimple Lie algebra. (Q2509260): Difference between revisions

The index of a complex Lie algebra is defined to be the minimal codimension of its coadjoint orbits. For a real semisimple Lie algebra with Iwasawa decomposition \({\mathfrak g}_0={\mathfrak k}_0\oplus{\mathfrak b}_0\) where \({\mathfrak b}_0=\widehat{\mathfrak a}_0\oplus {\mathfrak n}_0\), the following formula about indices is stablished as main result in the paper: \(\text{ind\,}{\mathfrak b}=\text{rank\,}{\mathfrak g}-\text{rank\,}{\mathfrak k}\), where \({\mathfrak g}, {\mathfrak k}\) and \({\mathfrak b}\) stand for the complexifications of \({\mathfrak g}_0, {\mathfrak k}_0\) and \({\mathfrak b}_0\). This implies the additivity of indices for \(\mathfrak g_0\) which gives a positive answer to a question proposed by M. Raïs. In order to get the result Cayley transformations and a construction due to Kostant are used to define a regular form on any nonzero \(\mathfrak b\) joint with a stable linear form on a certain Borel subalgebra of \(\mathfrak g\) in which \(\mathfrak b\) is contained. The paper ends giving a characterization on real semisimple Lie algebras in which \(\mathfrak b\) has a stable form based on a cardinal computation. A complete discussion about whether \(\mathfrak b\) has a stable linear form for each real simple Lie algebra is also included.