Generalizations of Virasoro group and Virasoro algebra through extensions by modules of tensor-densities on \(S^1\) (Q1279789): Difference between revisions

The infinite-dimensional Lie group \(\text{Diff}^+(S^1)\) of all orientation-preserving diffeomorphisms of the circle and the corresponding Lie algebra \(\text{Vect}(S^1)\) of vector fields on the circle have unique non-trivial central extensions -- the so called Bott-Virasoro group and Virasoro algebra, respectively. Let \({\mathfrak F}_\lambda\) be the space of all tensor-densities \(a=a(x)(dx)^\lambda\) on \(S^1\) of degree \(\lambda\). This space has natural structures of \(\text{Diff}^+(S^1)\) and \(\text{Vect}(S^1)\)-module. The \(\text{Diff}^+(S^1)\)-action on \({\mathfrak F}_\lambda\) is given by \[ \Phi^*a=a(\Phi)(\Phi')^\lambda. \] The authors consider the problem of classification of all non-trivial (non-central) extensions \[ 0\rightarrow{\mathfrak F}_\lambda\rightarrow G_\lambda\rightarrow \text{Diff}^+(S^1)\rightarrow 0 \] of the group \(\text{Diff}^+(S^1)\) by \(\text{Diff}^+(S^1)\)-modules \({\mathfrak F}_\lambda\) and the analogous problem for the Lie algebra \(\text{Vect}(S^1)\). This depends on calculating the corresponding cohomology and the authors use differentiable cohomology \(H^2_c(\text{Diff}^+(S^1);{\mathfrak F}_\lambda)\) in Van-Est's sense. The main results state that \(H^2_c(\text{Diff}^+(S^1);{\mathfrak F}_\lambda)\) is trivial except for \(\lambda=0,1,2,5,7\). In this case \(H^2_c(\text{Diff}^+(S^1);{\mathfrak F}_\lambda)={\mathbb R}.\) Similarly, \(H^2(\text{Vect}(S^1);{\mathfrak F}_\lambda)\) are trivial for the same \(\lambda\), while \(H^2(\text{Vect}(S^1);{\mathfrak F}_\lambda)={\mathbb R}\) for \(\lambda=5,7\), and \(H^2(\text{Vect}(S^1);{\mathfrak F}_\lambda)={\mathbb R}^2\) for \(\lambda= 0,1,2\). The latter means that some elements of \(H^2(\text{Vect}(S^1);{\mathfrak F}_\lambda)\) cannot be integrated to the group level. Explicit formulae for generators of the cohomology groups are given. Central extensions of the obtained extensions are considered as well.