Laguerre polynomials of derivations (Q2339727)

In the classification of finite dimensional simple Lie algebras over fields of prime characteristic, a key point is the choice of a good torus. A technique called toral switching introduced by \textit{D. J. Winter} [Acta Math. 123, 69--81 (1969; Zbl 0181.04601)] allows to switch from a given torus to another one with better properties. This toral switching is achieved using nilpotent derivations and linear maps close to formal exponentiations of these derivations. In the paper under review, the authors introduce a `grading switching' for general nonassociative algebras that extends the toral switching for Lie algebras, and put it in a wider perspective. The main theorem asserts that given a nonassociative algebra \(A\) over a field of characteristic \(p\) and graded by the integers modulo \(m\), so \(A=\bigoplus_{k=0}^{m-1}A_k\), and given a homogeneous derivation \(D\) of degree \(d\) with \(pd\) a multiple of \(m\), then a linear map \(\mathcal{L}_D:A\rightarrow A\) is constructed in terms of Laguerre polynomials, such that the decomposition \(A=\bigoplus_{k=0}^{m-1}\mathcal{L}_D(A_k)\) is a new grading by the integers modulo \(m\) with some special properties.