The center of a simple \(P\)-type Lie superalgebra. (Q5956272)

A Lie superalgebra \(P(n-1)\) over a field of characteristic zero cosists of all matrices \[ \left(\begin{matrix} {c| c } a & b\\ c & -{}^ta \end{matrix} \right) ,\qquad a \in \mathfrak{sl}(n),\quad b,c\in \text{Mat}(n), \] where \( {}^ta\) is a transpose of \(a\) and \({}^tb=b,\; c{}^t=-c\). The even part consists of all matrices with \(b=c=0\) while the odd part of all matrices with \(a=0\). If \(n>2\) then \(P(n-1)\) is a simple Lie superalgebra. The main result of the paper determines the center of \(P(n-1)\). The description depends on a study of an anticenter which is the set of invariants of the universal envelope of \(P(n-1)\) under the adjoint action \[ (\text{ad } g)x = gx - (-1)^{\deg g(\deg x +1)}xg \] for homogeneous elements \(g,x\) with \(\mathbb Z_2\)-degrees \(\deg g,\, \deg x .\)