Classification of division gradings on finite-dimensional simple real algebras. (Q905713)

Let \(E\) be a field and \(A\) a finite-dimensional (associative) algebra over \(E\). It is well-known (Wedderburn's Structure Theorem) that \(A\) is a simple \(E\)-algebra if and only if it is isomorphic to the full matrix ring over a finite-dimensional division \(E\)-algebra \(D_A\) (and when this holds, \(D_A\) is uniquely determined by \(A\), up-to an \(E\)-isomorphism). It is also known (due to Frobenius) that there exist exactly three isomorphism classes of division algebras over the field \(\mathbb R\) of real numbers; they are represented by \(\mathbb R\), the field \(\mathbb C\) of complex numbers, and the division \(\mathbb R\)-algebra \(\mathbb H(\mathbb R)\) of Hamiltonian quaternions. The paper under review studies (associative) simple \(\mathbb R\)-algebras graded by abelian groups along the lines drawn by Wedderburn and Frobenius. Its starting point is the fact that graded simple algebras are subject to an analogue to the quoted Wedderburn theorem; they are, roughly speaking, graded matrix algebras over graded division algebras. Here we recall that a graded algebra is said to be a graded division algebra, if it is unital and every nonzero homogeneous element has an inverse. The noted analogue of Wedderburn's theorem gives a classification of graded simple algebras up-to an isomorphism of gradings. The main results of the paper can be viewed as an analogue to the Frobenius theorem for gradings, since they classify graded division \(\mathbb R\)-algebras \(A\) (and thereby complete the classification of graded simple \(\mathbb R\)-algebras). More precisely, they classify, up-to an isomorphism and up-to an equivalence, division gradings by abelian groups on (finite-dimensional) simple \(\mathbb R\)-algebras. The main results are obtained by considering a number of special cases (they are presented by five theorems), although their presentation is simplified by the knowledge of the gradings of \(M_n(\mathbb C)\) as a \(\mathbb C\)-algebra (see, e.g., Theorem 2.15 in Elduque-Kochetov's book [\textit{A. Elduque} and \textit{M. Kochetov}, Gradings on simple Lie algebras. Providence: AMS (2013; Zbl 1281.17001)]. Linear algebra over the field with two elements plays an interesting role in the proofs.