A new integrable case of the motion of the 4-dimensional rigid body (Q1084725)

Let \(G\) be a Lie group, \({\mathfrak g}\) its Lie algebra and \({\mathfrak g}^*\) the dual space of \({\mathfrak g}\). Let \(\sigma\) be an involution of \(G\) and \(K\) the subgroup of \(G\) fixed by \(\sigma\). The corresponding involution of \({\mathfrak g}\) is denoted by the same symbol. Let \({\mathfrak g}={\mathfrak k}+{\mathfrak p}\) be the Cartan decomposition associated to \(\sigma\) and \({\mathfrak g}^*={\mathfrak k}^*+{\mathfrak p}^*\) the dual decomposition. Fix a trivialization of the cotangent bundle \(T^*K=K\times {\mathfrak k}^*\) by means of left translations and let \({\mathfrak g}^*[\lambda,\lambda^{-1}]\) be the space of Laurent polynomials with coefficients in \({\mathfrak g}^*\). For each \(a,g\in {\mathfrak g}^*\), the authors define a mapping \(\mu_{a,f}: T^*K\to {\mathfrak g}^*[\lambda,\lambda^{-1}]\) by assigning to each point \(\xi =(k,\rho)\in K\times {\mathfrak k}^*\) the polynomial \(\mu_{a,f}(\xi)=a\lambda +\rho +\text{Ad}^*k^{-1}f\lambda^{-1}\). Let \(I({\mathfrak g})\) be the ring of \(\text{Ad}^*\)-invariant polynomials on \({\mathfrak g}^*.\) The main result of this paper (cf. Theorem 1 in Section 1) may now be stated. Let \(a,f\in {\mathfrak p}^*\), \(\phi\in I({\mathfrak g})\) and \(i\in {\mathbb Z}\). Then the functions on \(T^*K\) given by \(\phi_ i(\xi)=\text{Res}_{\lambda =0}\lambda^ i\phi (\mu_{a,f}(\xi))\) are in involution with respect to the canonical Poisson bracket on \(T^*K\). The proof (given in the closing Section 4) depends on prior work by the authors, J. Marsden, T. Ratiu and A. Weinstein on reduction mappings and the classical \(R\)-operator; on a generalization of the Kostant-Adler-Symes commutativity theorem (cf. Theorem 2(i)); on expressions for Hamilton's equations of motion in Lax form (cf. Theorem 2(ii)); and on the proof that \(\mu_{a,f}\) (where \(a,f\in {\mathfrak p}^*)\) is a Poisson mapping with respect to the \(R\)-bracket on the dual of the twisted loop algebra \({\mathfrak L}({\mathfrak g},\sigma)\) of \({\mathfrak g}\) (cf. Theorem 3). In case \({\mathfrak g}\) is simple and \(\sigma\) is the Cartan automorphism, there exists an explicit expression (cf. Lemma) for the angular velocity operator. Section 2 is devoted to an analysis of a new integrable four-dimensional top based on the Riemannian symmetric pair \((G_ 2,\text{SO}(4))\). This application is related to algebro-geometrical investigations by \textit{M. Adler} and \textit{P. van Moerbeke} [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81, 4613--4616 (1984; Zbl 0545.58027)], D. Mumford and L. Haine concerning intersections of quadrics in projective space. Higher-dimensional systems connected with the groups \(\text{SL}(n,\mathbb R)\), \(\text{SO}(n,n)\) and \(\text{SO}(n,1)\) are considered in section 3. These systems may have physical significance since they give rise to Hamiltonians (quadratic in momenta and) with general quadratic potentials; include as special cases the motion of interacting tops; may serve as models of the dynamics of rigid bodies with ellipsoidal cavities filled with an ideal fluid; and are related to magnetohydrodynamical models of pulsar rotation.