Almost split forms of Kac-Moody algebras: classification and relative roots (Q1345908)

If \(K\) is a field of characteristic zero, \(\overline K\) its algebraic closure, and \({\mathfrak g}\) a Kac-Moody algebra over \(\overline K\), then a \(K\)-form of \({\mathfrak g}\) is a Lie algebra \({\mathfrak g}_K\) such that there exists an isomorphism of \({\mathfrak g}\) onto \({\mathfrak g}_K \otimes \overline K\). \({\mathfrak g}_k\) is said to be almost split if each element of \(\Gamma = \mathrm{Gal} (\overline K/K)\) considered as acting on the group \(G\) corresponding to \({\mathfrak g}\) maps a positive or negative Borel subalgebra into a Borel subalgebra of the same sign. The ultimate result established in this paper is the classification up to isomorphism of the almost split real forms of the affine Kac-Moody algebras. This classification is an application of results obtained earlier in the paper including results on the action of \(\Gamma\) on \(G\) (for general Kac-Moody algebras), results on the system of relative roots, a classification procedure for almost split real forms of any complex symmetrizable Kac-Moody algebra, and a construction procedure for almost split forms of affine Kac-Moody algebras. The table giving the classification of the forms gives not only the index (which determines the form) but other structural information, including the relative diagram.