Singular vectors in Verma modules over Kac-Moody algebras (Q1821188)

The basic results of this paper are explicit formulas for singular vectors in reducible Verma modules over Kac-Moody algebras. As is known, Verma modules \(M(\lambda)\) over a Kac-Moody algebra \({\mathfrak g}=N_- \oplus H\oplus N_+\) are parametrized by linear functionals \(\lambda\) on its Cartan subalgebra \(H\). Reducible modules \(M(\lambda)\) correspond to functionals \(\lambda\) lying in the union of a countable number of hyperplanes in \(H^*\); these hyperplanes are enumerated by pairs \((\alpha,n)\), where \(\alpha\) is a positive root of the algebra \({\mathfrak g}\) and \(n\) is a positive integer (Kac-Kazhdan theorem). If \(\lambda\) lies in exactly one such hyperplane and the root to which this hyperplane corresponds is real, then the module \(M(\lambda)\) contains a unique (up to proportionality) singular vector (in different terminology a zero-vector or vector of highest weight), not proportional to a vacuum vector. We give an explicit formula for this vector which however has an unusual form: to the vacuum vector one applies monomials in the elements of the algebra \(N_-\) containing these elements to nonintegral and even nonreal powers. The case of the algebra \(\mathfrak{sl}(2)^\wedge\), the simplest of the infinite-dimensional Kac-Moody algebras, is analyzed in detail; this section also contains important information about singular vectors in reducible Verma modules over \(\mathfrak{sl}(2)^\wedge\) corresponding to imaginary roots. The results are extended to the case of an arbitrary Kac-Moody algebra, where in the case of real roots one gets exhaustive information. Finally we turn to the consideration of the finite- dimensional Lie algebra \(\mathfrak{sl}(n)\); in this case we are able to reduce the answer to especially convenient form. We note that Verma modules over finite-dimensional simple Lie algebras are studied among other things in the recent paper of \textit{D. P. Zhelobenko} [Introduction to the theory of S-algebras over reductive Lie algebras, Representation of Lie groups and related topics, Adv. Stud. Contemp. Math. 7, 155--221 (1990; Zbl 0726.17009)]; this paper also contains some expressions for singular vectors in Verma modules, which differ in form from those we find. The connection between our and his results is still unclear.