Kac-Moody algebras and Lie algebras of regular vector fields on tori (Q1849123)
From MaRDI portal
scientific article
Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
---|---|---|---|
English | Kac-Moody algebras and Lie algebras of regular vector fields on tori |
scientific article |
Statements
Kac-Moody algebras and Lie algebras of regular vector fields on tori (English)
0 references
28 November 2002
0 references
The Lie algebra \(sl(2,\mathbb{C})\) has a classical representation by regular vector fields on \(\mathbb{C}^*\) or by complex vector fields on the circle \(U(1)\). In the paper under review the authors consider the problem of obtaining analogous families of representations by vector fields on \(\mathbb{C}^{*r}\) and \(U(1)^r\) for any Kac-Moody algebra \(\mathfrak{g}\) with \(r\times r\) indecomposable generalized Cartan matrix \(N\). Let \(\mathfrak{h}\) be the standard generalized Cartan subalgebra of \(\mathfrak{g}\) and assume that we are given a Lie homomorphism, \(F\), from \(\mathfrak{h}\) to the algebra \(\text{Der}(A)\) of derivations of a complex commutative algebra, \(A\), and some invertible \(v_i\in A\) such that \(F(H)(v_i)=\alpha_i(H)(v_i)\), where \(\{\alpha_i\}\) are simple roots. The main result of this paper states that \(F\) can be extended to a homomorphism \(\widehat{F}:\mathfrak{g}\to \text{Der}(A)\) such that for the classical generators \(X_{\pm i}\) of \(\mathfrak{g}\) we have that \(\widehat{F}(X_{\pm i})\) is of the form \(v_i^{\pm 1}\delta_{\pm i}\) with \(\delta_{\pm i}\in\operatorname{Im} F\) if and only if \(\text{Ker}(F)\) is the center \(Z\) of \(\mathfrak{g}\) and \(N\) is the generalized Cartan matrix of either \(sl(r+1,\mathbb{C})\) or \(\widetilde{sl}(r,\mathbb{C})\); moreover, in the last two cases all possible extensions of \(F\) can be described. Using this result the authors prove that there exist families of embeddings of \(sl(r+1,\mathbb{C})\) and \(\widetilde{sl}(r,\mathbb{C})/Z\) into the Lie algebra of (regular) vector fields on \(\mathbb{C}^{*r}\) and \(U(1)^r\), which generalizes the embedding for \(sl(2,\mathbb{C})\), mentioned above. Explicit formulae are given for some special cases.
0 references
Kac-Moody algebra
0 references
vector field
0 references
representation
0 references
discrete family
0 references