Automorphisms and derivations of \(U_q(\mathfrak{sl}^+_4)\) (Q2371821)

After giving a history of the determination of the automorphism group of certain quantum algebras, the authors determine the automorphism group of \(U_q({\mathfrak{sl}}^+_4)\), the quantum enveloping algebra of the Lie algebra of strictly upper triangular matrices of size 4 over a field of characteristic zero. The result is that this group is isomorphic to the semi-direct product of the 3-torus H and the group of order 2 generated by the diagram automorphism of \(U_q({\mathfrak{sl}}^+_4)\). The proof uses three normal elements \(c_1, c_2\) and \(c_3\) such that the center is a polynomial algebra in \(c_1c_3\) and \(c_2\), which were constructed by \textit{J. Alev} and \textit{F. Dumas} [J. Algebra 170, No.~1, 229--265 (1994; Zbl 0820.17015)] and by \textit{P. Caldero} [J. Algebra 178, No.~2, 444--457 (1995; Zbl 0836.17015)]. The authors show that if s is an automorphism, then modulo \(H\) and the diagram automorphism, \(s\) fixes \(c_1\), \(c_2\) and \(c_3\), from which the result follows by a degree argument. Also used is a result on the derivation Lie algebra of \(U_q({\mathfrak{sl}}^+_4)\). The authors show that every derivation is a sum of an inner derivation and three derivations each of the form a central element times a specific derivation. These three specific derivations are used to get a basis for the Hochschild cohomology group of degree one over the center of \(U_q({\mathfrak{sl}}^+_4)\). The main result on the automorphism group confirms a special case of a conjecture of Andruskiewitsch and Dumas [arXiv:math.QA/0301066].