Representation homology, Lie algebra cohomology and the derived Harish-Chandra homomorphism (Q2403285)

Summary: We study the derived representation scheme \(\mathrm{DRep}_n(A)\) parametrizing the \(n\)-dimensional representations of an associative algebra \(A\) over a field of characteristic zero. We show that the homology of \(\mathrm{DRep}_n(A) \) is isomorphic to the Chevalley-Eilenberg homology of the current Lie coalgebra \(\mathfrak{gl}_n^\ast(\bar{C})\) defined over a Koszul dual coalgebra of \(A\). This gives a conceptual explanation to some of the main results of the first author et al. [Adv. Math. 245, 625--689 (2013; Zbl 1291.14006)] and the first author and the fourth author [J. Reine Angew. Math. 715, 143--187 (2016; Zbl 1428.16006)], relating them (via Koszul duality) to classical theorems on (co)homology of current Lie algebras \(\mathfrak{gl}_n(A)\). We extend the above isomorphism to representation schemes of Lie algebras: for a finite-dimensional reductive Lie algebra \(\mathfrak{g}\), we define the derived affine scheme \(\mathrm{DRep}_{\mathfrak{g}}(\mathfrak{a})\) parametrizing the representations (in \(\mathfrak{g}\)) of a Lie algebra \(\mathfrak{a}\); we show that the homology of \(\mathrm{DRep}_{\mathfrak{g}}(\mathfrak{a})\) is isomorphic to the Chevalley-Eilenberg homology of the Lie coalgebra \(\mathfrak{g}^\ast(\bar{C})\), where \(C\) is a cocommutative DG coalgebra Koszul dual to the Lie algebra \(\mathfrak{a}\). We construct a canonical DG algebra map \(\Phi_{\mathfrak{g}}(\mathfrak{a}):\mathrm{DRep}_{\mathfrak{g}}(\mathfrak{a})^G\to\mathrm{DRep}_{\mathfrak{h}}(\mathfrak{a})^W\), relating the \(G\)-invariant part of representation homology of a Lie algebra \(\mathfrak{a}\) in \(\mathfrak{g}\) to the \(W\)-invariant part of representation homology of \(\mathfrak{a}\) in a Cartan subalgebra of \(\mathfrak{g}\). We call this map the derived Harish-Chandra homomorphism as it is a natural homological extension of the classical Harish-Chandra restriction map.{ }We conjecture that, for a two-dimensional abelian Lie algebra \(\mathfrak{a}\), the derived Harish-Chandra homomorphism is a quasi-isomorphism. We provide some evidence for this conjecture, including proofs for \(\mathfrak{gl}_2\) and \(\mathfrak{sl}_2 \) as well as for \(\mathfrak{gl}_n\), \(\mathfrak{sl}_n\), \(\mathfrak{so}_n\) and \(\mathfrak{sp}_{2n}\) in the inductive limit as \(n\to\infty\). For any complex reductive Lie algebra \(\mathfrak{g}\), we compute the Euler characteristic of \(\mathrm{DRep}_{\mathfrak{g}}(\mathfrak{a})^G\) in terms of matrix integrals over \(G\) and compare it to the Euler characteristic of \(\mathrm{DRep}_{\mathfrak{h}}(\mathfrak{a})^W\). This yields an interesting combinatorial identity, which we prove for \(\mathfrak{gl}_n\) and \(\mathfrak{sl}_n\) (for all \(n\)). Our identity is analogous to the classical Macdonald identity, and our quasi-isomorphism conjecture is analogous to the strong Macdonald conjecture proposed in [\textit{P. Hanlon}, Invent. Math. 86, 131--159 (1986; Zbl 0604.17007); \textit{B. L. Feigin}, Sel. Math. Sov. 7, No. 1, 49--62 (1988; Zbl 0657.17009)] and proved in [\textit{S. Fishel} et al., Ann. Math. (2) 168, No. 1, 175--220 (2008; Zbl 1186.17010)]. We explain this analogy by giving a new homological interpretation of Macdonald's conjectures in terms of derived representation schemes, parallel to our Harish-Chandra quasi-isomorphism conjecture.