Relative BGG sequences. II: BGG machinery and invariant operators (Q2411350)

This article is the second of two on relative BGG sequences. The first article [J. Algebra 463, 188--210 (2016; Zbl 1380.17009)] concerned the algebraic side, proving a relative version of Kostant's theorem on Lie algebra cohomology. The current article treats the geometric side. Fix a real or complex semisimple Lie group \(G\), nested parabolic subgroups \(Q \subset P\), and a manifold \(M\) with a parabolic geometry of type \((G, Q)\). Associated to any representation \(\mathbb W\) of \(Q\) is a natural bundle \(\mathcal W\) on \(M\). If the nilradical of \(P\) acts trivially on \(\mathbb W\), then \(\mathcal W\) is said to be relative. If in addition \(\mathbb W\) is the restriction to \(Q\) of a representation of \(P\), then \(\mathcal W\) is said to be tractor. The first part of the article establishes \textit{relative BGG machinery}, which constructs certain invariant differential operators on relative natural bundles associated to representations of \(Q\) on relative Lie algebra homology groups. The second part applies this machinery to produce relative BGG sequences. The authors conclude by investigating two types of examples, distinguished by whether or not the relative BGG sequence occurs as a subsequence of a standard BGG sequence. Explicit details are given in the case of path geometries. It should be noted that in addition to presenting a wealth of new material, this article draws together and formalizes a great deal of recent work on the concept of BGG machinery.