Relative BGG sequence. I: Algebra (Q2630887)

This article is the first of two in which the authors develop a relative version of Kostant's harmonic approach to Lie algebra cohomology. Let \(\mathfrak q \subset \mathfrak p\) be parabolic subalgebras of a semisimple Lie algebra \(\mathfrak g\), with Levi factors \(\mathfrak q_0\) and \(\mathfrak p_0\) and nilradicals \(\mathfrak q_+\) and \(\mathfrak p_+\). As usual, define \(\mathfrak q_-\) and \(\mathfrak p_-\) so that \[ \mathfrak g = \mathfrak q_- \oplus \mathfrak q_0 \oplus \mathfrak q_+ = \mathfrak p_- \oplus \mathfrak p_0 \oplus \mathfrak p_+. \] Observe that \(\mathfrak p_+\) is an ideal in \(\mathfrak q_+\). Let \(W\) be an irreducible \(\mathfrak p\)-module of highest weight \(\lambda\). The first main result is over \(\mathbb C\). It describes the \(\mathfrak q\)-module structure of the homology \(H_*(\mathfrak q_+/\mathfrak p_+, W)\): it is multiplicity-free, and the set of its highest weights is the dot action of the relative Hasse diagram of \(\mathfrak q \subset \mathfrak p\) on \(\lambda\). The other main results are over both \(\mathbb R\) and \(\mathbb C\). Let \(V\) be a completely reducible representation of \(\mathfrak g\). The \(\mathfrak q\)-module structure of the homology \(H_*(\mathfrak q_+, V)\) is described in terms of \(\mathfrak q_+/\mathfrak p_+\)-homology groups, which themselves take values in \(\mathfrak p_+\)-homology groups of \(V\). The paper is very readable and the statements of the theorems are self-contained. The proofs rely on results from the authors' earlier work.