Recovering the Lie algebra from its extremal geometry (Q493761)

An element \(x\) of a Lie algebra \(L\) over a field \(F\) is called extremal if \([x,[x,L]] = Fx\), and \(x\) is called a sandwich if \([x,[x,L]] = 0\). Examples of extremal elements are the long root elements of the classical Lie algebras. The set of extremal elements can be naturally equipped with a collection of lines turning it into a point-line geometry \({\mathcal E}(L)\). The authors prove the following theorem: Let \(L\) be a finite dimensional simple Lie algebra which is generated by its extremal elements and contains no sandwiches. If the extremal geometry \({\mathcal E}(L)\) is the root shadow space of a building of type \(A_ n (n \geq 2), D_ n (n \geq 4)\) or \(E_ n (6 \leq n \leq 8)\), then \(L\) is a classical Lie algebra of the same type as \({\mathcal E}(L)\). In this way. they get a geometric interpretation of the classical Lie algebras with simply laced diagram which is analogous to Tits' classification of buildings of spherical type.