Free Lie algebras associated to a Pfaff system (Q5926249)

Let \((S)\) be a Pfaffian system defined by \( r\) independent Pfaff forms defined on an open set \(U \in R^n\). Then \(ker (S)\) is spanned by \( n-r\) independent vector fields that generate a Lie algebra \(L(S)\). The invariant \(g(S)\) of the system \((S)\) is the lowest dimension among the dimensions of all finite dimensional Lie subalgebras of \(L(S)\). It is (re)proved that the two systems \((S_1)\) and \((S_2)\) analyzed by \textit{E. Cartan} [Ann. Sci. Ec. Norm. Sup. 27, 109-192 (1910; JFM 41.0417.01)] are non-equivalent by establishing \(g(S_1)=6\) and \( g(S_2) \leq 5\). By using the same method, similar results are proved for the systems of a class of rank 4 Pfaffian systems with six variables. The proof uses a classification result given by A. Awane and M. Goze in 1995.