On the derivation algebra of the free Lie algebra and trace maps (Q640339)

Let \(F_n\) be the free group of rank \(n\) and denote by \(H=F_n^{\text{ab}}\) the abelianization of \(F_n\). The main motivation of this paper is to study the kernel \(IA_n\) of the natural homomorphism \(\rho: \Aut F_n\to \Aut H\) induced from the natural group homomorphism \(F_n\to H\). It is of interest to know whether \(IA_n\) is finitely presentable. However, it is only known that \(IA_3\) is not finitely presentable [\textit{S. Krstić} and \textit{J. McCool}, Invent. Math. 129, No. 3, 595--606 (1997; Zbl 0880.20031)]. Let \(\Gamma_n(k)\) denote the \(k\)-th term of the lower central series of \(F_n\). To study the group structure of \(IA_n\) , one can consider the Johnson filtration \(IA_n=A_n(1)\supseteq A_n(2)\supseteq\cdots\), where each \(A_n(k)\) is the kernel of the natural homomorphism \(\Aut F_n\to \Aut (F_n/\Gamma_n(k))\). One can then study the associated graded Lie ring \(gr(IA_n)\) to this filtration, so in a way \(gr(IA_n)\) is an approximation of \(IA_n\). There is a natural graded Lie map from \(gr(IA_n)\to H^*\otimes_Z gr(F_n)\), where \(H^*=\text{Hom}_Z(H, Z)\). One would be interested to identify the image of the latter map. The image of the \(k\)-th homogenous component is the derivation algebra of the free Lie ring \(gr(F_n)\) generated by \(H\). The authors determine the irreducible decomposition of the derivation algebra as a \(\text{GL}(n,\mathbb Q)\)-module via the Schur-Weyl duality. They also consider the Chen Lie algebra associated to free metabelian group and the Lie algebra associated to the free nilpotent group and investigate similar questions for these class of groups.