Derivations and biderivations of the non-square linear Lie algebra gl( <i>m</i> × <i>n</i> , 𝔽) (Q7026893)

The authors introduce and study the \emph{nonsquare linear Lie algebra} \({gl}(m \times n,\mathbb{F})\) (with \(\mathbb{F}\) being a field of characteristic zero), obtained from the set of all \(m \times n\) matrices (with \(m>n\ge 1\)) endowed by the bracket \([A,B]=AIB-BIA\), where \(I\) is the \(n\times m\) rectangular identity. When \(m=n\), one recovers the usual general linear Lie algebra \({gl}(n,\mathbb{F})\). The paper determines the closed form of the derivations and biderivations of \({gl}(m \times n,\mathbb{F})\), and applies these results to commuting maps and to commutative post-Lie algebra structures.\N\N{Derivations.} For \(n+1\le s,t\le m\), in Lemma 3.1 the maps \(\rho_{s,t}(E_{ij}):=\delta_{s,i}E_{tj}\) are shown to be derivations, and to be inner \emph{iff} \(m=n+1\) and \(s=t=n+1\). The main structural result is provided by Theorem 3.3, which states that every derivation \(D\) decomposes as\N\[\ND=\operatorname{ad}B+\sum_{s,t=n+1}^{m}u_{st}\,\rho_{s,t},\qquad u_{st}\in\mathbb{F},\N\]\Nwhere \(B\) is a suitable element \(\in {gl}(m \times n,\mathbb{F})\). Consequently,\N\[\N\dim\operatorname{Der}{gl}(m \times n,\mathbb{F})= \begin{cases} n^{2}+n,& m=n+1,\\\Nmn+(m-n)^{2},& m>n+1. \end{cases}\N\]\NAs observed in Remark 3.4, this contrasts with the case of \({gl}(n,\mathbb{F})\), in which central derivations appear in addition to inner ones.\N\N{Biderivations.} Employing a careful matrix-unit analysis, the authors prove (in Theorem 4.3) that every biderivation \(g\) is \emph{inner}; more precisely, there exists \(\lambda\in\mathbb{F}\) such that \(g(C,D)=\lambda[C,D]\) for all \(C,D\) \(\in {gl}(m \times n,\mathbb{F})\). Therefore, non-trivial symmetric biderivations do not occur when \(n\ge 2\).\N\N{Applications.} The classification of biderivations is used to show that:\N\begin{itemize}\N\item Every linear commuting map on \({gl}(m \times n,\mathbb{F})\) (\(n\ge 2\)) is a scalar multiple of the identity (Theorem 5.1), unlike the square-matrix case, in which additive functional identities arise;\N\item Every commutative post-Lie algebra structure on \({gl}(m \times n,\mathbb{F})\) is trivial (Theorem 5.3), again in contrast to both \(m=n\) and \(n=1\).\N\end{itemize}\N\NThe proofs rely on explicit computations with the standard matrix units, subsequent reduction steps that isolate the action on the \(n\times n\) block, and a smart use of the auxiliary derivations \(\rho_{s,t}\). To the best of my knowledge, the paper provides the first complete description of derivations and biderivations for linear Lie algebras built from rectangular matrices, thus bridging the well-understood square case and the recent work on other non-classical Lie algebras (recalled at the end of the Introduction). Such results will potentially be useful for forthcoming studies of deformation problems and of (pre-)Lie structures on representations involving rectangular blocks.\N\NThe treatment is clear and mostly self-comprehensive, and the main theorems contain dimension counts, as well as enlightening comparisons with \({gl}(n,\mathbb{F})\). The paper is a valuable addition to the algebraic literature on derivations and functional identities.