On classifying unitary modules by their Dirac cohomology (Q724408)

In the representation theory of a reductive Lie group \(G\), with Lie algebra \(\mathfrak g\) and a maximal compact subgroup \(K\), \(({\mathfrak {g}},K)\)-modules and Harish Chandra modules are algebraic objects introduced by Harish Chandra to deal with infinite-dimensional group representations using algebraic techniques. He showed that the study of irreducible unitary representations of \(G\) could be reduced to the study of irreducible \((\mathfrak{g},K)\)-modules. Vogan and Zuckerman introduced a class of \((\mathfrak{g},K)\)-modules called \(A_{\mathfrak q}(\lambda)\)-modules. These have been studied extensively since then and have acquired great importance. In his seminal work on discrete series, Harish Chandra showed that the global characters of discrete series representations are completely determined by their restrictions to the set \(G_{ell}\) of regular elliptic elements. This paper raises the question of classifying unitary representations whose global characters are determined by their restrictions to \(G_{ell}\). The crucial ingredients used are the results of the first two authors on Dirac cohomology: their proof of a conjecture of Vogan and their description of the Dirac cohomology of \(A_{\mathfrak q}(\lambda)\)-modules. The character of a representation on \(G_{ell}\) is determined by its Dirac cohomology, the geometric nature of which is discussed in the paper. The main purpose of this paper is to describe the classification of \(A_{\mathfrak q}(\lambda)\)-modules in geometric terms, by using Dirac cohomology. A consequence of the results of the paper in this direction is that if \(G\) is of type A, D, E or G, then the character of any irreducible elliptic unitary representation is uniquely determined by its restriction to \(G_{ell}\), just like for the discrete series representations. This is also true whenever \(G\) is of Hermitian type. The special cases when different \(A_{\mathfrak q}\)-modules can have the same Dirac cohomology are discussed and it is shown, in these special cases, that in order to classify all \(A_{\mathfrak q}\)-modules one needs a numerical parameter in addition to the Dirac cohomology. This numerical parameter is explicitly given as the rank of the commutator of the Levi subalgebra.