Labeled binary planar trees and quasi-Lie algebras (Q863045)

This paper concerns an approach to understanding certain Lie algebras using a calculus based on labeled trees. These Lie algebras have been used in several different topological applications in recent years. They arise as subalgebras \(D(H)\) of a free Lie algebra \(L(H)\) on a finitely generated abelian group \(H\). In fact, there is a natural homomorphism \(H\otimes L(H)\to L(H)\) whose kernel is \(D(H)\). If \(H\) supports a non-singular symplectic form, such as when \(H=H_1(\Sigma)\) for a closed orientable surface \(\Sigma\), with symplectic basis \(\{x_i,y_i\}\), then \(D(H)\) can be identified with the Lie subalgebra of the graded Lie algebra of derivations of \(L(H)\), consisting of those derivations which vanish on the element \(\sum_i[x_i,y_i]\in L_2(H)\). The calculus arises from an abelian group \(\mathcal{A}^t(H)\) generated by unitrivalent trees, with cyclic orientations of the trivalent vertices and univalent vertices labeled by elements of \(H\), subject to certain requirements on the labels and certain relations among the trees. There is a natural map \(\eta:\mathcal{A}^t(H)\to D(H)\), and it was proven by \textit{N. Habegger} and \textit{W. Pitsch} [J. Knot Theory Ramifications 12, No. 3, 333--345 (2003; Zbl 1054.57015)] that \(\eta\otimes \mathbb{Q}:\mathcal{A}^t(H)\otimes \mathbb{Q}\to D(H)\otimes \mathbb{Q}\) is an isomorphism. Consequently the kernel and cokernel of \(\eta\) are finite. In previous work of the author [Algebr. Geom. Topol. 1, 243--270 (2001; Zbl 0978.57015), ibid. 2, 1197--1204 (2002; Zbl 1065.57501)], some progress was made toward determining them. In the present work, the author determines the cokernel precisely and places limitations on the kernel. It remains a reasonable conjecture that \(\eta\) is injective. Some of the author's results were obtained independently by K. Habiro. The paper was published posthumously due to the untimely death of the author in 2006. The final version of the manuscript was prepared and proofread by Kent Orr.