Deformations of the infinite-dimensional Lie algebra \(L_3\) (Q883632)

Denote by \(W\) the Lie algebra \(\text{Vect}_{\text{pol}}({\mathbb R})\) of polynomial vector fields on the real line \({\mathbb R}\). It is generated by \(e_i=x^{i+1}\frac{d}{dx}\), \(i=-1,0,1,2,3,\ldots\), with the relations \([e_i,e_j]=(j-i)e_{i+j}\). \(W\) is graded by \(| e_i| =i\). The graded Lie subalgebras \(L_k\subset W\) which are generated by the \(e_i\) with \(i\geq k\), play an important rôle in formal geometry, where for example \(L_0\) is the set of infinitesimal polynomial diffeomorphisms which stabilise \(0\in{\mathbb R}\). The cohomology with values in trivial coefficients and with values in the adjoint representation, the latter leading to infinitesimal (and then by examination of Massey powers to formal or even true) deformations, were studied for the Lie algebras \(L_k\) by Artel'nykh, Buchstaber, Feigin, Fialowski, Fuchs, Goncharova, Millionshikov, Retakh, Vainshtein, and others, mainly for \(k=-1,0,1\) and \(2\). The present article computes the adjoint cohomology \(H^2(L_3,L_3)\) for the Lie algebra \(L_3\) (with homogeneous cochains), constructs representative cocycles, and computes Massey squares and cubes determining which of these homogeneous infinitesimal deformations may be prolongated to higher orders. The results are completely explicit. While the dimension of \(H^2(L_3,L_3)\) is \(15\), only the homogeneous infinitesimal deformations of weight \(m=2,3\) give rise to a true deformation with \(3\) parameters without further conditions. The others have the vanishing of certain parameters, or even some strange \(4\)th order homogeneous polynomial equation as a condition to have trivial Massey powers. The infinitesimal deformations of weight \(m=7,8\) are always obstructed.