Classification of Carnot algebras: the semi-rigid cases (Q885025)

A Carnot algebra is a graded nilpotent Lie algebra \(L = L_1\oplus \cdots\oplus L_r\) generated by \(L_1\). Algebras of such type appear naturally in local nilpotent approximations of bracket generating vector distributions. The bidimension of the Carnot algebra \(L\) is the pair \((\dim L_1, \dim L)\). A Carnot algebra is called rigid if it is isomorphic to any of its small perturbations in the space of Carnot algebras of the prescribed bidimension, while it is called semi-rigid if it admits only a finite number of deformations: any small perturbation gives a finite number of nonisomorphic rigid Carnot algebras. A complete classification of rigid Carnot algebras was given in a previous work [\textit{A. Agrachev} and the author, J. Dyn. Control Syst. 11, No. 4, 449--494 (2005; Zbl 1125.17002)]. Here the author gives the classification of semi-rigid cases and their normal form.