Lie algebra computations (Q909771)

In the context of analysing nonlinear evolution equations by the prolongation method, there arises the problem of determining a Lie algebra given a certain number of relations between some of the Lie products and some of the generators. Except in very easy cases this involves a lot of algebraic manipulation, albeit of a very routine nature. This paper describes the use of the REDUCE computer algebra package to carry out the algebraic computations automatically. The method is based on a linear correspondence between the Lie algebra and a finite dimensional space of polynomials in one variable. Only the linear nature of the space is used, the possibility of forming the usual products of polynomials is ignored. Instead, the Lie bracket is regarded as a binary operation between polynomials, consistent with the known structure constants of the Lie algebra and constrained by the Jacobi identities. The technical details of using REDUCE for this purpose is described and some examples of sessions at a terminal are given.