Transitions: Contractions and analytical continuations of the Cayley- Klein groups (Q915126)

The classical orthogonal motion group \(SO_{n+1}\) of n-dimensional Euclidean space \(R_{n+1}\) (Cartesian coordinates \(y_ 0,...,y_ n\); \(n\geq 1)\) induces an n-dimensional (elliptic) Cayley-Klein geometry in the unit sphere \(S_ n:\) \(y^ 2_ 0+...+y_ n^ 2=1\), if diametrically opposed points of \(S_ n\) are identified. The author now applies a map \(\psi\) : \(R_{n+1}\to R_{n+1}(j)\) (coordinates \(x_ 0,...,x_ n)\) which is defined by \(y_ 0=x_ 0\), \(y_ k=j_ 1j_ 2...j_ kx_ k\) \((k=1,...,n)\), where \(j=(j_ 1,...,j_ n)\) and \(j_ k\in \{1,i,\epsilon_ k\}\), \(i^ 2=-1\), \(\epsilon_ k\epsilon_ r=\epsilon_ r\epsilon_ k\neq 0\) for \(k\neq r\), but \(\epsilon^ 2_ k=0\) \((k=1,...,n)\). This leads to an n-dimensional Cayley-Klein geometry in the ``sphere'' \(S_ n(j):\) \(x^ 2_ 0+(\sum^{n}_{k=1}j^ 2_ 1..j^ 2_ k)x^ 2_ k=1\) in \(R_{n+1}(j)\). Its motion group \(SO_{n+1}(j)\) (and the generators and Casimir operators of this group) are easily obtained from the classical orthogonal group \(SO_{n+1}\) by two simple processes: replacement of real group parameters by dual ones (this means a contraction of the group) or by imaginary ones (i.e. by analytic continuation of the group). The classification of all possible transitions between these Cayley-Klein groups is given. Besides, the physically important case of the kinematic groups is discussed.