A universal dimension formula for complex simple Lie algebras

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Publication:2369019



Abstract: We present a universal formula for the dimension of the Cartan powers of the adjoint representation of a complex simple Lie algebra (i.e., a universal formula for the Hilbert functions of homogeneous complex contact manifolds), as well as several other universal formulas. These formulas generalize formulas of Vogel and Deligne and are given in terms of rational functions where both the numerator and denominator decompose into products of linear factors with integer coefficients. We also discuss some consequences of the formulas including a relation with Scorza varieties.


Let \(\mathfrak{g}\) be a complex simple Lie algebra. Then the symmetric square of \(\mathfrak{g},\) \(S^{2}\mathfrak{g},\) contains at most four Casimir eigenspaces. By including virtual and zero eigenspaces, \textit{P. Vogel} [The universal Lie algebra, preprint] derived a universal decomposition into irreducible modules \(S^{2}\mathfrak{g}=\mathbb C \oplus Y_{2}( \alpha) \oplus Y_{2}( \beta) \oplus Y_{2}( \gamma) ,\) the latter three having Casimir eigenvalues \(4t-2\alpha ,4t-2\beta,\) and \(4t-2\gamma,\) where \(t=\alpha+\beta+\gamma\) is half of the Casimir eigenvalue of the adjoint representation with respect to some invariant quadratic form. Additionally, Vogel found \(Y_{3}( \alpha) ,Y_{3}( \beta) ,Y_{3}( \gamma) ,\) irreducible Casimir eigenspaces of \(S^{3}\mathfrak{g}\) with eigenvalues \(6t-6\alpha,6t-6\beta,\) and \(6t-6\gamma\) respectively. The work under review is an attempt to generalize the above to \(S^{k} \mathfrak{g},\) \(k\geq2\). It is shown that \(S^{k}\mathfrak{g}\) contains three modules (which may be virtual) \(Y_{k}( \alpha) ,Y_{k}( \beta) ,Y_{k}( \gamma) \) with Casimir eigenvalues \(2kt-( k^{2}-k) \alpha,\;2kt-( k^{2}-k) \beta,\;2kt-( k^{2}-k) \gamma\) respectively. Furthermore, a formula for the dimension of each of these modules is given. The values of \(\alpha,\beta,\) and \(\gamma\) are given explicitly, and depend on the ``type of Lie algebra.\ For example, any Lie algebra of type \(\mathfrak{sp}_{2n}\) has \(\alpha=-2,\;\beta=1,\) and \(\gamma=n+2.\)




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