An inner automorphism is only an inner automorphism, but an inner endomorphism can be something strange.

DOI10.5565/PUBLMAT_56112_04MaRDI QIDQ433390zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors George M. Bergman

Publication date 13 July 2012

Published in Publicacions Matemàtiques (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1001.1391

zbMATH Keywords

associative algebrascomma categoriesgroupsinner automorphismsinner derivationsinner endomorphismsLie algebras

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Automorphisms and endomorphisms of algebraic structures (08A35) Automorphisms and endomorphisms (16W20) Automorphisms, derivations, other operators for Lie algebras and super algebras (17B40) Functor categories, comma categories (18A25) Factorization systems, substructures, quotient structures, congruences, amalgams (18A32) Automorphisms of infinite groups (20E36) Automorphisms of selfadjoint operator algebras (46L40)

Abstract: The inner automorphisms of a group G can be characterized within the category of groups without reference to group elements: they are precisely those automorphisms of G that can be extended, in a functorial manner, to all groups H given with homomorphisms G --> H. Unlike the group of inner automorphisms of G itself, the group of such extended systems of automorphisms is always isomorphic to G. A similar characterization holds for inner automorphisms of an associative algebra R over a field K; here the group of functorial systems of automorphisms is isomorphic to the group of units of R modulo units of K. If one substitutes "endomorphism" for "automorphism" in these considerations, then in the group case, the only additional example is the trivial endomorphism; but in the K-algebra case, a construction unfamiliar to ring theorists, but known to functional analysts, also arises. Systems of endomorphisms with the same functoriality property are examined in some other categories; other uses of the phrase "inner endomorphism" in the literature, some overlapping the one introduced here, are noted; the concept of an inner {em derivation} of an associative or Lie algebra is looked at from the same point of view, and the dual concept of a "co-inner" endomorphism is briefly examined. Several questions are posed.

Review text

The paper is based on a categorical description of inner automorphisms of groups and algebras over a field. For a group \(G\), let \(G\downarrow\mathbf{Grp}\) denote the comma category, consisting of morphisms \(G\to H\) in \(\mathbf{Grp}\) as objects and the obvious morphisms. Then inner automorphisms of \(G\) can be described as automorphisms of the forgetful functor \(G\downarrow\mathbf{Grp}\to\mathbf{Grp}\). A similar theorem holds for algebras over a field.NEWLINENEWLINE If automorphisms are replaced by endomorphisms, not much changes in the group case, while the algebra case is closely related to the classification of endomorphisms of the \(C^*\)-algebra of bounded operators on a Hilbert space. For arbitrary \(C^*\)-algebras, this structure is reflected by the Cuntz algebras. In the same vein, inner derivations are investigated for associative algebras and for Lie algebras.

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Cited in

(13)

• Characterizing inner automorphisms of groups
• Isotropy of algebraic theories
• Covariant isotropy of Grothendieck toposes and extensive categories
• Isotropy groups of free racks and quandles
• Inner automorphisms of presheaves of groups
• Inner autoequivalences in general and those of monoidal categories in particular
• Naturality and innerness for morphisms of compact groups and (restricted) Lie algebras
• Inner automorphisms as 2-cells
• Inner automorphisms of groupoids
• Double wreath quasi-Hopf algebras
• Locally anisotropic toposes
• Characterizing inner automorphisms and realizing outer automorphisms
• Extensible endomorphisms of compact groups

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