Algebraical comparison of classical and quantum polynomial observables

The symplectic vector spaceE of theq andp's of classical mechanics allows a basis free definition of the Poisson bracket in the symmetric algebra overE. Thus the symmetric algebra overE becomes a Lie algebra, which can be compared with the quantum mechanical Weyl algebra with its commutator Lie structure. The universality of the Weyl algebra is used to study the well-known ‘classical’ Moyal realisation of the Weyl algebra in the symmetric algebra. Quantisations are defined as linear mappings of the underlying vector spaces of the two algebras. It is shown that the classical Lie algebra is −2 graded, whereas the quantum Lie algebra is not. This proves that they are not isomorphic, and hence there is no Dirac quantisation.     

Graph Complexes in Deformation Quantization

Kontsevich’s formality theorem and the consequent star-product formula rely on the construction of an L _∞-morphism between the DGLA of polyvector fields and the DGLA of polydifferential operators. This construction uses a version of graphical calculus. In this article we present the details of this graphical calculus with emphasis on its algebraic features. It is a morphism of differential graded Lie algebras between the Kontsevich DGLA of admissible graphs and the Chevalley–Eilenberg DGLA of linear homomorphisms between polyvector fields and polydifferential operators. Kontsevich’s proof of the formality morphism is reexamined in this light and an algebraic framework for discussing the tree-level reduction of Kontsevich’s star-product is described. Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000): 53D55, secondary 18G55     

Vertex Operators Arising from the Homogeneous Realization for

We use the underlying Fock space for the homogeneous vertex operator representation of the affine Lie algebra to construct a family of vertex operators. As an application, an irreducible module for an extended affine Lie algebra of type A _{N −1} coordinatized by a quantum torus ℂ _q of 2 variables (or 3 variables) is obtained. Moreover, this module turns out to be a highest weight module which is an analog of the basic module for affine Lie algebras. Received: 16 August 1999 / Accepted: 18 January 2000     

Quantum Lie Algebras, Their Existence, Uniqueness and q-Antisymmetry

Quantum Lie algebras are generalizations of Lie algebras which have the quantum parameter h built into their structure. They have been defined concretely as certain submodules of the quantized enveloping algebras . On them the quantum Lie product is given by the quantum adjoint action. Here we define for any finite-dimensional simple complex Lie algebra an abstract quantum Lie algebra independent of any concrete realization. Its h-dependent structure constants are given in terms of inverse quantum Clebsch-Gordan coefficients. We then show that all concrete quantum Lie algebras are isomorphic to an abstract quantum Lie algebra . In this way we prove two important properties of quantum Lie algebras: 1) all quantum Lie algebras associated to the same are isomorphic, 2) the quantum Lie product of any is q-antisymmetric. We also describe a construction of which establishes their existence. Received: 23 May 1996 / Accepted: 17 October 1996     

There is No “Theory of Everything” Inside E8

We analyze certain subgroups of real and complex forms of the Lie group E₈, and deduce that any “Theory of Everything” obtained by embedding the gauge groups of gravity and the Standard Model into a real or complex form of E₈ lacks certain representation-theoretic properties required by physical reality. The arguments themselves amount to representation theory of Lie algebras in the spirit of Dynkin’s classic papers and are written for mathematicians.     

Contractions, Deformations and Curvature

The role of curvature in relation with Lie algebra contractions of the pseudo-orthogonal algebras so(p,q) is fully described by considering some associated symmetrical homogeneous spaces of constant curvature within a Cayley–Klein framework. We show that a given Lie algebra contraction can be interpreted geometrically as the zero-curvature limit of some underlying homogeneous space with constant curvature. In particular, we study in detail the contraction process for the three classical Riemannian spaces (spherical, Euclidean, hyperbolic), three non-relativistic (Newtonian) spacetimes and three relativistic ((anti-)de Sitter and Minkowskian) spacetimes. Next, from a different perspective, we make use of quantum deformations of Lie algebras in order to construct a family of spaces of non-constant curvature that can be interpreted as deformations of the above nine spaces. In this framework, the quantum deformation parameter is identified as the parameter that controls the curvature of such “quantum” spaces.     

Algebraic fermion bosonization

By exploiting the construction of charged field algebras as canonical extensions of CCR current algebras in 1+1 dimensions and nonregular representations of extended algebras, we provide an algebraic construction of local Fermi fields as ultrastrong limits of bosonic variables in all representations which are locally Fock with respect to the ground-state representation of the massless scalar field.     

An invitation to higher gauge theory

In this easy introduction to higher gauge theory, we describe parallel transport for particles and strings in terms of 2-connections on 2-bundles. Just as ordinary gauge theory involves a gauge group, this generalization involves a gauge ‘2-group’. We focus on 6 examples. First, every abelian Lie group gives a Lie 2-group; the case of U(1) yields the theory of U(1) gerbes, which play an important role in string theory and multisymplectic geometry. Second, every group representation gives a Lie 2-group; the representation of the Lorentz group on 4d Minkowski spacetime gives the Poincaré 2-group, which leads to a spin foam model for Minkowski spacetime. Third, taking the adjoint representation of any Lie group on its own Lie algebra gives a ‘tangent 2-group’, which serves as a gauge 2-group in 4d BF theory, which has topological gravity as a special case. Fourth, every Lie group has an ‘inner automorphism 2-group’, which serves as the gauge group in 4d BF theory with cosmological constant term. Fifth, every Lie group has an ‘automorphism 2-group’, which plays an important role in the theory of nonabelian gerbes. And sixth, every compact simple Lie group gives a ‘string 2-group’. We also touch upon higher structures such as the ‘gravity 3-group’, and the Lie 3-superalgebra that governs 11-dimensional supergravity.     

Existence and equivalence of twisted products on a symplectic manifold

The twisted products play an important role in Quantum Mechanics [1, 2]. We introduce here a distinction between Vey *_ν-products and strong Vey *_ν-products and prove that each *_ν-product is equivalent to a Vey *_ν-product. If b ₃(W)=0, the symplectic manifold (W, F) admits strong Vey *_ν-products. If b ₂(W)=0, all *_ν-products are equivalent as well as the Vey Lie algebras. In the general case, we characterize the formal Lie algebras which are generated by a *_ν-product and we prove that the existence of a *_ν-product is equivalent to the existence of a formal Lie algebra infinitesimally equivalent to a Vey Lie algebra at the first order.     

The classification of affineSU(3) modular invariant partition functions

A complete classification of thephysical modular invariant partition functions for the WZNW models is known for very few affine algebras and levels, the most significant being all levels ofSU(2), and level 1 of all simple algebras. In this paper we solve the classification problem forSU(3) modular invariant partition functions, all levels. Our approach will also be applicable to other affine Lie algebras, and we include some preliminary work in that direction, including a sketch of a new proof forSU(2).     

Quantum geons and noncommutative spacetimes

Physical considerations strongly indicate that spacetime at Planck scales is noncommutative. A popular model for such a spacetime is the Moyal plane. The Poincaré group algebra acts on it with a Drinfel’d-twisted coproduct, however the latter is not appropriate for more complicated spacetimes such as those containing Friedman-Sorkin (topological) geons. They have rich diffeomorphisms and mapping class groups, so that the statistics groups for N identical geons is strikingly different from the permutation group S _N . We generalise the Drinfel’d twist to (essentially all) generic groups including finite and discrete ones, and use it to deform the commutative spacetime algebras of geons to noncommutative algebras. The latter support twisted actions of diffeomorphisms of geon spacetimes and their associated twisted statistics. The notion of covariant quantum fields for geons is formulated and their twisted versions are constructed from their untwisted counterparts. Non-associative spacetime algebras arise naturally in our analysis. Physical consequences, such as the violation of Pauli’s principle, seem to be one of the outcomes of such nonassociativity. The richness of the statistics groups of identical geons comes from the nontrivial fundamental groups of their spatial slices. As discussed long ago, extended objects like rings and D-branes also have similar rich fundamental groups. This work is recalled and its relevance to the present quantum geon context is pointed out.     

Nonlinear integrable couplings of a nonlinear Schrödinger—modified Korteweg de Vries hierarchy with self-consistent sources

By means of the Lie algebra B₂, a new extended Lie algebra F is constructed. Based on the Lie algebras B₂ and F, the nonlinear Schrödinger-modified Korteweg de Vries (NLS-mKdV) hierarchy with self-consistent sources as well as its nonlinear integrable couplings are derived. With the help of the variational identity, their Hamiltonian structures are generated.     

Graded quasi-Lie algebras

This paper is concerned with a new class of graded algebras naturally uniting within a single framework various deformations of the Witt, Virasoro and other Lie algebras based on twisted and deformed derivations, as well as color Lie algebras and Lie superalgebras. Presented at the International Colloquium “Integrable Systems and Quantum Symmetries”, Prague, 16–18 June 2005. Supported by the Liegrits network Supported by the Crafoord foundation     

Loop Homotopy Algebras in Closed String Field Theory

Barton Zwiebach constructed [20] “string products” on the Hilbert space of a combined conformal field theory of matter and ghosts, satisfying the “main identity”. It has been well known that the “tree level” of the theory gives an example of a strongly homotopy Lie algebra (though, as we will see later, this is not the whole truth). Strongly homotopy Lie algebras are now well-understood objects. On the one hand, strongly homotopy Lie algebra is given by a square zero coderivation on the cofree cocommutative connected coalgebra [13, 14]; on the other hand, strongly homotopy Lie algebras are algebras over the cobar dual of the operad &?om for commutative algebras [9]. As far as we know, no such characterization of the structure of string products for arbitrary genera has been available, though there are two series of papers directly pointing towards the requisite characterization. As far as the characterization in terms of (co)derivations is concerned, we need the concept of higher order (co)derivations, which has been developed, for example, in[2, 3]. These higher order derivations were used in the analysis of the ”master identity“. For our characterization we need to understand the behavior of these higher (co)derivations on (co)free (co)algebras. The necessary machinery for the operadic approach is that of modular operads, anticipated in [5] and introduced in [8]. We believe that the modular operad structure on the compactified moduli space of Riemann surfaces of arbitrary genera implies the existence of the structure we are interested in the same manner as was explained for the tree level in [11]. We also indicate how to adapt the loop homotopy structure to the case of open string field theory [19]. Received: 10 November 1999 / Accepted: 29 March 2001     

Generalized Fock spaces,new forms of quantum statistics and their algebras

We formulate a theory of generalized Fock spaces which underlies the different forms of quantum statistics such as ‘infinite’, Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac statistics. Single-indexed systems as well as multi-indexed systems that cannot be mapped into single-indexed systems are studied. Our theory is based on a three-tiered structure consisting of Fock space, statistics and algebra. This general formalism not only unifies the various forms of statistics and algebras, but also allows us to construct many new forms of quantum statistics as well as many algebras of creation and destruction operators. Some of these are: new algebras for infinite statistics,q-statistics and its many avatars, a consistent algebra for fractional statistics, null statistics or statistics of frozen order, ‘doubly-infinite’ statistics, many representations of orthostatistics, Hubbard statistics and its variations.     

On the Road Map of Vogel’s Plane

We define “population” of Vogel’s plane as points for which universal character of adjoint representation is regular in the finite plane of its argument. It is shown that they are given exactly by all solutions of seven Diophantine equations of third order on three variables. We find all their solutions: classical series of simple Lie algebras (including an “odd symplectic” one), \({D_{2,1,\lambda}}\) superalgebra, the line of sl(2) algebras, and a number of isolated solutions, including exceptional simple Lie algebras. One of these Diophantine equations, namely \({knm=4k+4n+2m+12,}\) contains all simple Lie algebras, except so\({(2N+1).}\) Among isolated solutions are, besides exceptional simple Lie algebras, so called \({\mathfrak{e}_{7\frac{1}{2}}}\) algebra and also two other similar unidentified objects with positive dimensions. In addition, there are 47 isolated solutions in “unphysical semiplane” with negative dimensions. Isolated solutions mainly belong to the few lines in Vogel plane, including some rows of Freudenthal magic square. Universal dimension formulae have an integer values on all these solutions at least for first three symmetric powers of adjoint representation.     

Higher-Order Simple Lie Algebras

It is shown that the non-trivial cocycles on simple Lie algebras may be used to introduce antisymmetric multibrackets which lead to higher-order Lie algebras, the definition of which is given. Their generalised Jacobi identities turn out to be satisfied by the antisymmetric tensors (or higher-order “structure constants”) which characterise the Lie algebra cocycles. This analysis allows us to present a classification of the higher-order simple Lie algebras as well as a constructive procedure for them. Our results are synthesised by the introduction of a single, complete BRST operator associated with each simple algebra. Received: 3 June 1996 / Accepted: 8 November 1996     

Strongly Homotopy Lie Bialgebras and Lie Quasi-bialgebras

Structures of Lie algebras, Lie coalgebras, Lie bialgebras and Lie quasibialgebras are presented as solutions of Maurer–Cartan equations on corresponding governing differential graded Lie algebras using the big bracket construction of Kosmann–Schwarzbach. This approach provides a definition of an L _∞-(quasi)bialgebra (strongly homotopy Lie (quasi)bialgebra). We recover an L _∞-algebra structure as a particular case of our construction. The formal geometry interpretation leads to a definition of an L _∞ (quasi)bialgebra structure on V as a differential operator Q on V, self-commuting with respect to the big bracket. Finally, we establish an L _∞-version of a Manin (quasi) triple and get a correspondence theorem with L _∞-(quasi)bialgebras. This paper is dedicated to Jean-Louis Loday on the occasion of his 60th birthday with admiration and gratitude.