Bialgebra structures on Lie algebras with triangular decomposition

Arun Ram
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
University of Melbourne
Parkville, VIC 3010 Australia
aram@unimelb.edu.au

Last updates: 24 March 2011

Lie algebras with triangular decomposition

1.1 Let I be a finite set. Let Q=ℤ[I] , Q+=ℕ[I] , and Q-=-Q+ .
Let 𝔤 be a Lie algebra that satisfies the following:

  1. 𝔤 is Q-graded, i.e., 𝔤 is a direct sum of spaces 𝔤α,α∈Q , and 𝔤α , 𝔤β ⊆ 𝔤α+β for all α,β∈Q .
  2. The Lie algebra 𝔤 has a triangular decomposition with respect to Q, i.e., 𝔤= 𝔫-⊕𝔥⊕𝔫+ where 𝔫+= ⨁ α∈Q+∖{0} 𝔤α, 𝔫-= ⨁ α∈Q-∖{0} 𝔤-α, 𝔥=𝔤0.
  3. For each α∈Q the vector space 𝔤α is finite dimensional.
  4. For each i∈I , dim𝔤i=1 .
  5. The subspaces 𝔤i , i∈I generate 𝔤 as a lie algebra.
  6. There is a nondegenerate invariant symmetric bilinear form ⟨ , ⟩ :𝔤 × 𝔤→k on 𝔤 such that
    1. The restriciton ⟨ , ⟩: 𝔤α ×  𝔤-α→k is nondegenerate for each α∈Q such that 𝔤α≠0 . In particular ⟨ , ⟩ is a nondegenerate form on 𝔥.
    2. If α,β∈Q , α≠β and x∈𝔤α and y∈𝔤β then ⟨ x , y ⟩=0 .
  7. There is a linear map θ:𝔤→𝔤 called the Chevalley involution, such that
    1. θ is a Lie algebra automorphism.
    2. θh=-h for all h∈𝔥 .
    3. θ𝔤α= θ𝔤-α for all α∈Q.
    4. ⟨ θx , θy ⟩ = ⟨ x , y ⟩ for all x,y∈𝔤 .

1.2 For each i∈i let us fix an element Xi∈gi. Let Yi∈𝔤-i be dual to Xi with respect to the form ⟨ , ⟩ and let Hi=⟨ Xi , Yi ⟩ ∈𝔥 .

1.3 We shall let 𝔤+ and 𝔟- be the Lie subalgebras of 𝔤 given by 𝔟+=𝔥⊕𝔫+, 𝔟-=𝔥⊕𝔫-.

1.4 Given an element x∈𝔤 we write x=x-+x𝔥+x+, where x-∈𝔫-, x𝔥∈𝔥, x+∈𝔫+ .

1.5 The finite dimensional simple Lie algebras over ℂ and the Kac-Moody Lie algebras 𝔤′A in [Kc] are Lie algebras that satisfy the conditions in (1.1). See Theorems 1.2 and 2.2 of [Kc].

Lie bialgebra structure on 𝔟+ and D𝔟+

Let 𝔤 be a Lie algebra with invariang form ⟨ , ⟩𝔤 satisfying the conditions of Section 1. Let ⟨ , ⟩𝔥 denote the restriction of the form ⟨ , ⟩𝔤 to 𝔥. Given an element x∈𝔤 we write we write x=x-+x𝔥+x+, where x-∈𝔫-, x𝔥∈𝔥, x+∈𝔫+ . The triple 𝔤 × 𝔥,𝔭1,𝔭2 ,where 𝔭1= x,x𝔥∣x∈ 𝔟+ and 𝔭2= y,-y𝔥∣ y∈𝔟- with the scalar product and bracket on 𝔤 × 𝔥 given by ⟨ (x,x𝔥) , (y,y𝔥) ⟩ = ⟨ x , y ⟩𝔤- ⟨ x𝔥 , y𝔥 ⟩ 𝔥, and [ ( x,x𝔥 ) , ( y,y𝔥 ) ] = ( [ x , y ], [ h𝔥,y𝔥 ] ) = ( [ x,y ], 0 ) respectively, is a Manin triple.

Proof:

2.2 If x,y∈𝔟+ then x , y ∈𝔫+ and [ (x,x𝔥),(y,y𝔥) ] = ( [x,y],0 )∈𝔭1 So 𝔭1 is a Lie subalgebra of 𝔤⊗𝔥. Using the fact that x,y∈𝔟+ , so that ⟨ x , y ⟩ = ⟨ x𝔥 , y𝔥 ⟩ , We have that ⟨ (x,x𝔥) , (y,y𝔥) ⟩= 0. Thus 𝔭1 is isotropic.
Similarly one shows taht 𝔭2 is an isotropic Lie algebra of 𝔤 × 𝔥 .

2.3 If (x,y)∈ 𝔤 × 𝔥 then (a,h)= a++ a𝔥+h 2 , a𝔥+h 2 + a-+ a𝔥-h 2 , -a𝔥+h 2 ∈𝔭1+𝔭2. So 𝔭1+𝔭2= 𝔤 × 𝔥 .
If (a,h)∈𝔭1∩𝔭2 then a=a𝔥 and h=a𝔥 and h=-a𝔥 . It follows that a=a𝔥=h=0 . Thus 𝔭1∩𝔭2=0 and we have that 𝔤 × 𝔥= 𝔭1⊕𝔭2 .

2.4 Recall that for (x,h),(y,h′)∈ 𝔤 × 𝔥 , ⟨ (x,h) , (y,h′) ⟩ = ⟨ x , y ⟩𝔤- ⟨ h , h′ ⟩𝔥 . It follows that ⟨ [ (x,h) , (y,h′) ] , (z,h′′) ⟩ = ⟨ [ x , y ] , z ⟩𝔤 - ⟨ [ h , h′ ] , h′′ ⟩ = ⟨ y , [ z , x ] ⟩𝔤 - ⟨ h′ , [ h′′ , h] ⟩𝔥 = ⟨ (y,h′) , ( [ z , x ] , [ h′′ , h ] ) ⟩ = ⟨ (y,h′) , [ ( z , h′′ ) , (x,h) ] ⟩. It follows that the form ⟨ , ⟩ is an invariant form on 𝔤 × 𝔥 .

2.5 Let x,h)∈ 𝔤 × 𝔥 such that x,h)≠(0,0) . Since ⟨ , ⟩𝔥 is nondegenerate, if h≠0, there exists some h′∈𝔥 such that ⟨ h , h′ ⟩𝔥≠0 . Thus if h≠0, ⟨ (x,h) , (0,h′) ⟩ = - ⟨ h , h′ ⟩𝔥 ≠0. If h=0 then x≠0, and by the nondegeneracy of ⟨ , ⟩𝔤 there exists some y∈𝔤 such that ⟨ x , y ⟩𝔤 ≠0 . Thus, if h=0, ⟨ (x,0) , (y,0) ⟩ = ⟨ x , y ⟩𝔤 ≠0. Thus ⟨ , ⟩ is a nondegenerate form on 𝔤 × 𝔥.

2.6 For each i∈I let us fix an element X∈𝔤i. Let Yi∈𝔤-i be dual to Xi∈𝔤i with respect to the form ⟨ , ⟩ and let Hi= [ Xi , Yi ] ∈𝔥 . The elements Xi,Yi,Hi, i∈I generate 𝔤. The manin triple in (2.1) determines a Lie algebra structure on 𝔟+ with cocommututator φ:𝔤A→ ⋀2𝔤A given by φHi=0, φXi= 12 Xi∧Hi.

Proof:

The double D𝔟+≅ 𝔤 × 𝔥 .

Proof:

Quasitriangular Lie bialgebra structure on 𝔤

Let 𝔤 be a Lie algebra with invariant form ⟨ , ⟩ satisfying the conditions of Section 1.

  1. There is a Lie bialgebras on 𝔤 determined by the Manin triple 𝔭1,𝔭1,𝔭2 given by 𝔭 = 𝔤 × 𝔤, 𝔭1 = x,y∈ 𝔤 × 𝔤A∣ x=y ≅𝔤 𝔭2 = x,y∈ 𝔟- × 𝔟+ ∣ x𝔥+y𝔥=0 , and Lie bracket and invariant scalar product [ x1,y1 , x2,y2 ] = [ x1 , x2 ] , [ y1 , y2 ] , ⟨ x1,y1 , x2,y2 ⟩ = ⟨ x1 , x2 ⟩- ⟨ y1 , y2 ⟩, for all x1,x2,y1, y2∈𝔤A respectively.
  2. The Lie bialgebra structure on 𝔤 determined by the Manin triple in 1) is given by the cocommutator φ:𝔤A→ ⋀2𝔤A determined by φHi = 0, φXi = 12 Xi∧Hi, φYi = 12 Yi∧Hi, for all i∈I.
  3. For each α∈Q+∖ 0 , let Xαj∣ 1≤j≤dim𝔤α X-αj∣ 1≤j≤dim𝔤α be a basis of 𝔤α and a dual basis in 𝔤-α. Let H ˜ i be an orthonormal basis of 𝔥. The Lie algebra 𝔤 is a quasitriangular Lie bialgebra with r-matrix given by r= ∑ α∈Q+∖ 0 ∑ j=1 dim𝔤α Xαj⊗ X-αj + 12 ∑ H ˜ i ⊗ H ˜ i .

Proof:

3.3 𝔭1 is an isotropic Lie subalgebra of 𝔤 × 𝔤 . THe fact that 𝔭1 is an isotropic Lie subalgebra of 𝔤 × 𝔤 follows from the following computations. ⟨ x,x , y,y ⟩ ⟨ x , y ⟩ - ⟨ x , y ⟩ =0 [ x,x , y,y ]= [ x , y ], [ x , y ] ∈𝔭1.

3.3 Let y,x, f,e∈𝔭2 so that y=y-+y𝔥, f=f-+f𝔥, and x=x++x𝔥, e=e++e𝔥, and x𝔥=-y𝔥 and f𝔥=e𝔥. Then ⟨ y,x , f,e ⟩= ⟨ y , f ⟩ - ⟨ x , e ⟩ = ⟨ y𝔥 , f𝔥 ⟩ - ⟨ x𝔥 , e𝔥 ⟩ = ⟨ y𝔥 , f𝔥 ⟩ - ⟨ -y𝔥 , -f𝔥 ⟩=0. Thus 𝔭2 is isotropic. Note that since [ y , f ] ∈𝔫- , and [ x , e ] ∈𝔫+ , it follows that [ y , f ]𝔥 = [ x , e ]𝔥 =0 , and thus [ y,x , f,e ]= [ y , f ], [ x , e ] ∈𝔭2. Thus 𝔭2 is a Lie subalgebra.

3.4 Let y,x∈ 𝔭1∩𝔭2 . It follows that y∈𝔟-, x∈𝔟+, y=x and x𝔥=y𝔥 and x𝔥+y𝔥=0 . Thus x+=0 and y-=0 giving also that x𝔥=y𝔥 . Thus if chark≠2 we have that x𝔥=y𝔥= x=y=0 . So 𝔭1∩𝔭2=0 . Given two elements x,y∈𝔤 we may write x,y= x+-y++ x𝔥-y𝔥 2 , -x-+ y-- x𝔥-y𝔥 2 + x-+y++ x𝔥+y𝔥 2 , x-+y+- x𝔥+y𝔥 2 to see that x,y∈ 𝔭1+𝔭2 . It follows that 𝔤×𝔤=𝔭1+𝔭2 .

3.5 Recall that ⟨ x1,x2 , x1,y2 ⟩= ⟨ x1 , y1 ⟩ - ⟨ x2 , y2 ⟩ . It follows that ⟨ [ x1,y1 , x2,y2 ] , x3,y3 ⟩ = ⟨ [ x1 , x2 ] , x3 ⟩- ⟨ [ y1 , y2 ] , y3 ⟩ = ⟨ x2 , [ x3 , x1 ] ⟩- ⟨ y2 , [ y3 , y1 ] ⟩ = ⟨ x2,y2 , [ x3 , x1 ], [ y3 , y1 ] ⟩ = ⟨ x2,y2 , [ x3,y3 , x1,y1 ] ⟩. Thus, the form ⟨ , ⟩ is invariant.

3.6 Let x,y∈ 𝔤 × 𝔤 such that x,y≠ 0,0 . If x≠0 then, since the form on 𝔤 is nondegenerate there exists some z∈𝔤 such that x,z≠0 . Thus ⟨ x,y , z,0 ⟩= ⟨ x , 0 ⟩- ⟨ y , 0 ⟩= ⟨ x , z ⟩≠0. If x=0 then y≠0 and there exists w∈𝔤 such that ⟨ y , w ⟩≠0 . It follows that ⟨ x,y,0,w ⟩= ⟨ x , 0 ⟩ - ⟨ y , w ⟩= -⟨ y , w ⟩ ≠0. Thus, the form on 𝔤 × 𝔤 is nondegenerate.

3.7 The cobracket on 𝔭1 is determined by ⟨ φz,z , y,x⊗ f,e ⟩ = ⟨ z,z , [ y,x , f,e ] ⟩ where y,f∈𝔟- and x,e∈𝔟+ . We have ⟨ φz,z , y,x⊗ f,e ⟩= ⟨ z,z , [ y,x , f,e ] ⟩= ⟨ z,z , [ y , f ], [ x , e ] ⟩= ⟨ z , [ y , f ] ⟩ - ⟨ z , [ x , e ] ⟩. Let Hi∈𝔥. Then, since [ y , f ]∈𝔫- and [ x , e ]∈𝔫+ , it follows that ⟨ φHi,Hi , y,x⊗ f,e ⟩ = ⟨ Hi , [ y , f ] ⟩- ⟨ Hi , [ x , e ] ⟩=0-0=0 . Thus, φHi,Hi =0. The computations to determine φXi are as follows. ⟨ φXi,Xi , y,x⊗ f,e ⟩ = ⟨ Xi , [ y , f ] ⟩- ⟨ Xi , [ x , e ] ⟩ = ⟨ Xi , [ y , f ] ⟩ -0 = ⟨ [ Xi , y ] , f ⟩ = ⟨ [ Xi , ⟨ y , Xi ⟩ Yi ] +y𝔥 ⟩ = ⟨ y , Xi ⟩ ⟨ [ Xi , Yi ] , f ⟩+ ⟨ [ Xi , y𝔥 ] , f ⟩ = ⟨ y , Xi ⟩ ⟨ Hi , f ⟩- ⟨ [ Xi , f ] , y𝔥 ⟩ = ⟨ Xi , y ⟩ ⟨ Hi , f ⟩ - ⟨ [ Xi , ⟨ f , Xi ⟩ Yi+f𝔥 ] , y𝔥 ⟩ = ⟨ Xi , y ⟩ ⟨ Hi , f ⟩- ⟨ f , Xi ⟩ ⟨ [ Xi , Yi ] , y𝔥 ⟩+ ⟨ [ Xi , f𝔥 ] , y𝔥 ⟩ = ⟨ Xi , y ⟩ ⟨ Hi , f ⟩ - ⟨ f , Xi ⟩⟨ Hi , y ⟩+0. On the other hand, since y𝔥=-x𝔥 and f𝔥=-e𝔥 it follows that ⟨ Xi,Xi ∧ Hi,Hi , y,x⊗ f,e ⟩ = ⟨ Xi,Xi⊗ Hi,Hi- Hi,Hi⊗ Xi,Xi⊗ , y,x⊗ f,e ⟩ = ⟨ Xi , y-x ⟩ ⟨ Hi , f-e ⟩ - ⟨ Hi , y-x ⟩ ⟨ Xi , f-e ⟩ = ⟨ Xi , y-x ⟩ ⟨ Hi , f𝔥+f𝔥 ⟩- ⟨ Hi , y𝔥+y𝔥 ⟩ ⟨ Xi , f-e ⟩ = 2 ⟨ Xi , y-x ⟩ ⟨ Hi , f ⟩- ⟨ Hi , y ⟩ ⟨ Xi , f-e ⟩ . Since Xi∈𝔫+ and x∈𝔟+ it follows that ⟨ Xi , x ⟩=0 . Similarly, ⟨ Xi , e ⟩=0 . Thus ⟨ Xi,Xi∧ Hi,Hi , y,x⊗ f,e ⟩= 2 ⟨ Xi , y ⟩ ⟨ Hi , f ⟩- ⟨ Hi , y ⟩ ⟨ Xi , f ⟩ . It follows that φXi,Xi = 12 Xi,Xi∧ Hi,Hi . The formula φYi,Yi = 12 Yi,Yi∧ Hi,Hi . is proved similarly.

3.8 We know that D𝔟+≅ 𝔤 × 𝔥 from Corollary (2.7). The set Xαj,0 ∣ α∈Q+ ∖ 0 , 1≤j≤dim𝔤α ∪ { 1 2 H ˜ i , H ˜ i } is a basis of 𝔭1 with dual basis (with respect to the form on 𝔤 × 𝔥 ) X-αj,0 ∣ α∈Q+ ∖ 0 , 1≤j≤dim𝔤α ∪ { 1 2 H ˜ i , - H ˜ i } in 𝔭2. The r-matrix r ˆ = ∑ α∈Q+∖ 0 ∑ j=1 dim𝔤α Xαj,0 ⊗ X-αj,0 + 12 ∑ H ˜ i ⊗ H ˜ i gives a quasitriangular Lie bialgebra structure on 𝔤 × 𝔥 . The subspace 0 × 𝔥 of 𝔤 × 𝔥 is an ideal of 𝔤 × 𝔥 and 𝔤≅ 𝔤 × 𝔥 / 0 × 𝔥 . Thus the projection r∈ 𝔤 × 𝔥 / 0 × 𝔥 ⊗ 𝔤 × 𝔥 / 0 × 𝔥 r= = ∑ α∈Q+∖ 0 ∑ j=1 dim𝔤α Xαj,0 ⊗ X-αj,0 + 12 ∑ H i ,0 ⊗ H i ,0 of the r-matrix r ˆ gives a quasitriangular Lie bialgebra structure on 𝔤.
It remains to check that htis bialgebra structure is the same as that given by the Manin triple in 1). By (2.6) we know that the cocommutator determined by r satisfies φHi=0 φXi= 12 Xi∧Hi, on the subalgebra 𝔟+. We can calculate φYi by using the Cartan involution θ. ad⊗2Yi θ⊗θ r = θ⊗θ ad⊗2Xi r = θ × θ 12 Xi∧Hi = - 12 Yi∧Hi. Since θ⊗θr = ∑ α∈Q+ ∑ j=1 dim𝔤α θXαj⊗ θX-αj + 12 ∑ θHi ⊗ θHi = ∑ α∈Q+∖ 0 ∑ j=1 dim𝔤α Xαj⊗ X-αj + 12 ∑ H i ⊗ H i = r21, and r21+r12 is invariant, it follows that ad⊗2 Yi r= - ad⊗2 Yi r21= 12 Yi∧Hi. Thus we have shown that the bialgbera structure on 𝔤 determined by the r-matrix and the bialgebra structure on 𝔤 determined by the Manin triple given in 1) are identical.

References

The definitions and proofs of the fact that Kac-Moody Lie algebras satisfy the properties given in Section 1 are contained in the first few pages of the following standard book.

[Kc] V. Kac, Infinite dimensional Lie algebras, Third Ed., Cambridge University Press 1990. MR1104219

The examples of bialgebra structures geven here appear in example 3.2 of the following paper by Drinfel'd.

[D] V.G. Drinfeld, Quantum Groups, Vol. 1 of Proccedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians (Berkeley, Calif., 1986). Amer. Math. Soc., Providence, RI, 1987, pp. 198–820. MR0934283

[DHL] H.-D. Doebner, Hennig, J. D. and W. Lücke, Mathematical guide to quantum groups, Quantum groups (Clausthal, 1989), Lecture Notes in Phys., 370, Springer, Berlin, 1990, pp. 29–63. MR1201823

[J] N. Jacobson, Lie algebras, Interscience Publishers, New York, 1962.

page history