Ask Your Question
2

Coercion from PBW to universal enveloping algebra

asked 2019-05-10 18:35:29 +0100

Tilpo gravatar image

I'm using sage.algebras.lie_algebras.poincare_birkhoff_witt to do computations in the universal enveloping algebras of some Lie algebras. I want to then use the resulting elements in the PBW basis to act on (a subalgebra) of the Lie algebra. For this I need to use the Lie algebra's bracket() method, which only works with elements of the Lie algebra. Hence I need to coerce elements of PBW back into (NC polynomials of) elements of the Lie algebra. How do I do this?

Example

sage: lie_algebra = LieAlgebra(QQ, cartan_type='A4')
sage: pbw_basis = lie_algebra.pbw_basis()
sage: pbw_basis.an_element()
>>> PBW[alpha[4]]^2*PBW[alpha[3]]^2*PBW[alpha[2]]^3 + 2*PBW[alpha[4]] + 3*PBW[alpha[3]] + 1

Then I want to obtain

>>> E[alpha[4]]^2*E[alpha[3]]^2*E[alpha[2]]^3 + 2*E[alpha[4]] + 3*E[alpha[3]] + 1

Or rather it's enough if I can convert a term like PBW[alpha[4]] to E[alpha[4]], because I want to essentially use the following function

def universal_enveloping_algebra_action(pbw_elt,e):
    result=0
    for term,coefficient in pbw_elt:
            sub_result=e
            for factor,power in term:
                for _ in range(power):
                    sub_result=lie_algebra.bracket(factor,sub_result)
            result+=sub_result
    return result

Here pbw_elt is an element of the PBW basis, and e is in the Lie algebra. In this case 'factor' needs to be coerced into an element of the Lie algebra.

Right now I solved the problem by making a dictionary converting algebra generators of pbw_basis into basis elements of the Lie algebra, but it feels like there should be a much more elegant solution.

edit retag flag offensive close merge delete

1 Answer

Sort by ยป oldest newest most voted
2

answered 2019-05-16 15:41:08 +0100

Tilpo gravatar image

One can use the .to_word_list() method on a monomial in PBW basis.

E.g.

sage: PBW[-alpha[1]-alpha[2]]*PBW[-alpha[1]].to_word_list()
>>>>  [-alpha[1]-alpha[2],-alpha[1]]

The resulting list of roots are keys in the basis of the original Lie algebra, and can hence be easily converted. This solves my problem.

edit flag offensive delete link more

Your Answer

Please start posting anonymously - your entry will be published after you log in or create a new account.

Add Answer

Question Tools

2 followers

Stats

Asked: 2019-05-10 18:35:29 +0100

Seen: 337 times

Last updated: May 16 '19